Equations of motion and projectiles (chapter 3)

Question 1

What is the gradient of a distance time graph?

Answer 1

The speed.

Question 2

You draw a tangent on a distance time graph to measure the gradient, what have you found?

Answer 2

The instantaneous speed, speed at that particular moment.

Question 3

Is displacement a scalar or vector?

Answer 3

It is a vector, distance however is a scalar.

Question 4

What is the gradient of a velocity time graph?

Answer 4

Acceleration.

Question 5

What is the area under a velocity time graph?

Answer 5

Displacement.

Question 6

What do the symbols in ‘suvat’ stand for?

Answer 6

S - displacement
U - initial velocity
V - final velocity
A - acceleration
T - time

(The symbols should be all lower case)

Question 7

What is the first step to solving a projectile question?

Answer 7

Split the vertical and horizontal motion up by finding the 2 components of the vector.

Question 8

List 4 key facts about projectiles.

Answer 8

• acceleration is only downwards
• horizontal velocity doesn’t change (with no wind resistance)
• The resultant vector points in the direction of travel
• they are a parabola