Motion Revision Cards - set 1

Scalar quantity

Has magnitude only (size)

Vector quantity

Has magnitude and direction

Distance

Total length travelled (scalar)

Displacement

Distance travelled in a given direction (vector)

Speed

Distance travelled per unit time (scalar)

Velocity

Speed in a given direction (vector)

Speed formula

Speed = distance ÷ time

Acceleration formula

Acceleration = change in velocity ÷ time

Distance measurement

Measured in metres (m)

Time measurement

Measured in seconds (s)

Speed measurement

Measured in m/s

Acceleration measurement

Measured in m/s²

Distance-time graph gradient

Shows speed

Velocity-time graph gradient

Shows acceleration

Velocity-time graph area

Shows distance travelled

Unit conversion

Units must be converted before using equations

Equation writing

Always write the equation first

Final answer units

Always include units in the final answer

Scalar examples

Distance, speed, time

Vector examples

Displacement, velocity, acceleration

Vector scalar pairs

Distance ↔ Displacement, Speed ↔ Velocity, Mass ↔ Weight