One Dimensional Motion Review of the basics AP Physics
Terms Displacement vs. Distance Displacement: Change in position (vector) Distance: How far an object has traveled (scalar)
Terms Velocity vs. Speed Velocity: Rate of the change in position (vector) Speed: Rate of distance covered (scalar)
Terms Acceleration vs. Acceleration? Acceleration: The rate at which velocity changes (vector) This could be a change in: This could be a change in: SpeedSpeed DirectionDirection Speed and directionSpeed and direction
Position vs. Time Graph
What are the velocities?
Average Velocity on an x-t graph
Average velocity vs instantaneous velocity on an position – time graph As the two points P1 and P2 get closer, the time frame (∆t) gets smaller and smaller approaching zero. Eventually you are considering a moment in time rather than a period of time. Graphically, you are looking at the slope of a tangent line rather than the slope of the line connecting two points.
Instantaneous Velocity on an x-t graph
Velocity vs. Time Graph The slope of a v vs. t graph is the acceleration The area between the curve and the horizontal axis of a v vs. t graph is the displacement
Instantaneous Acceleration vs Average Acceleration from a v-t graph As the two points P1 and P2 get closer, the time frame (∆t) gets smaller and smaller approaching zero. Eventually you are considering a moment in time rather than a period of time. Graphically, you are looking at the slope of a tangent line rather than the slope of the line connecting two points.
What are the accelerations and displacements?
Acceleration vs. Time Graph The slope means NOTHING The area between the curve and the horizontal axis is the change in velocity a t -10 m/s/s 10 s
Important Acceleration tells us how fast velocity changes Velocity tells us how fast position changes
Falling Bodies, thrown up objects, and the y-direction All things fall at the same rate (neglecting air resistance) On earth that rate is 9.80 m/s 2 DOWN WATCH THE DIRECTION! The name of that acceleration is Gravitational acceleration
Thanks! This is a good quick review for kinematics. However, it is just a review not the end all be all of kinematics.