Representing Motion

Physics Test 2

motion diagram

a series of images showing the positions of a moving object taken at regular (equal) time intervals

particle model

simplified version of a motion diagram in which the moving object is replaced by a series of single points

coordinate system

tells the location of the zero point of the variable being studied and the direction in which the values of the variable increase

origin

point at which both variables have the value zero

position

distance and direction from the origin to the object

magnitude

a measure of size (size/length of something)

vector

quantity that has both size and direction

scalar

quantity that is just a number without any direction

distance

the entire length of an object’s path even if the object moves in many directions

time interval

difference between two times

displacement

change in position

resultants

vector that represents the sum of two other vectors

position-time graph

a graph that can be used to determine an object’s velocity and position

instantaneous position

the position of an object at any particular instant

average velocity

object’s change in position over the time interval the change took place

average speed

distance traveled divided by the time taken to travel that distance

instantaneous velocity

speed and direction of an object at a particular instant