science chapter 1 Flashcards
the starting point you choose to describe the location, or position of an object
reference point
an object’s distance and direction from a reference point
position
A complete description of your position includes…(3 things)
a distance, a direction, and a reference point
State the steps in order to describe position
choose a reference point, then describe the direction your object is from that reference point, and finally say how far the object is from the reference point
The description of an object’s position depends on the
reference point
The description of the object’s position changes because
the reference point is different, but the object’s position did not change at all.
When you describe an object’s position
you compare its location to a reference direction
When you describe a position using two directions, you are using
two dimensions
State the steps of finding a position in two dimensions
choose your reference point, specify reference directions, and finally determine the distance along each reference direction
the process of changing position
Motion
the difference between the initial (first) position and the final position of an object
displacement
a measure of the distance an object travels per unit of time
speed
how can you calculate speed?
dividing distance traveled by the time it takes to go that distance
What is the unit for speed?
SI (m/s)
the rate of change of position in which the same distance is traveled each second
Constant speed
speed at a specific instant in time. (constantly changing)
Instantaneous
the total distance traveled divided by the total time taken to travel that distance
Average speed
how can you calculate the average speed?
by dividing the total distance by the total time
v- represents
“average velocity”
Distance time-graphs are used to compare
the motion of two different objects
how do you use time-distance graphs to calculate speed?
choose two points on the line, find the time and distance differences, and divide the distance difference by the time difference
the speed and the direction of a moving object
velocity
the length of Arrows representing velocity…
indicates the speed
velocity changes when the ________ and/or _________ changes
speed, direction
a measure of the change in velocity during a period of time
acceleration
how do you calculate acceleration?
final speed - initial speed divided by the total time (final time - initial time)
what is the unit for acceleration?
(m/s2)
When an object is at rest, it is shown as…
y = 0
Speed-Time graphs cannot show
direction
