Kinematics and Linear Motion

Flashcards covering key vocabulary and definitions related to kinematics, linear motion, and projectile motion.

Speed

The rate of change of distance.

Velocity

The rate of change of displacement.

Instantaneous Speed

The speed of an object over a very short time interval.

Acceleration

The rate of change of velocity.

Accelerating

When its speed is increasing.

Decelerating

When its speed decreasing.

Displacement

The distance it has travelled in a given direction

First Equation of Motion

The final velocity, v, is equal to the initial velocity, u, plus the gradient a, multiplied by the change in time, t. This gives v = u + at.

s = ½(v+u)t describes

trapezium area under the graph

s = ut + ½ at2 describes

Triangle + rectangle area under graph where v is subbed for a*t

v2 = u2 + 2as describes

sub in t= from og equation into trapezium are under graph

Acceleration of Free Fall (g)

The acceleration of any object in response to the gravitational attraction between the Earth and the object, approximately 9.81 ms-2.

Projectile

An object that is thrown at an angle to the horizontal, and therefore moves in both the horizontal and vertical planes.

Stopping Distance

The total distance travelled from when the driver of the car sees a hazard requiring them to stop, to the point they actually stop.

Thinking Distance

The distance travelled between the moment the hazard is spotted, and the moment the driver applies the brake.

Braking Distance

The distance travelled from the time the brake is applied to the time the vehicle comes to a complete stop.