Newton's Laws
What is Newton's 1st Law of Motion?
An object at rest tends to stay at rest, and an object in motion tends to stay in motion, unless acted upon by an outside unbalanced force.
What is the universal law of gravitation?
Gravity is the universal attractive force between all massive objects.
What is potential energy?
Stored energy, or the ability to do work.
What is the formula for work?
Work = Force x Distance.
What is a lever?
A rigid beam that rotates around a fixed point called a fulcrum.
What formula represents Newton's 2nd Law?
Force = mass x acceleration.
What factor affects how fast an object falls?
Air resistance acting upon its specific surface area.
What is kinetic energy?
The energy of an object in motion.
Is pushing against a wall considered work? Why or why not?
No, because no distance is moved.
Name one type of simple machine.
Examples include levers, inclined planes, screws, wheels and axles, pulleys, and wedges.
Give an example of Newton's 3rd Law of Motion.
A rocket pushes out exhaust gas downwards, which pushes it upwards with equal force.
Describe one experiment related to gravitation that was conducted in class.
Designing an aircraft that falls as slowly as possible.
How do potential and kinetic energy relate to each other?
They add up to 100 percent of the energy in an object.
What units are used to measure work?
Joules.
What is a single fixed pulley?
A pulley that changes the direction of the force but does not multiply it.
What does the term "inertia" refer to?
The tendency of an object to resist changes in its state of motion.
Why do heavier objects have a greater ability to attract other objects?
Because they have more mass.
How is gravitational potential energy calculated?
GPE = Mass x Acceleration x Height.
How is work related to force and distance?
Work is done when a force is applied over a distance.
How does a block and tackle system work?
It uses multiple pulleys to increase mechanical advantage.
How does mass affect the force required to move an object?
Heavier objects require more force to be moved the same distance as lighter objects.
What is gravitational potential energy (GPE)?
The energy stored in an object due to its height above the ground.
Describe the energy transformations in a pendulum.
Energy transitions between potential and kinetic as it swings.
What is the definition of effort in terms of work?
The force that you put in to move something.
What is mechanical advantage?
How many times your machine multiplies the force you put in.