Grade 11 Physics - Unit 1: Kinematics

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering key definitions, kinematic quantities, graphing relationships, and constant acceleration concepts from Grade 11 Physics Unit 1.

Position ($d$)

The distance and direction of an object relative to a reference point known as the origin within an established coordinate system.

Displacement ($\Delta d$)

The change in position of an object, determined mathematically by subtracting the initial position from the final position ($\Delta d = d_f - d_i$).

Vector

Any physical quantity that possesses both a magnitude (size) and an associated direction.

Scalar

Any physical quantity that is characterized solely by magnitude (size) without an associated direction, such as distance.

Displacement Vector

A directed arrow drawn graphically from an object's initial position to its final position, representing its change in position.

Position-Time Graph (d-t Graph)

A graphical representation showing an object's position on the vertical axis plotted against time on the horizontal axis.

Average Speed

A scalar quantity defined as the total distance travelled divided by the total elapsed time ($\text{average speed} = \frac{\text{total distance}}{\text{total time}}$).

Constant Speed

Motion in which an object travels equal distances in equal intervals of time.

Average Velocity ($\vec{v}$)

A vector quantity defined as the total displacement divided by the time interval ($\vec{v} = \frac{\Delta \vec{d}}{\Delta t} = \frac{\vec{d}_2 - \vec{d}_1}{\Delta t}$).

Constant Velocity

Motion occurring when an object maintains both a constant speed and an unchanging direction.

Tangent Line

A straight line that touches a curved graph at precisely one point over an infinitesimal interval, representing the instantaneous rate of change.

Instantaneous Velocity

The velocity of an object at a specific instant in time, given by the slope of the tangent line on a position-time graph at that moment.

Significant Figures

The digits in a measured or calculated quantity that convey the level of precision and confidence of the measurement instrument.

Acceleration ($a$)

The rate of change of velocity of an object with respect to time ($a = \frac{\Delta v}{\Delta t} = \frac{v_2 - v_1}{t_2 - t_1}$), measured in SI units of meters per second squared ($\text{m/s}^2$).

Uniform Acceleration

Motion where the acceleration remains constant, causing the object's velocity to increase or decrease at a steady rate over time.

Slope of a Velocity-Time Graph

The vertical change in velocity divided by the horizontal change in time ($\frac{\Delta v}{\Delta t}$), which corresponds to the acceleration of the object.

Speeding Up (Kinematic Condition)

The kinematic condition in which an object's velocity and acceleration share the same direction (both positive or both negative).

Slowing Down (Kinematic Condition)

The kinematic condition in which an object's velocity and acceleration act in opposite directions (opposite signs).

Big Five Equations

A collection of five kinematic formulas connecting initial velocity ($v_i$), final velocity ($v_f$), displacement ($\Delta d$), acceleration ($a$), and time ($\Delta t$) under uniform acceleration.

Freefall

The motion of an object moving vertically solely under the influence of gravity, experiencing a constant downward acceleration of approximately $9.8\,\text{m/s}^2$.

Area Under a Velocity-Time Graph

The geometric region bounded by the velocity graph line and the time axis, which represents the displacement ($\Delta d$) over that time interval.