Unit 1: Kinematics

Kinematics

the study of motion without considering the forces causing the motion.

Displacement

the change in position of an object. It is a vector quantity, meaning it has both magnitude and direction.

Velocity

the rate at which an object's displacement changes over time. It is a vector quantity.

Acceleration

the rate at which an object's velocity changes over time. It is a vector quantity.

Speed

the rate at which an object travels over a distance. It is a scalar quantity, meaning it only has magnitude and no direction.

Scalar quantity

a quantity that has only magnitude and no direction, such as speed or mass.

Vector quantity

a quantity that has both magnitude and direction, such as velocity or force.

Position

the location of an object in space. It is often measured relative to a reference point.

Time

a dimension in which events occur in a sequence. It is often measured in seconds.

Distance

the total length traveled by an object, regardless of direction. It is a scalar quantity.

Displacement-time graph

a graph that shows the change in an object's displacement over time.

Velocity-time graph

a graph that shows the change in an object's velocity over time.

Acceleration-time graph

a graph that shows the change in an object's acceleration over time.

Uniform motion

when an object travels with a constant velocity (i.e. no acceleration).

Uniformly accelerated motion

when an object accelerates at a constant rate.