Motion Concepts: Distance, Displacement, Speed, and Velocity (Video Notes)

Vocabulary flashcards covering distance, displacement, speed, velocity, and related directional concepts from the motion notes.

Distance

The total length of the path traveled by an object; a scalar quantity with magnitude only; measured in meters.

Displacement

The straight-line change in position from the starting point to the ending point; a vector quantity with magnitude and direction.

Scalar quantity

A quantity described by magnitude only, with no direction (e.g., distance, speed).

Vector quantity

A quantity described by both magnitude and direction (e.g., displacement, velocity).

Initial point

The starting position in a motion scenario.

Final point

The ending position in a motion scenario.

Positive direction

The convention that designates a plus direction along a chosen axis (e.g., to the right or east).

Negative direction

The convention that designates the opposite direction along the axis (e.g., to the left or west).

Speed

Rate at which distance is covered; a scalar equal to the magnitude of velocity; units are meters per second (m/s); average speed = total distance divided by total time.

Velocity

Rate of change of position with direction; a vector quantity; speed with a specified direction; can change by changing speed or changing direction.

m/s (meters per second)

The unit of speed and velocity; written as m/s or m s^-1.

Average speed

Total distance traveled divided by the total time taken.

Path length

Another term for distance; the total length of the trajectory traveled.

East

A cardinal direction used in examples to indicate positive rightward movement on the x-axis.

x-axis

The horizontal axis used to describe motion; right/east is typically positive and left/west negative.