TotalDistancetraveled(d)

meters

S.I.Unit:

WhatdoesTotalDistancetraveledmean?

No

Vector?

TotalDistancetraveleddisthetotallengthofthepathtraveled(i.e.thepathlength).

d = l
disthetotaldistancetraveled
means"thesumof "(i.e.addingupallof thevaluesof )
l isthepathlengthofanindividualsegmentofthetrip

(whichisalwayspositive)

ExampleQuestion:

Question:Whatisthedistancetraveledfortheobjectinthegraphbelowbetween0-6s?

Answer:12m

Displacement( x ) S.I.Unit:meters

WhatdoesDisplacementmean?

Yes

Vector?

Displacementisthedi erencebetweenthe nalpositionandtheinitialposition.

x = x - xo
= delta = "thechangein" = f inalvalue initialvalue
x =Displacement
x= nalposition
xo=initialposition

Warning:Peopleforgetthatdisplacementcanbenegative.Dontforgetthenegativesign!

ExampleQuestion:

Question:Whatisthedisplacementoftheobjectinthegraphbelowbetween0-6s?

Answer:-4m

Speed(s)
S.I.Unit:m/s
SpeedisaScalar

WhatdoesSpeedmean?

No

Vector?

Speedistherateofdistancepertime.(Unlikevelocity,whichisrateofdisplacementpertime)
AverageSpeedistherateofdistancepertimeoveralargetimeinterval.
InstantaneousSpeedistherateofdistancepertimeataparticularinstantoftime.

distance

savg = distance

sinst = distance
t
t
t
s=speed,savg=averagespeed,sinst=instantaneousspeed
t =thetimeittookfortheobjecttotravelthedistanceinquestion

s =

ExampleQuestion:

Question:Whatistheaveragespeedoftheobjectinthegraphbelowbetween0-6s?

Answer:2m/s

Velocity(v)
S.I.Unit:m/s
VelocityisaVector

Yes

Vector?

WhatdoesVelocitymean?

Velocityistherateatwhichpositionchangeswithtime(i.e.thedisplacementpertime).
Averagevelocityvavgistherateofdisplacementpertimeoveralargetimeinterval.
Instantaneousvelocityvinstisrateofdisplacementpertimeataparticularinstantintime.

x
x
x
v avg = larget

v inst = smallt
t
v=velocity,vavg=averagevelocity,vinst=instantaneousvelocity
t =thetimeittookfortheobjecttogofromx

itoxf

v =

ExampleQuestion:

Question:Whatistheaveragevelocityoftheobjectinthegraphbelowbetween0-6s?

Answer:-2/3m/s

Acceleration(a)S.I.Unit:m/s2

Vector?

WhatdoesAccelerationmean?

Yes

Accelerationistherateatwhichvelocitychangeswithtime.Accelerationpointsinthe
directionofthenetforceontheobject.

Ifthevelocityischanging,theresacceleration,ifnotnoacceleration.

a = v /t =(
v f - v i )/ t
a=averageaccelerationoverthetimeinterval t
= delta = "thechangein" = f inalvalue initialvalue
vf= nalvelocity(velocityattf)
vi=initialvelocity(velocityatti)
t =timeittooktheobjecttogofromvitovf

ExampleQuestion:

Question:InwhichTWOcasesdoestheaccelerationofaballpointrightward?
A. Ballmovingrightwardandslowingdown
B. Ballmovingrightwardandspeedingup
C. Ballmovingleftwardandslowingdown
D. Ballmovingrightwardandspeedingup

Answer:BandC

Positionvs.timegraphs
Whatdoesapositionvs.timegraphmean?

Onanxvs.tgraphthevalueofthegraphgivesthepositionx,
theslopegivesthevelocityv.
+curvature(smile)means+acceleration,and-curvature(frown)means-acceleration

velocityisequaltotheslopeonanxvs.tgraph

v=

rise
run

x
t

ExampleQuestion:

Question:Whatistheinstantaneousvelocityofthemotioninthegraphbelowat7s?

Answer:-2m/s

Velocityvs.timegraphs
Whatdoesvelocityvs.timegraphmean?

Onavvs.tgraphthevalueofthegraphgivesthevelocityv,theslopegivesthe
accelerationa,andtheareaunderthecurvegivesthedisplacement x .

accelerationisequaltotheslopeonavvs.tgraph
rise
v
=
run
t
displacement x isequaltotheareaunderthecurveonavvs.tgraph

a=

ExampleQuestion:

Question:Whatistheaccelerationat2s?Whatwasthedisplacementbetween4-6s?

Answer:-15m/s2

and

-60m

Accelerationvs.timegraphs
Whatdoesaccelerationvs.timegraphmean?

Onanavs.tgraphthevalueofthegraphgivetheaccelerationa,theslopegivesthe
jerk,theareaunderthecurvegivesthechangeinvelocity v .

rise
a
=
run
t
changeinvelocity v isequaltotheareaunderthecurveonanavs.tgraph

jerkisequaltotheslopeonanavs.tgraph j erk =

ExampleQuestion:

Question:Anobject(whosemotionisgivenbythegraphbelow)startsfromrestatt=0,
whatisthevelocityat6s?

Answer:-20m/s

TheKinematicformulas

WhatdotheKinematicformulasmean?

TheKinematicformulasare4formulasthatgiverelationshipsbetween5kinematic

variables( x , v i , v f , a , t )...ifandonlyiftheaccelerationisconstant.

4KinematicFormulas
1. v f = v i + a t

5Kinematicvariables
x = displacement

2. x = v i t + 12 a t2

v i = initialvelocity

3. v 2f = v2i + 2 a x

v f = f inalvelocity

4.( v f + v i )/ 2 = x / t

a = constantacceleration

t = timetogof rom v i to v f

Warning:Thekinematic(UAM)formulasareonlytrueifaccelerationisconstant(i.e.

uniform).

ExampleQuestion:

Question:Aconfusedchipmunkstartsfromrestspeedsupwithconstantacceleration
for3swhiletraveling9mintheprocess.
a. Whatwastheaccelerationofthechipmunk?
b. Whatwasthe nalspeedofthechipmunk?

Answer:2m/s2and6m/s

FreelyFalling/FlyingObjects(FFO)
WhatdoesFreelyFalling/Flyingobjectmean?

Afreelyfalling/ yingobject(FFO)hasnorocketthrustersandnoairresistance.Onlythe
forceofgravityactsonanFFO.
GravitycausesallFFOstohaveaccelerationag=-9.8m/s2

Warning:Themagnitudeoftheaccelerationduetogravityisg=+9.8m/s2andag=-g=-9.8m/s2

SinceFreelyFallingObjectshaveconstantacceleration,wecanusekinematic
formulas.Wejustreplacetheaccelerationawith ag = 9.8 sm2 foraFFO.

Droppedmeansvi=0,atmaximumheightmeansvf=0,andagisalways-9.8m/s2

ExampleQuestion:

Question:AfrustratedstudentdropstheirphysicstextbookfromaheightH.Howlong
doesittakethebooktohitthegroundintermsofgivenquantitiesandfundamental
constants?

Answer: t

2H
g