Foundations of Physics
10 terms
Scalar
A physical quantity that is completely specified by its magnitude (value and unit) alone, possessing no direction.
Foundations of PhysicsScalar Product
An algebraic vector operation that multiplies two vectors to yield a scalar equal to the product of their magnitudes and the cosine of the…
Foundations of PhysicsScientific Law
A concise verbal or mathematical statement that describes a universal, consistently observed relationship in nature under specified…
Foundations of PhysicsScientific Method
An empirical, iterative process for investigating natural phenomena through observation, hypothesis formulation, experimentation, and…
Foundations of PhysicsScientific Notation
A standardized method of expressing very large or very small numbers in the format a × 10ⁿ, where 1 ≤ |a| < 10 and n is an integer.
Foundations of PhysicsScientific Theory
A comprehensive, well-substantiated explanation of a broad aspect of nature supported by extensive empirical evidence and repeated testing.
Foundations of PhysicsSI Units
The International System of Units (SI), the modern metric system used globally as the standard language of science and measurement.
Foundations of PhysicsSignificant Figures
The digits in a measured or calculated quantity that carry meaningful contribution to its measurement precision.
Foundations of PhysicsSpeed of Light
The maximum speed at which all massless particles, electromagnetic waves, and information travel through a vacuum.
Foundations of PhysicsSystematic Error
A consistent, repeatable error in experimental measurements that skews data in the same direction from the true value.