Key Vocabulary
What is the term for a push or pull on an object?
Force
True or False: An object will only change velocity if a force is applied.
True
If no forces act on a moving object, what will happen to its velocity?
Velocity stays the same.
What space object failed to dock with the station?
Asteroid-collecting pod
Cause: A force is exerted. → Effect:?
The object’s velocity changes.
What word describes an object’s speed and direction of motion?
Velocity
What happens if equal forces act on an object in opposite directions?
They cancel out → no change in velocity (balanced forces).
If a force acts in the same direction as motion, what happens to velocity?
Velocity increases (speeds up).
What caused the pod to change direction?
A force (from thrusters or collision)
Cause: A force is exerted in the same direction as velocity. → Effect: ?
Object speeds up.
What word means a change in velocity?
Acceleration (change in velocity)
What happens if a stronger force pushes an object than the opposing force?
The object changes velocity in the direction of the stronger force.
If a force acts opposite the motion, what happens to velocity?
Velocity decreases (slows down).
What are the two possible explanations for why the pod moved away?
(1) Thruster too strong → reversed direction; (2) Thruster too weak → crashed & bounced off.
Cause: A force is exerted in the opposite direction of velocity. → Effect: ?
Object slows down.
What is the word for a force that opposes motion between two surfaces?
Friction
Give an example of how the direction of a force affects the direction of motion.
Example: A ball kicked to the side changes direction.
If a force acts at an angle (not forward or backward), what happens to velocity?
Velocity changes direction.
How would a too-strong thruster force affect the pod’s velocity?
Pod would reverse direction (move away from station).
Cause: A force is exerted at an angle. → Effect: ?
Object changes direction.
What two things describe a force (hint: one tells how big, one tells which way)?
Strength (magnitude) and direction
Why does the strength of the force matter when changing an object’s velocity?
Stronger force → greater change in velocity.
What is the relationship between the size of a force and how much velocity changes?
Larger force → bigger change in velocity.
How would a too-weak thruster force affect the pod’s motion?
Pod would crash into station and bounce off.
Cause: A stronger force is applied. → Effect: ?
Object’s velocity changes more.