All Flashcards
Define 'inertial frame of reference'.
A frame where Newton's laws hold true; objects at rest stay at rest, and objects in motion stay in motion at a constant velocity unless acted upon by a force.
What is 'rotational velocity (ω)'?
How fast an object is rotating, measured in radians per second (rad/s).
Define 'rotational acceleration (α)'.
How quickly the rotational velocity changes, measured in radians per second squared (rad/s²).
What is 'centripetal acceleration (ac)'?
Acceleration towards the center of a circular path.
Define 'net force'.
The vector sum of all forces acting on an object.
What is a 'vector'?
A quantity with both magnitude and direction. Examples: force, displacement, velocity, acceleration.
What is a 'scalar'?
A quantity with only magnitude. Examples: mass, time, speed.
What is the effect of a net force acting on an object?
The object accelerates in the direction of the net force (Newton's Second Law).
What is the effect of applying a force on an object?
According to Newton's Third Law, the object applies an equal and opposite force back.
What happens when an object experiences centripetal acceleration?
The object moves in a circular path.
What are the key differences between inertial and non-inertial frames of reference?
Inertial: Newton's laws hold true, non-accelerating. Non-inertial: Newton's laws don't apply, accelerating.
Differentiate between scalar and vector quantities.
Scalar: Magnitude only. Vector: Magnitude and direction.