Force & Motion Vocabulary
A general term for a push or a pull that can change an object's motion.
What is a force?
The force that resists motion when two surfaces rub together.
What is friction?
A metal paper clip is attracted to a magnet. Which property (magnetic / nonmagnetic) does the paper clip have?
What is magnetic.
Speed is calculated by dividing this measurement by time.
What is distance?
The term for forces that act without objects touching (examples: gravity, magnetism).
What are noncontact forces?
Between smooth surfaces and rough surfaces, which produces less friction? (name the surface type)
What is a smooth surface?
What happens when like magnetic poles (N and N or S and S) are brought close together?
What is repel (they push apart)?
If two identical ramps and forces are used but one cart has more mass, which will travel farther — the lighter or heavier cart?
What is the lighter cart (less mass travels farther with the same force)?
Two or more forces acting so their combined effect is zero and the object's motion doesn't change.
What are balanced forces?
How does increasing an object's mass generally affect the friction between it and a surface?
Friction generally increases as mass increases (more weight → more normal force → more friction).
Magnet 2 with its north pole pushed toward Magnet 1's north pole — what will happen to magnet 1?
What is: magnet 1 will move away from magnet 2 (they repel).
Michael pushed four identical cars with different forces; the car that traveled the farthest in a fixed time received the greatest amount of what?
What is force?
The name for the force that pulls objects toward Earth and affects how much they weigh.
What is gravity?
Movers place slippery pads under a sofa so it will slide more easily. Which force does this reduce?
What is the force of friction?
A mixture of salt and iron filings can be separated easiest by using which tool.
What is a magnet?
Caitlyn records distances for a toy car over identical times: 2 m, 4 m, 6 m, 8 m (all in 10 s). Which trial had the fastest speed?
What is trial 4 (8 m in 10 s → fastest)?
If an object is in motion is ALWAYS changes its...
Position
In a ramp experiment, a toy car travels different distances on three surfaces. State two factors that determine how far the car will roll.
What are surface roughness (smooth vs. rough) and the mass (weight) of the object (how hard the surfaces are pushed together)?
Name the two factors that affect the strength of gravitational pull between two objects.
What are mass (amount of matter) and distance between the objects?
Explain briefly why a small push can set a very heavy rock rolling down a steep hill (use balanced/unbalanced forces and direction of forces).
The rock was in a balanced, the small push made the forces unbalanced in the downhill direction so gravity and unbalanced forces caused it to move.