Physics Unit 1: Kinematics

Jiang Physics

Scalar quantities

Scalar quantities

tells magnitude (size) but not direction

• 10 seconds

• the bathroom is 5 steps away

Vector quantities

tells magnitude (size) and direction

• 10 m/s north

• the bathroom is 5 steps to the right

distance

• how far went (total)

• scalar

displacement

• how far from origin (straight line)

• vector

dot diagrams

• dots show where objects are

• tells us how fast something is going (speed) and where it is at a certain time

Average speed

• distance covered within a period of time

• miles per (/) hour

• v=d/t

Average velocity

• displacement over time

• v=d/t

• d=x_f -x_i

Instantaneous speed

speed of an object at a specific moment in time

Speed with two distances

v= (v_f+ v_i) / 2

acceleration

• can be fast or slow

• (v_t-v_i) / t