Distance, Speed, Time and Acceleration

Taken from chapters 6 and 7 of Real World Physics and chapter 1 of Basic Physics - A Self Teaching Guide ; For the mandatory LC experiments, they're in the folder of the same name on my profile

Define Speed

Distance travelled over time taken (Unit: m s^-1)

Define Average Speed

Total distance travelled over total time taken

Define Constant Speed

Speed that does not change over time

Define Displacement

The straight-line distance from the object’s starting point to it’s final point, including the direction (SI Unit: metres)

Define Velocity

The displacement over time; or speed in a given direction (Unit: m s^-1 in a direction)

Define Average Velocity

Total displacement over total time

Define Constant Velocity

Velocity that doesn’t change over time (The magnitude and the direction don’t change)

Kinematic Formula for Velocity

v = u + at

• _{v is the final velocity}

• _{u is the initial velocity}

• _{a is acceleration}

• _{t is time}

Kinematic Formula for Displacement

s = ut + 1/2at^2

• _{s is the displacement}

• _{u is the initial velocity}

• _{a is acceleration}

• _{t is time}

Kinematic Formula for Velocity Squared

v² = u² + 2as

• _{v is the final velocity}

• _{u is the initial velocity}

• _{a is acceleration}

• _{s is displacement}

Derive the Kinematic Formulae (do it yourself before flipping the flashcard!)

Image from Real World Physics page 69

How to find acceleration on a velocity-time graph

The slope represents the acceleration

How to find the displacement on a velocity-time graph

The area under the graph represents the displacement

How to find the velocity on a position-time graph

The slope of the graph represents the velocity

Define Acceleration

The rate of change of velocity of an object with respect to time (Unit: m s^-2)

Define Average Acceleration

Initial velocity minus final velocity divided by the time taken

Define Scalar Quantity

A quantity which has magnitude but no direction

Define Vector Quantity

A quantity that has both magnitude and direction.

Find the resultant of two or more vectors

Split the vectors into their x and y components, then add them together.