Midterm Exam Review – The Midterm exam will consist of approximately 60 questions. There will be matching, fill-in, multiple choice and essay.

1. Know the difference between accuracy and precision.

2. Know how to convert between prefixed metric units.

3. Know how to determine the number of significant digits in a measurement. Know how to read a meter stick with the correct number of significant digits.

4. Know the contributions of these physicists: Isaac Newton, Albert Einstein, James Clerk Maxwell, Gabriele Veneziano, Edward Witten, Garrett Lisi (matching)

5. Know the following laws and theories: Newton’s 3 Laws of Motion, String Theory, Quantum Mechanics. (matching)

6. Know the four fundamental forces and the phenomena they are responsible for. (matching)

7. Know the following terms: position, displacement, velocity, speed, acceleration, instantaneous, net force, friction, normal, weight, coefficient of friction, drag force, applied force, trajectory, proportional, inverse, vector (matching)

8. Be able to use the four kinematics equations. (fill-in)

9. Design an experiment to determine acceleration of an object using position and time measurements. (essay)

10. Describe the essential characteristics of motion with constant acceleration as displayed on position, velocity and acceleration graphs. Identify situations that represent constant or zero acceleration and describe the forces acting on the object. (essay)

11. Given a position-time graph, identify the motion as constant acceleration or not. (essay)

12. Given a position-time graph, determine whether or not the net force is zero, non-zero or constant.

13. Be able to describe how position, velocity, acceleration and net force vary for a tossed ball (without air resistance) or a cart on a ramp.

14. Be able to describe the mechanism responsible for tension and normal forces.

15. Be able to use the formula F_W = ma_g. Know what creates a change in weight or apparent weight.

16. Be able to solve problems with Newton’s 2^nd Law involving multiple forces: elevators, pushing or pulling on a rough surface, including calculation of acceleration, a missing force or the coefficient of friction.

17. Be able to answer questions about the nature of friction. Describe the differences between static and kinetic friction, the effects of contact surface area on friction, or the effect of weight on friction.

18. Be able to correctly identify the forces acting on an object, draw or recognize a correct free body diagram for a given situation.

19. Be able to describe the differences between the horizontal and vertical motion of a projectile when there is no air resistance, including position, velocity and acceleration.

20. Apply the four kinematics equations to an object that is dropped or tossed vertically. Find the time required to fall a given distance, or the distance fallen in a given time.

21. Apply the four kinematics equations to an object that is launched horizontally. Find the time required to fall a given vertical distance, and the horizontal distance traveled.

22. Find the components of a vector using right angle trigonometry.

23. Describe the factors that affect projectile motion: the effect of the angle of launch on time in the air or distance traveled.