Distance, displacement, speed and displacement

Vectors

Have magnitude (size) and Direction

Examples of Vectors

• Force

• Velocity

• Displacement

• Weight

• Acceleration

• Momentum

Scalars

Only have magnitude (size)

Examples of Scalars

• Speed

• Distance

• Mass

• Energy

• Temperature

• Time

Displacement

Displacement is the distance an object moves in a straight line from a starting point to a finishing point.

It is a vector quantity

Example of displacement

If a person is running across a tack and runs one lap

His displacement will be 0

This is because he started an ended at the starting point.

Speed vs Velocity

Speed is how fast you are going

Speed is a scalar quantity

Whilst velocity is how far you are going in a given direction

Velocity and a vector quantity

Speed distance and time equation

Speed = Distance divided by time

Distance = Speed times time

Time = Distance divided by speed

Non contact force

Any force that acts on an object without physical contact, such as gravitational, magnetic, or electrostatic forces.

Contact force

A force that requires physical contact between objects to be exerted, such as friction or tension.

Vector Diagrams

Vector diagrams both produce magnitude and direction

If the forces are equal in size in opposite directions the overall (net) force is 0 This means that the object is in a state of equilibrium, with no acceleration.

The forces are different in size in opposite directions there is a resultant force

Resultant force

Subtract both opposing forces to find the overall force acting on an object. It represents the net force that causes acceleration in a given direction.