The Nature of Science
A proposed explanation that you test with experiments.
What is a hypothesis?
The SI base unit for length.
What is the meter?
A change in an object's position relative to a reference point.
What is motion?
A push or pull measured in newtons (N).
What is a force?
Work done when force and displacement are parallel; name the formula and unit.
What is W=Fd and the unit is the joule (J)?
The variable you change deliberately in an experiment.
What is the independent variable?
The prefix meaning one thousand
What is kilo‑?
Distance divided by time gives this scalar quantity.
What is speed?
Forces that add to zero and cause no change in motion.
What are balanced forces?
Energy of motion and its formula for a moving object.
What is kinetic energy, KE=12mv2?
The group in an experiment used as a baseline for comparison.
What is the control group?
The type of graph best for showing change over time.
What is a line graph?
Mass times velocity — a vector quantity important in collisions.
What is momentum?
Newton’s second law in equation form.
What is Fnet=ma?
Stored energy due to position in a gravitational field and its formula.
What is gravitational potential energy, GPE=mgh?
The process where other scientists evaluate and critique research before publication.
What is peer review?
The variable that is plotted on the y‑axis of a graph.
What is the dependent variable?
The formula for acceleration using initial and final velocities and time.
What is a=vf−vi / t
The type of friction that prevents an object from starting to move.
What is static friction?
The formula to calculate thermal energy change using mass, specific heat, and temperature change.
What is Q=mC(Tf−Ti)?
A well‑supported explanation based on many observations (not a guess).
What is a scientific theory?
The derived quantity found by dividing mass by volume (common units g/mL or kg/m^3).
What is density?
Two‑dimensional motion with constant horizontal velocity and vertical acceleration due to gravity.
What is projectile motion?
Newton’s third law states about action and reaction forces.
What is: every action has an equal and opposite reaction (forces equal in magnitude and opposite in direction acting on different objects)?
The law stating energy cannot be created or destroyed; in a closed system the change in thermal energy equals heat plus work.
What is the first law of thermodynamics: ΔEthermal=Q+W?