Physics Vocabulary 1

A flat surface defined by two number lines, one horizontal (x-axis) and one vertical (y-axis), used to locate points using pairs of numbers

In math class, we learned how to plot coordinates on a Cartesian plane.

Very small, negatively charged particles that move around the nucleus of an atom

When electrons move through a wire, they create an electric current.

A system of units used in physics that measures length in centimeters, mass in grams, and time in seconds

Some older physics textbooks use the Gaussian system instead of the modern SI system.

The measurement of something from one end to the other end

The teacher asked the students to measure the length of the table in centimeters.

The amount of matter or material that an object contains, usually measured in kilograms or grams

The mass of the rock was 5 kilograms, so it was difficult to lift.

The smallest unit of a substance that still has all the chemical properties of that substance, made up of two or more atoms joined together

A water molecule is made of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom.

Particles found inside the nucleus of an atom that have no electric charge

Neutrons and protons together make up the nucleus of an atom.

The very small, dense center of an atom, which contains protons and neutrons

The electrons in an atom orbit around the nucleus at high speed.

A way of comparing the size of numbers by looking at the power of ten they are closest to; each order of magnitude is ten times bigger or smaller than the previous one

The distance to the moon is several orders of magnitude greater than the height of a mountain.

The fixed point on a graph or coordinate system where the x-axis and y-axis meet, represented by the coordinates (0, 0)

To plot the point, start at the origin and move three units to the right and two units up.

A scientific explanation that uses mathematics and logic to describe how the physical world behaves

Quantum mechanics is a physical theory that explains how very small particles behave.

A coordinate system that describes the position of a point using its distance from a central point and an angle from a fixed direction

The plane polar coordinate system is especially useful when describing circular motion in physics.

Positively charged particles found inside the nucleus of an atom

The number of protons in an atom determines what element it is.

A mathematical rule stating that in a right triangle, the square of the longest side equals the sum of the squares of the other two sides, written as a² + b² = c²

We used the Pythagorean theorem to find the length of the missing side of the right triangle.

A unit used to measure angles, where one full circle equals approximately 6.28 radians; it is commonly used in mathematics and physics

The physics problem asked us to convert the angle from degrees to radians before solving it.

A unit of mass used in the imperial system of measurement, equal to about 14.59 kilograms

In the United States customary system, force is sometimes calculated using the slug as a unit of mass.

A set of ideas or principles used to explain how or why something happens, based on evidence and reasoning

Einstein's theory of relativity changed the way scientists understand space and time.

The ongoing sequence of events from the past through the present and into the future, measured in seconds, minutes, hours, etc.

In physics, time is one of the most important quantities we use to describe motion.