Physics Unit 3: Acceleration Flashcards

Acceleration

• Defined as the rate of change of velocity, influenced by all forces acting on an object.
• Formula: a = (v final - v initial) / (t final - t initial).
• Measured in metres per second squared (m/s²).

Average Acceleration

• Calculated as the change in velocity over an elapsed time.

Constant Acceleration

• Occurs when an object's velocity remains unchanged during a time period.

Velocity

• A vector quantity that includes both magnitude and direction.
• Measured in meters per second (m/s).

Average Velocity

• Determined by dividing displacement by the time taken.

Velocity vs Time Graph

• Represents velocity (in m/s) on the y-axis; slope indicates acceleration.
• Similar in structure to position vs time graphs.

Free Fall

• The motion of a body solely affected by its weight, without any other forces acting on it.

Gravity

• The universal force of attraction between all masses; near Earth's surface, its approximate value is 9.8 m/s² (often rounded to 10 m/s²).

Velocity Equation

• Expressed as v = at, where v is velocity, a is acceleration, and t is time.

Displacement Equation

• Given by d = 1/2(at²), relating displacement (d) to acceleration (a) and time (t).

Constant Velocity

• Characterizes motion where an object covers equal distances in equal time intervals.

Weight

• Defined as the force due to gravity acting on an object, calculated with w = mg (mass × acceleration due to gravity).
• Measured in newtons (N) as a unit of force.

Displacement

• A vector quantity reflecting the overall change in position of an object, or the difference between final and initial positions.

Motion Graphs or Diagrams

• Visual representations of an object's movement that illustrate position, velocity, and acceleration at key points in time.