Science motion, velocity and acceleration quiz

Describing motion

An object is in motion if its distance from a reference point is changing.

Distance

The total length traveled.

Displacement

The distance between the starting and the ending point

Speed formula

The distance traveled divided by the time traveled.

Speed

The rate at which an object covers distance

Speed metric unit

m/s

2 types of speed

Average speed is total distance/total time vs. instantaneous speed is the speed an object is traveling at a given moment in time.

Velocity

It is speed with a direction (vector). Same formula and label as speed.

Acceleration

A measure of how velocity (speed and/or direction) changes in a given time.

Examples of acceleration

Speeding up, slowing down, changing direction.

Acceleration formula and label

Change in velocity/time. Label is m/s/s or m/s squared.

2 types of acceleration

Positive acceleration is when something speeds up, negative acceleration is when something slows down.