AP Physics Unit 1

Motion

The change of an objects position with time

Trajectory

The path along which an object moves

Translational motion

The motion of an object along a trajectory

Particle

An o next that can be represented as a mass at a single point

Particle model

A simplification, we treat a moving object as if all of its mass were concentrated at a single point

Displacement

Change of position, independent of a coordinate system

Average velocity

Change in displacement/change in time

Average acceleration

Change in velocity / change in time

Average speed

Distance traveled/ time

Vector quantity

A quantity that has both size and direction (can’t be negative)

Scalar quantity

A quantity that is described by a single unit (can be positive, negative, or zero)