kinematics unit 1

Question 1

What is displacement?

Answer 1

The final position minus the initial position (change in position or deltaX=xf-xi ) - VECTOR

Question 2

What is distance?

Answer 2

The length of the path taken by an object - SCALAR

Question 3

What is velocity?

Answer 3

The instantaneous rate of change in displacement - VECTOR (change in displacement over time)

Question 4

What is speed?

Answer 4

The total distance over the total time it takes - SCALAR

Question 5

What is acceleration?

Answer 5

The rate of change in velocity, speeding up or slowing down? (change in v/t) - VECTOR

Question 6

In a position or displacement over time graph, what is happening to an object if given a curved upward line and what does it represent?

Answer 6

The object is moving along a linear path with an increasing velocity, representing its motion. (draw a tangent line to the curved line and find its slope)

Question 7

In a position or displacement over time graph, what does the slope represent?

Answer 7

The velocity

Question 8

In a velocity over time graph, what does the slope represent?

Answer 8

The acceleration

Question 9

What can we mostly assume about acceleration

Answer 9

It’s usually constant

Question 10

In a velocity over time graph, what does the area underneath the curve/line represent?

Answer 10

The position/displacement

Question 11

In an acceleration over time graph, what does the area underneath the curve/line represent?

Answer 11

The velocity

Question 12

What is free-fall?

Answer 12

When an object is moving in air under the gravitational force. The velocity increases due to an acceleration of 9.81m/s/s

Question 13

What happens when you throw an object upwards?

Answer 13

The velocity decreases due to the downwards acceleration of gravitational force. It comes a temporary stop then falls back downwards with same magnitude as going up.

Question 14

What happens to an object speeding up but decelerating?

Answer 14

Velocity is increasing. Acceleration is decreasing (due to negative acceleration)

Question 15

What happens when an object is slowing down and accelerating?

Answer 15

Velocity is decreasing (-). Acceleration is increasing. (+)

Question 16

What is 2-D motion?

Answer 16

Projectile motion, with two different vector components: X and Y. The gravitational force is always downwards. Typically the Vy gradually decreases then after reaching a value of zero at the max point, becomes negative pointing downward but increasing in magnitude. Vx does not change magnitude since no acceleration.

ONLY Vy CHANGES DUE TO G (Vertical component.

Vx NEVER CHANGES

Question 17

When an object falls off a cliff, what is happening to the velocity and acceleration?

Answer 17

Vx does not change in magnitude but points right.

Vy increases while pointing downwards due to Fg.

Question 18

What condition are all 3 kinematics equations provided on the formula sheet based upon?

Answer 18

Acceleration is CONSTANT, both DIRECTION AND MAGNITUDE.

Question 19

What is the fourth equation NOT provided and what does it represent?

Answer 19

Xf-Xi=1/2(Vi+Vf)t

Represents the area in a velocity time graph, where the area is in the shape of a trapezoid