1. Motion & Position What is “motion”? How do we perceive it?
We notice motion when something
that was “there”
is now “here”
“There” and “here” are “positions”
Positions can be “mapped” in three dimensions using a system of three right-angle axes
E-W, N-S, and Up-Down
otherwise known as “x”, “y”, and “z”

2. Frame of Reference
The “coordinates” (the values of x, y, and z) given to a specific position depend on one’s “frame of reference”
Depending on where we place our “origin” (the point with coordinates of [0, 0, 0]), we can have different coordinates for the same position
But that doesn’t matter!!
although the “directions” of our vectors could be different, their magnitudes will be the same
and even better – so will the laws of physics

3. The Length of Motion
Physics uses two concepts to describe the length of motion – distance and displacement
Distance is
the length of the entire path traveled
a scalar (direction does not matter)
Displacement is
the straight-line length from the initial position to the final position (calculated as “Δx = xf - xi”)
a vector (drawn as an arrow from initial to final)

4. Motion on the Base-paths
If we are playing baseball on a diamond where the batter faces north, what are the distance and displacement for a batter who hits
a single?
a double?
a triple?
a home run?