Kinematics terms

Franz Reuleaux

father of kinematics

Kinematics

A branch of classical mechanics that studies the motion of objects or particles without focusing on the forces or masses involved.

Distance

total movement of an object (overall covered distance)

Displacement

The change in position of an object

Speed

a scalar quantity and solves for how fast an object is moving

Velocity

A vector quantity that solves for how fast an object is going

Acceleration

change of speed or velocity over time

unit is m/s²

vector quantity

Free fall

motion of an object falling only under the influence of gravity
(no air resistance, obviously. Because we are only in 12th grade lmao)

Uniform circular motion

object moves in a circular path with constant speed in one orbit.

Pendulum

an object that is suspended from a fixed point so that it can swing back and forth under the force of gravity

Uniformly accelerated motion

an objects acceleration that stays constant while it moves.

this includes objects speeding up or slowing down in a straight line.

rectilinear motion

motion of an object along a straight line

Projectile motion

measure of an object that is thrown on a trajectory.