Physics Unit 1 - Laws of motion

Distance

* Scalar measure
* Interval between two locations measured along the actual path connecting them

Displacement

* Vector measure
* Interval between two locations measured along the shortest path connecting them

Scalars

Only magnitude

Vectors

Magnitude and direction

Falling objects have constant acceleration

* Gravity is the only force acting on an object -> the object will accelerate at a rate of 9.8ms-2 down towards the centre of the Earth
* Means the object is speeding up as it falls towards the Earth

The influence of air resistance

All objects would fall at this rate is the air does not act to slow them down

The influence of mass

* Inertia = resistance of any physical object to change in its state of motion or rest, or the tendency of an object to resist any change in its motion
* Therefore, the bigger the mass the more force needed to accelerate the object
* Newtons first law of motion

newtons first law of motion

An object will remain at rest or in uniform motion in a straight line unless acted upon by an external force.

newtons second law of motion

Acceleration is directly proportional to the force applied and inversely proportional to the mass of an object.

newtons third law of motion

For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.