Foundations of Physics
63 terms · page 3 of 3
Scientific 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.
Foundations of PhysicsTime
A fundamental physical quantity used to sequence events, quantify durations, and measure rates of change in the universe.
Foundations of PhysicsUnit Vector
A dimensionless vector with a magnitude of exactly one, used exclusively to specify a direction in space.
Foundations of PhysicsVector
A physical quantity characterized by both a magnitude and a spatial direction.
Foundations of PhysicsVector Components
The scalar projections of a vector along the mutually perpendicular axes of a coordinate system.
Foundations of PhysicsVector Product
A vector operation multiplying two 3D vectors to yield a vector perpendicular to both, with magnitude equal to the area of the…
Foundations of PhysicsVernier Caliper
A precision measuring instrument utilizing a main scale and a sliding Vernier scale to measure linear dimensions with fine precision.
Foundations of PhysicsWeight
The downward gravitational force exerted on an object's mass by a surrounding gravitational field.
Foundations of PhysicsZero Error
A systematic error that occurs when a measuring instrument displays a non-zero reading when the actual quantity being measured is zero.