2D Kinematics

These flashcards cover important vocabulary and concepts related to 2D Kinematics from the lecture notes.

Average Speed

The total distance traveled divided by the total time taken.

Average Velocity

The change in position divided by the time during which the motion occurred.

Instantaneous Velocity

The velocity of an object at a specific moment in time.

Centripetal Acceleration

The acceleration directed towards the center of a circular path, given by the formula $a_c = \frac{v^2}{r}$.

Displacement Vector

A vector that represents the change in position of an object, calculated as $\Delta \mathbf{r} = \mathbf{r}(t_2) - \mathbf{r}(t_1)$.

Position Vector

A vector that represents the position of a point in space, expressed as $\mathbf{r}(t) = x(t)\mathbf{i} + y(t)\mathbf{j} + z(t)\mathbf{k}$.

Right Hand Rule

A convention for determining the direction of a vector cross product, indicating the direction of the resulting vector.

Average Velocity Formula

Given by $\mathbf{v}_{ave} = \frac{\Delta \mathbf{r}}{\Delta t}$, where $\Delta \mathbf{r}$ is the displacement vector over the time interval $\Delta t$.

Instantaneous Acceleration

Defined as the rate of change of velocity, given by $\mathbf{a} = \frac{d\mathbf{v}}{dt}$.

Uniform Circular Motion

The motion of an object traveling at a constant speed in a circular path, where its velocity vector is constantly changing direction.