Unit 2 - Describing Motion

12/17

Physics

The branch of science concerned with the nature and properties of matter and science.

Machanics

The science of how and why things move.

Motion

A change in position or location in relation to an unmoving object.

Belief

A statement that is not scientifically provable in the same way as facts, laws, hypotheses, or theories.

• They are personal and give meaning to people's lives.

Fact

A supported observation.

• Must be true under specific condition.

Hyposthesis

A statement that is a prediction about what will happen and/or why something occurs.

Scientific Law (aka Natural Law)

A logical or mathematical relationship between two or more things that is based on a variety of facts and proven hypotheses.

Theory

• An explanation for why certain laws and facts exist.

• It can be tested to determine its accuracy.

• The older the theory, the more support it has.

• They NEVER become scientific laws.

Position

Where you are compared to where you started.

Distance

How far you traveled.

Speed

How quickly something is moving.

• How far something is traveling in a certain amount of time.

Velocity

How quickly something is moving and in which direction.

Average Speed

The total distance traveled divided by total time.

• Large distance

• Not the average of speeds.

Instantaneous Speed

The speed of any given moment.

• Small distance

• measured with a speedometer.

Acceleration

• Change in velocity. change in direction or in speed

• Any motion you feel is acceleration.

• Caused by a force.

• Speeding up, slowing down, or turning.

You travel 100 miles in 2 hours your ______ speed is 50 mph.

average

A car accelerates at a rate of 2.3m/s². What does that s² mean?

That every second the velocity increases by 2.3 m/s (1 second v =2.3 m/s - 2 sec v = 4.6 m/s)