Honors Physics - 1D Kinematics

Motion

change in position of an object over time, relative to a reference point

Magnitude

number and a unit

Scalar

magnitude only

Vector

both magnitude and a direction

Distance

how far an object has moved; length of the path an object travels.

Is distance scalar or vector?

scalar

Position

x; location of an object with respect to the origin

Is position scalar or vector?

vector

Displacement

change in position x final - x initial

Is displacement scalar or vector?

vector

Position vs Time graphs

x-axis: time. y-axis: position

slope

y2-y1/x2-x1

Velocity

change in position over time; aka slope

Is velocity scalar or vector?

vector

Position-time: linear graph

constant velocity

slow, rightward (+), constant velocity

fast, rightward (+), constant velocity

slow, leftward (-), constant velocity

fast, leftward (-), constant velocity

negative (-) velocity, slow to fast

leftward (-) velocity, fast to slow

Velocity (v)

change in an object’s position over a period of time in a certain direction (speed with a direction)

Is velocity scalar or vector?

vector

What are the units for velocity?

meters per seconds (m/s)

Acceleration (a)

rate at which an object changes its velocity on a period of time

What are the three ways to accelerate?

increase velocity, decrease velocity, change direction

What are the units for acceleration?

meters per second squared (m/s2)

constant velocity = ?

zero acceleration

Velocity vs. Time graphs

x-axis: time. y-axis: velocity

Velocity-Time graph slope = ?

acceleration

Velocity-Time graph positive slope = ?

positive acceleration

Velocity-Time graph negative slope = ?

negative acceleration

Velocity-Time graph zero slope = ?

no acceleration

positive velocity, zero acceleration

positive velocity, positive acceleration

positive velocity, positive direction

negative velocity, negative direction

speeding up

slowing down

What does it mean if the line crosses the x-axis in a velocity vs time graph?

change in direction

slowing down

towards the x-axis

speeding up

away from the x-axis