1. Intro to Kinematics

2. Scalars and Vectors
We will come across and use two different 'kinds' of measurements as we study physics:
1. Scalars
2. Vectors
Because these two measurements have fundamental differences we must:
a) be able to distinguish between them
b) follow different rules when using them

3. Scalars
Scalar measurements tell us only the magnitude of the quantity being measured
- Scalars numbers tell us "how many"
ex) 5 m (distance, s)
10 s (time, Δt)
100 kmh-1 (speed, v)
The symbols used to denote scalars are usually letters 
scalars can be added, subtracted, multiplied, divided, etc. just as ‘regular’ numbers can be ('regular' numbers are scalars…)

4. Vectors
Vector measurements tell us the magnitude of the quantity being measured and the direction over which it is be measured
Vector numbers tell us "how many" and "where"
ex) 5 m [left] (displacement, )
100 kmh-1 [east] (velocity, )
The symbols used to denote vectors are usually letters with a small arrow above them 
Vectors can be added, subtracted, divided, etc. but we must modify the process used according to the direction attached to the quantity
You CAN'T treat vectors like 'regular' numbers!
we will learn how to add vectors that exist in a single dimension in this course…

5. Intro to Kinematics
before we can hope to understand the physics of the moving world, we need to define some important terms used in this branch of physics
the branch of physics that deals with motion is called kinematics
as it turns out, our universe behaves in a very predictable fashion
it appears to obey some very simple rules that can be summarized in the form of mathematical equations
before we can understand and use these rules, we need to be able to measure and define a few fundamental quantities:

6. Distance and Displacement
these expressions will appear in a few of the kinematics equations we will be using
Distance (s):
a scalar quantity that measures the space an object moves through our three dimensional world
is equal to the sum of the distances moved in any and all spatial dimensions/directions
measured in SI base units called metres (m)

7. Displacement ( ):
a vector quantity that measures the space an object moves through our three dimensional world
is equal to the vector sum of the distances moved in any and all spatial dimensions/directions
measures a change in position (ie: the distance between the starting point and the ending point)
measured in SI base units called metres (m)

8. Example:
An MMC student walks 200 m [E] to get to school. After school this same student walks 50 m [W] to get to work.
What is the total distance this student walked?
What is the displacement of the student?

10. Time (Δt)
whenever objects move through spatial dimensions, they are also moving through the dimension of time
unlike spatial dimensions, all physical objects can only move in one direction through time: forward!
during our study of kinematics we will see that the kinematics equations require that objects moves through time
this movement in the time dimension is represented as the as ‘change in time” or Δt in equations
expressed in SI base units called seconds (s)

11. Speed and Velocity Speed (v): Velocity ( ):
a scalar quantity that measures how far an object travels (distance) in a given time
expressed in SI base units called metres per second (ms-1)
Velocity ( ):
a vector quantity that measures the displacement of an object in a given time

12. Different “kinds” of Speed/Velocity
“Kind” of Speed
“Kind” of Velocity
Definition
Initial speed/velocity of object
Final speed/velocity of object
Average speed/velocity of object
Change in speed/velocity u v

13. Acceleration ( )
an object experiences an acceleration whenever it’s velocity changes
acceleration is equivalent to the rate of change of velocity
if an object’s speed remains constant (ie: doesn’t change) the object is NOT accelerating!
expressed in base units called metres per second2 (ms-2)
Convention:
if velocity “increases”, object is said to accelerate
if velocity “decrease”, object is said to decelerate