Glossary

a graph of pressure vs. volume

the ratio of thickness to the conductivity of a material

the sum of gauge pressure and atmospheric pressure

the lowest possible temperature; the temperature at which all molecular motion ceases

The rate of change in velocity; the change in velocity over time

acceleration of an object as a result of gravity

the degree to which a measured value agrees with correct value for that measurement

property of medium that makes the propagation of sound waves more difficult

the process in which a living membrane expends energy to move substances across

the attractive forces between molecules of different types

a process in which no heat transfer takes place

a frictional force that slows the motion of objects as they travel through the air; when solving basic physics problems, air resistance is assumed to be zero

the maximum displacement from the equilibrium position of an object oscillating around the equilibrium position

the method of determining the magnitude and direction of a resultant vector using the Pythagorean theorem and trigonometric identities

the rate of change of angular velocity with time

the product of moment of inertia and angular velocity

[latex]\omega[/latex], the rate of change of the angle with which an object moves on a circular path

the location of maximum amplitude in standing waves

an estimated value based on prior experience and reasoning

[latex]\text{Δ}s[/latex], the distance traveled by an object along a circular path

the buoyant force on an object equals the weight of the fluid it displaces

The pressure exerted by the weight of the Earth's atmosphere on objects at the surface. At sea level, it averages approximately [latex]1.01 \times 10^5\ \text{Pa}[/latex] (pascals) or 1 atm.

the change in velocity divided by the time over which it changes

displacement divided by time over which displacement occurs

[latex]{N}_{\text{A}}[/latex] , the number of molecules or atoms in one mole of a substance;
[latex]{N}_{\text{A}}=6\text{.}\text{02}×{\text{10}}^{\text{23}}[/latex] particles/mole

the curve in a road that is sloping in a manner that helps a vehicle negotiate the curve

the total energy conversion rate of a person at rest

the frequency of the amplitude fluctuations of a wave

the equation resulting from applying conservation of energy to an incompressible frictionless fluid: P + 1/2pv2 + pgh = constant, through the fluid

Bernoulli’s equation applied at constant depth: P1 + 1/2pv12 = P2 + 1/2pv22

The force per unit area exerted by circulating blood on the walls of blood vessels. In physics terms, it is a form of fluid pressure measured in units such as millimeters of mercury (mmHg). Blood pressure varies throughout the circulatory system and is typically expressed as two values: systolic pressure (when the heart contracts) and diastolic pressure (when the heart relaxes).

[latex]k[/latex] , a physical constant that relates energy to temperature; [latex]k=\text{1.38}×{\text{10}}^{\text{–23}}\phantom{\rule{0.25em}{0ex}}\text{J/K}[/latex]

V-shaped disturbance created when the wave source moves faster than the wave propagation speed

is a measure of a material’s resistance to uniform compression. It is defined as the ratio of the infinitesimal change in pressure to the resulting relative change in volume:

[latex]B = -\frac{\Delta P}{\Delta V / V}[/latex]
where:

[latex]B[/latex] is the bulk modulus

[latex]\Delta P[/latex] is the change in pressure

[latex]\Delta V[/latex] is the change in volume

[latex]V[/latex] is the original volume

The negative sign indicates that an increase in pressure causes a decrease in volume. Materials with a high bulk modulus, like steel, are incompressible, while those with a low bulk modulus, like gases, are more compressible.

the net upward force on any object in any fluid

the tendency of a fluid to be raised or lowered in a narrow tube

a cyclical process that uses only reversible processes, the adiabatic and isothermal processes

the maximum theoretical efficiency for a heat engine

a heat engine that uses a Carnot cycle

a fundamental particle of nature that is surrounded by a characteristic force field; photons are carrier particles of the electromagnetic force

temperature scale in which the freezing point of water is [latex]0\text{º}\text{C}[/latex] and the boiling point of water is [latex]\text{100}\text{º}\text{C}[/latex]

the point where the total weight of the body is assumed to be concentrated

the point where the entire mass of an object can be thought to be concentrated

a fictitious force that tends to throw an object off when the object is rotating in a non-inertial frame of reference

the acceleration of an object moving in a circle, directed toward the center

any net force causing uniform circular motion

the difference between final and initial values of angular velocity

the ratio of heat transfer to temperature [latex]Q/T[/latex]

the difference between the final and initial momentum; the mass times the change in velocity

the energy in a substance stored in the bonds between atoms and molecules that can be released in a chemical reaction

physics that was developed from the Renaissance to the end of the 19th century

the study of relative velocities in situations where speeds are less than about 1% of the speed of light—that is, less than 3000 km/s

[latex]\alpha[/latex], the change in length, per unit length, per [latex]1\text{º}\text{C}[/latex] change in temperature; a constant used in the calculation of linear expansion; the coefficient of linear expansion depends on the material and to some degree on the temperature of the material

for a heat pump, it is the ratio of heat transfer at the output (the hot reservoir) to the work supplied; for a refrigerator or air conditioner, it is the ratio of heat transfer from the cold reservoir to the work supplied

[latex]\beta[/latex], the change in volume, per unit volume, per [latex]1\text{º}\text{C}[/latex] change in temperature

the attractive forces between molecules of the same type

refers to the interchangeability of order in a function; vector addition is commutative because the order in which vectors are added together does not affect the final sum

a piece of a vector that points in either the vertical or the horizontal direction; every 2-d vector can be expressed as a sum of two vertical and horizontal vector components

heat transfer through stationary matter by physical contact

the rule that the sum of the kinetic energies and potential energies remains constant if only conservative forces act on and within a system

when the net external force is zero, the total momentum of the system is conserved or constant

a force that does the same work for any given initial and final configuration, regardless of the path followed

when two waves arrive at the same point exactly in phase; that is, the crests of the two waves are precisely aligned, as are the troughs

the angle [latex]\theta[/latex] between the tangent to the liquid surface and the surface

heat transfer by the macroscopic movement of fluid

a ratio expressing how many of one unit are equal to another unit

the fictitious force causing the apparent deflection of moving objects when viewed in a rotating frame of reference

the condition in which the damping of an oscillator causes it to return as quickly as possible to its equilibrium position without oscillating back and forth about this position

the temperature above which a liquid cannot exist

the minimum pressure needed for a liquid to exist at the critical temperature

the temperature above which a liquid cannot exist

a process in which the path returns to its original state at the end of every cycle

the physical law that states that the total pressure of a gas is the sum of partial pressures of the component gases

The gradual loss of amplitude in an oscillating system due to energy being dissipated, typically as heat, sound, or other forms of energy. Damping reduces the system’s motion over time and can be caused by friction, air resistance, or internal material resistance.

acceleration in the direction opposite to velocity; acceleration that results in a decrease in velocity

change in shape due to the application of force

unit on the Celsius temperature scale

unit on the Fahrenheit temperature scale

the mass per unit volume of a substance or object

the variable that is being measured; usually plotted along the [latex]y[/latex]-axis

units that can be calculated using algebraic combinations of the fundamental units

when two identical waves arrive at the same point exactly out of phase; that is, precisely aligned crest to trough

the temperature at which relative humidity is 100%; the temperature at which water starts to condense out of the air

the transport of any molecule other than water through a semipermeable membrane from a region of high concentration to one of low concentration

the minimum blood pressure in the artery

the movement of substances due to random thermal molecular motion

the orientation of a vector in space

the change in position of an object

the magnitude of displacement between two positions

the total length of the path traveled between two positions

an alteration in the observed frequency of a sound due to motion of either the source or the observer

the actual change in frequency due to relative motion of source and observer

a medical technique to detect motion and determine velocity through the Doppler shift of an echo

[latex]{F}_{\text{D}}[/latex], found to be proportional to the square of the speed of the object; mathematically

[latex]{F}_{\text{D}}\propto {v}^{\text{2}}[/latex]
[latex]{F}_{\text{D}}=\frac{1}{2}\mathrm{C\rho }{\mathrm{Av}}^{2},[/latex]

where [latex]C[/latex] is the drag coefficient, [latex]A[/latex] is the area of the object facing the fluid, and [latex]\rho[/latex] is the density of the fluid

a state of equilibrium in which the net external force and torque on a system moving with constant velocity are zero

the study of how forces affect the motion of objects and systems

a measure of the effectiveness of the input of energy to do work; useful energy or work divided by the total input of energy

the difference between the ending time and beginning time

a collision that also conserves internal kinetic energy

potential energy stored as a result of deformation of an elastic object, such as the stretching of a spring

the energy carried by a flow of charge

measure of how well an object radiates

the ability to do work

system of measurement used in the United States; includes units of measurement such as feet, gallons, and pounds

a measurement of a system's disorder and its inability to do work in a system

A fundamental principle of fluid dynamics that states the mass flow rate of an incompressible fluid remains constant from one cross-section of a pipe to another. It is mathematically expressed as:
[latex]A_1v_1 = A_2v_2[/latex]
where [latex]A[/latex] is the cross-sectional area and [latex]v[/latex] is the fluid velocity. This equation shows that if the area of a pipe narrows, the fluid speed increases, and vice versa, assuming the fluid is incompressible and there is no accumulation of fluid.

a force acting on an object or system that originates outside of the object or system

temperature scale in which the freezing point of water is [latex]\text{32}\text{º}\text{F}[/latex] and the boiling point of water is [latex]\text{212}\text{º}\text{F}[/latex]

a force having no physical origin

states that the change in internal energy of a system equals the net heat transfer into the system minus the net work done by the system

abbreviated Q, it is the volume V that flows past a particular point during a time t, or Q = V/t

the physics of fluids in motion

liquids and gases; a fluid is a state of matter that yields to shearing forces

a push or pull on an object with a specific magnitude and direction; can be represented by vectors; can be expressed as a multiple of a standard force

a constant related to the rigidity of a system: the larger the force constant, the more rigid the system; the force constant is represented by k

a region in which a test particle will experience a force

oil, natural gas, and coal

a sketch showing all of the external forces acting on an object or system; the system is represented by a dot, and the forces are represented by vectors extending outward from the dot

the state of movement that results from gravitational force only

number of events per unit of time

a force past each other of objects that are touching; examples include rough surfaces and air resistance

the lowest-frequency resonance

the lowest frequency of a periodic waveform

units that can only be expressed relative to the procedure used to measure them

the pressure relative to atmospheric pressure

The pressure of a system above atmospheric pressure. It is calculated as the difference between the absolute pressure and atmospheric pressure, and is the pressure typically measured by instruments like tire gauges and blood pressure cuffs. In equation form:

[latex]P_{\text{gauge}} = P_{\text{absolute}} - P_{\text{atm}}[/latex]
Gauge pressure can be positive (above atmospheric pressure) or negative (below atmospheric pressure, also called vacuum pressure).

condition caused by the buildup of fluid pressure in the eye

a proportionality factor used in the equation for Newton’s universal law of gravitation; it is a universal constant—that is, it is thought to be the same everywhere in the universe

the energy an object has due to its position in a gravitational field

warming of the Earth that is due to gases such as carbon dioxide and methane that absorb infrared radiation from the Earth’s surface and reradiate it in all directions, thus sending a fraction of it back toward the surface of the Earth

the term used to refer collectively to the fundamental and its overtones

the end point of a vector; the location of the tip of the vector’s arrowhead; also referred to as the “tip”

a method of adding vectors in which the tail of each vector is placed at the head of the previous vector

the perception of sound

the spontaneous transfer of energy due to a temperature difference

a machine that uses heat transfer to do work

the energy required to change a substance from the solid phase to the vapor phase

a machine that generates heat transfer from cold to hot

proportional relationship between the force [latex]F[/latex] on a material and the deformation [latex]\Delta L[/latex] it causes, tensile strength the breaking stress that will cause permanent deformation or fraction of a material

an older non-SI unit of power, with [latex]\text{1 hp}=\text{746 W}[/latex]

conversion of food into heat transfer, work, and stored fat

the angle at which a car can turn safely on a steep curve, which is in proportion to the ideal speed

the sloping of a curve in a road, where the angle of the slope allows the vehicle to negotiate the curve at a certain speed without the aid of friction between the tires and the road; the net external force on the vehicle equals the horizontal centripetal force in the absence of friction

the physical law that relates the pressure and volume of a gas to the number of gas molecules or number of moles of gas and the temperature of the gas

the maximum safe speed at which a vehicle can turn on a curve without the aid of friction between the tire and the road

the average net external force times the time it acts; equal to the change in momentum

Fluids whose density does not change significantly when pressure is applied. In many physics problems, liquids such as water are treated as incompressible to simplify calculations, meaning their volume remains essentially constant under pressure. This approximation is useful in analyzing fluid dynamics, such as flow through pipes or the cardiovascular system.

the variable that the dependent variable is measured with respect to; usually plotted along the [latex]x[/latex]-axis

a collision in which internal kinetic energy is not conserved

the tendency of an object to remain at rest or remain in motion

a coordinate system that is not accelerating; all forces acting in an inertial frame of reference are real forces, as opposed to fictitious forces that are observed due to an accelerating frame of reference

sounds below 20 Hz

acceleration at a specific point in time

magnitude of the instantaneous velocity

velocity at a specific instant, or the average velocity over an infinitesimal time interval

power per unit area

a measure of the ratio of the intensity of the wave reflected off a boundary between two media relative to the intensity of the incident wave

the sum of the kinetic and potential energies of a system’s atoms and molecules

the sum of the kinetic energies of the objects in a system

fluid pressure in the eye

any process that depends on path direction

constant-pressure process in which a gas does work

a constant-volume process

a system in which the net external force is zero

a constant-temperature process

SI unit of work and energy, equal to one newton-meter

temperature scale in which 0 K is the lowest possible temperature, representing absolute zero

[latex]\phantom{\rule{0.25em}{0ex}}1\phantom{\rule{0.25em}{0ex}}\text{kilocalorie}\phantom{\rule{0.25em}{0ex}}\text{=}\phantom{\rule{0.25em}{0ex}}\text{1000}\phantom{\rule{0.25em}{0ex}}\text{calories}[/latex]

the SI unit for mass, abbreviated (kg)

[latex](\text{kW}\cdot h)[/latex] unit used primarily for electrical energy provided by electric utility companies

the study of motion without considering its causes

describes the relationships among rotation angle, angular velocity, angular acceleration, and time

the energy an object has by reason of its motion, equal to [latex]\frac{1}{2}{\text{mv}}^{2}[/latex] for the translational (i.e., non-rotational) motion of an object of mass [latex]m[/latex] moving at speed [latex]v[/latex]

a force that opposes the motion of two systems that are in contact and moving relative to one another

a type of fluid flow in which layers do not mix

a physical constant equal to the amount of heat transferred for every 1 kg of a substance during the change in phase of the substance

a description, using concise language or a mathematical formula, a generalized pattern in nature that is supported by scientific evidence and repeated experiments

angular momentum is conserved, i.e., the initial angular momentum is equal to the final angular momentum when no external torque is applied to the system

the general law that total energy is constant in any process; energy may change in form or be transferred from one system to another, but the total remains the same

see Newton’s first law of motion

the product of mass and velocity

a unit of volume, equal to 10−3 m3

a wave in which the disturbance is parallel to the direction of propagation

the perception of sound intensity

an overall property of a system

the length or size of a vector; magnitude is a scalar quantity

[latex]{f}_{k}={\mu }_{k}N[/latex], where [latex]{\mu }_{k}[/latex] is the coefficient of kinetic friction

[latex]{f}_{s}\le {\mu }_{s}\phantom{\rule{0.25em}{0ex}}N[/latex], where [latex]{\mu }_{s}[/latex] is the coefficient of static friction and [latex]N[/latex] is the magnitude of the normal force

the quantity of matter in a substance; measured in kilograms

Test

the ratio of output to input forces for any simple machine

the sum of kinetic energy and potential energy

the work needed to produce the same effects as heat transfer

the rate at which the body uses food energy to sustain life and to do different activities

the SI unit for length, abbreviated (m)

the percent uncertainty in a quantity calculated by multiplication or division is the sum of the percent uncertainties in the items used to make the calculation

a system in which values can be calculated in factors of 10

an environment in which the apparent net acceleration of a body is small compared with that produced by Earth at its surface

each sequence within a larger macrostate

stimulates the feeling of needing to urinate, triggered by bladder pressure

representation of something that is often too difficult (or impossible) to display directly

the study of relativity, quantum mechanics, or both

the quantity of a substance whose mass (in grams) is equal to its molecular mass

mass times the square of perpendicular distance from the rotation axis; for a point mass, it is [latex]I={\text{mr}}^{2}[/latex] and, because any object can be built up from a collection of point masses, this relationship is the basis for all other moments of inertia

displacement of an object as a function of time

(Magnetic Resonance Imaging) – A noninvasive medical imaging technique that uses strong magnetic fields and radio waves to produce detailed images of the internal structures of the body. MRI is particularly effective for visualizing soft tissues, such as the brain, muscles, and organs, without using ionizing radiation.

the frequency at which a system would oscillate if there were no driving and no damping forces

the vector sum of all external forces acting on an object or system; causes a mass to accelerate

is
[latex]\frac{{Q}_{\text{net}}}{t}=\sigma eA\left({T}_{2}^{4}-{T}_{1}^{4}\right)[/latex]

work done by the net force, or vector sum of all the forces, acting on an object

a state of equilibrium that is independent of a system’s displacements from its original position

a body at rest remains at rest, or, if in motion, remains in motion at a constant velocity unless acted on by a net external force; also known as the law of inertia

the net external force [latex]{\mathbf{\text{F}}}_{\text{net}}[/latex] on an object with mass [latex]m[/latex] is proportional to and in the same direction as the acceleration of the object, [latex]\mathbf{\text{a}}[/latex], and inversely proportional to the mass; defined mathematically as [latex]\mathbf{\text{a}}=\frac{{\mathbf{\text{F}}}_{\text{net}}}{m}[/latex]

whenever one body exerts a force on a second body, the first body experiences a force that is equal in magnitude and opposite in direction to the force that the first body exerts

every particle in the universe attracts every other particle with a force along a line joining them; the force is directly proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them

point of zero displacement

the points where the string does not move; more generally, nodes are where the wave disturbance is zero in a standing wave

an accelerated frame of reference

a force whose work depends on the path followed between the given initial and final configurations

the force that a surface applies to an object to support the weight of the object; acts perpendicular to the surface on which the object rests

basic unit of music with specific names, combined to generate tunes

energy released by changes within atomic nuclei, such as the fusion of two light nuclei or the fission of a heavy nucleus

A bundle of over one million nerve fibers that transmits visual information from the retina to the brain. In a physics or biomedical context, damage to the optic nerve—such as from increased intraocular pressure in glaucoma—illustrates how mechanical forces (like pressure) can affect neural function and signal transmission.

refers to the size of a quantity as it relates to a power of 10

moving back and forth regularly between two points

the transport of water through a semipermeable membrane from a region of high concentration to one of low concentration

the back pressure which stops the osmotic process if one solution is pure water

a thermodynamic cycle, consisting of a pair of adiabatic processes and a pair of isochoric processes, that converts heat into work, e.g., the four-stroke engine cycle of intake, compression, ignition, and exhaust

the condition in which damping of an oscillator causes it to return to equilibrium without oscillating; oscillator moves more slowly toward equilibrium than in the critically damped system

multiples of the fundamental frequency of a sound

the pressure a gas would create if it occupied the total volume of space available

a change in pressure applied to an enclosed fluid is transmitted undiminished to all portions of the fluid and to the walls of its container

the ratio of vapor density to saturation vapor density

the ratio of the uncertainty of a measurement to the measured value, expressed as a percentage

a collision in which the colliding objects stick together

time it takes to complete one oscillation

motion that repeats itself at regular time intervals

the shortest distance from the pivot point to the line along which [latex]\mathbf{\text{F}}[/latex] lies

a graph of pressure vs. temperature of a particular substance, showing at which pressures and temperatures the three phases of the substance occur

the numerical unit of loudness

a characteristic or property of an object that can be measured or calculated from other measurements

the science concerned with describing the interactions of energy, matter, space, and time; it is especially interested in what fundamental mechanisms underlie every phenomenon

a tiny indentation on the spiral track moulded into the top of the polycarbonate layer of CD

the perception of the frequency of a sound

structureless particles with no rotation or spin

the rate of laminar flow of an incompressible fluid in a tube: Q = (P2 − P1)πr4/8ηl

the resistance to laminar flow of an incompressible fluid in a tube: R = 8ηl/πr4

the location of an object at a particular time

energy due to position, shape, or configuration

the stored energy of a spring as a function of its displacement; when Hooke’s law applies, it is given by the expression [latex]\frac{1}{2}{\text{kx}}^{2}[/latex] where [latex]x[/latex] is the distance the spring is compressed or extended and [latex]k[/latex] is the spring constant

the rate at which work is done

the degree to which repeated measurements agree with each other

the force per unit area perpendicular to the force, over which the force acts

an object that travels through the air and experiences only acceleration due to gravity

the motion of an object that is subject only to the acceleration of gravity

the study of objects smaller than can be seen with a microscope

fundamental constituent of matter and an elementary particle

a unit of angle measurement

the energy carried by electromagnetic waves

heat transfer which occurs when microwaves, infrared radiation, visible light, or other electromagnetic radiation is emitted or absorbed

radius of a circular path

the maximum horizontal distance that a projectile travels

rate of heat transfer from one material to another

the amount of water in the air relative to the maximum amount the air can hold

the back pressure which stops the osmotic process if neither solution is pure water

the velocity of an object as observed from a particular reference frame

the study of objects moving at speeds greater than about 1% of the speed of light, or of objects being affected by a strong gravitational field

those sources that cannot be used up, such as water, wind, solar, and biomass

the phenomenon of driving a system with a frequency equal to the system's natural frequency

a system being driven at its natural frequency

force acting in opposition to the force caused by a deformation

the sum of two or more vectors

the vector sum of two or more vectors

the process that occurs when back pressure is sufficient to reverse the normal direction of dialysis through membranes

the process that occurs when back pressure is sufficient to reverse the normal direction of osmosis through membranes

a process in which both the heat engine system and the external environment theoretically can be returned to their original states

a dimensionless parameter that can reveal whether a particular flow is laminar or turbulent

direction of angular velocity ω and angular momentum L in which the thumb of your right hand points when you curl your fingers in the direction of the disk’s rotation

the ratio of the arc length to the radius of curvature on a circular path:

[latex]\text{Δ}\theta =\frac{\text{Δ}s}{r}[/latex]

resistance to change of rotation. The more rotational inertia an object has, the harder it is to rotate

the kinetic energy due to the rotation of an object. This is part of its total kinetic energy

the condition of 100% relative humidity

A quantity that is described by magnitude, but not direction

a method that typically begins with an observation and question that the scientist will research; next, the scientist typically performs some research about the topic and then devises a hypothesis; then, the scientist will test the hypothesis by performing an experiment; finally, the scientist analyzes the results of the experiment and draws a conclusion

the SI unit for time, abbreviated (s)

physical law that states that the net external force equals the change in momentum of a system divided by the time over which it changes

heat transfer flows from a hotter to a cooler object, never the reverse, and some heat energy in any process is lost to available work in a cyclical process

the total entropy of a system either increases or remains constant; it never decreases

a type of membrane that allows only certain small molecules to pass through

deformation perpendicular to the original length of an object

the international system of units that scientists in most countries have agreed to use; includes units such as meters, liters, and grams

newton times meters, usually written as N·m

express the precision of a measuring tool used to measure a value

the oscillatory motion in a system where the net force can be described by Hooke’s law

a device that implements Hooke’s law, such as a mass that is attached to a spring, with the other end of the spring being connected to a rigid support such as a wall

an object with a small mass suspended from a light wire or string

the difference in [latex]y[/latex]-value (the rise) divided by the difference in [latex]x[/latex]-value (the run) of two points on a straight line

a constructive interference of sound created by an object moving faster than sound

a disturbance of matter that is transmitted from its source outward

a unitless quantity telling you the level of the sound relative to a fixed standard

the ratio of the pressure amplitude to a reference pressure

the ratio of the density of an object to a fluid (usually water)

the amount of heat necessary to change the temperature of 1.00 kg of a substance by 1.00 ºC

a system, when displaced, experiences a net force or torque in a direction opposite to the direction of the displacement

a state of equilibrium in which the net external force and torque acting on a system is zero

a force that opposes the motion of two systems that are in contact and are not moving relative to one another

using statistics to examine data, such as counting microstates and macrostates

[latex]\frac{Q}{t}=\sigma eA{T}^{4},[/latex] where [latex]\sigma[/latex] is the Stefan-Boltzmann constant, [latex]A[/latex] is the surface area of the object, [latex]T[/latex] is the absolute temperature, and [latex]e[/latex] is the emissivity

[latex]{F}_{s}=6\mathrm{\pi r\eta v}[/latex], where
[latex]r[/latex] is the radius of the object,
[latex]\eta[/latex] is the viscosity of the fluid, and
[latex]v[/latex] is the object’s velocity

ratio of change in length to original length

ratio of force to area

the phase change from solid to gas

the phenomenon that occurs when two or more waves arrive at the same point

the cohesive forces between molecules which cause the surface of a liquid to contract to the smallest possible surface area

defined by the boundaries of an object or collection of objects being observed; all forces originating from outside of the system are considered external forces

the maximum blood pressure in the artery

the start point of a vector; opposite to the head or tip of the arrow

the acceleration in a direction tangent to the circle at the point of interest in circular motion

the quantity measured by a thermometer

the pulling force that acts along a medium, especially a stretched flexible connector, such as a rope or cable; when a rope supports the weight of an object, the force on the object due to the rope is called a tension force

the speed at which the viscous drag of an object falling in a viscous fluid is equal to the other forces acting on the object (such as gravity), so that the acceleration of the object is zero

an explanation for patterns in nature that is supported by scientific evidence and verified multiple times by various groups of researchers

the property of a material’s ability to conduct heat

the energy within an object due to the random motion of its atoms and molecules that accounts for the object's temperature

the condition in which heat no longer flows between two objects that are in contact; the two objects have the same temperature

the change in size or volume of an object with change in temperature

stress caused by thermal expansion or contraction

a reaction force that pushes a body forward in response to a backward force; rockets, airplanes, and cars are pushed forward by a thrust reaction force

number and relative intensity of multiple sound frequencies

change, or the interval over which change occurs

number and relative intensity of multiple sound frequencies

turning or twisting effectiveness of a force

the path of a projectile through the air

a wave in which the disturbance is perpendicular to the direction of propagation

the pressure and temperature at which a substance exists in equilibrium as a solid, liquid, and gas

fluid flow in which layers mix together via eddies and swirls

a centrifuge optimized for spinning a rotor at very high speeds

sounds above 20,000 Hz

a quantitative measure of how much your measured values deviate from a standard or expected value

the condition in which damping of an oscillator causes it to return to equilibrium with the amplitude gradually decreasing to zero; system returns to equilibrium faster but overshoots and crosses the equilibrium position one or more times

the motion of an object in a circular path at constant speed

a standard used for expressing and comparing measurements

a system, when displaced, experiences a net force or torque in the same direction as the displacement from equilibrium

work done on an external system

a gas at a temperature below the boiling temperature

the pressure at which a gas coexists with its solid or liquid phase

A quantity that is described by both magnitude and direction

the rules that apply to adding vectors together

speed in a given direction

Repetitive back-and-forth or oscillatory motion of an object about an equilibrium position, often caused by a restoring force. Vibrations can occur in solids, liquids, or gases, and may produce waves such as sound.

the friction in a fluid, defined in terms of the friction between layers

a resistance force exerted on a moving object, with a nontrivial dependence on velocity

(W) SI unit of power, with [latex]\text{1 W}=\text{1 J/s}[/latex]

a disturbance that moves from its source and carries energy

The phenomenon that occurs when two or more waves meet at the same point in space, combining to form a new wave pattern. Interference can be constructive (waves reinforce each other, increasing amplitude) or destructive (waves partially or completely cancel each other, reducing amplitude)

the speed at which the disturbance moves. Also called the propagation velocity or propagation speed

the distance between adjacent identical parts of a wave

the force [latex]\mathbf{\text{w}}[/latex]due to gravity acting on an object of mass [latex]m[/latex]; defined mathematically as: [latex]\mathbf{\text{w}}=m\mathbf{\text{g}}[/latex], where [latex]\mathbf{\text{g}}[/latex] is the magnitude and direction of the acceleration due to gravity

the transfer of energy by a force that causes an object to be displaced; the product of the component of the force in the direction of the displacement and the magnitude of the displacement

work done on an external system

the result, based on Newton’s laws, that the net work done on an object is equal to its change in kinetic energy

the [latex]y\text{-}[/latex]value when [latex]x[/latex]= 0, or when the graph crosses the [latex]y[/latex]-axis

law that states that if two objects are in thermal equilibrium, and a third object is in thermal equilibrium with one of those objects, it is also in thermal equilibrium with the other object