Kinematics in 1 Dimension

Understand and describe

constant velocity
situations.
Understand and describe
accelerated motion
situations.
Use kinematics equations
to solve motion problems.
By completing this course, you will:
Kinematics in 1-D Concept Map
Physics
Motion
Studies
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Kinematic
Equations
Described by
Constant
Velocity
Constant
Acceleration
Math Skills
Utilizes
Motion
Almost everything we witness in our everyday
lives involves motion:
Definition
Kinematics the mathematical description of
motion without any reference to the cause. The
cause of this motion will be described later.
Vector Preview
Although vectors will be fully explained in a later
tutorial, a brief introduction is needed here:
A vector is a
quantity that
has magnitude,
size, and
direction.
A scalar is a
quantity that has
only magnitude,
size.
Ex: Velocity,
displacement,
acceleration
Ex: speed,
distance,
temperature,
mass
Similarities:
Velocity and speed are similar terms. They are
often used interchangeably. However, there is a
slight difference:
Speed
Scalar
Velocity includes a direction with magnitude,
and speed is only a magnitude.
Velocity
Vector
Vector Question
A car is traveling at a constant 60mi/hr in a circular
path.

Does it have a constant speed?
Yes
Does it have a constant velocity?
No, because it is constantly changing direction.
That is part of what velocity describes.
Constant Velocity
Imagine that a toy train is moving along the tracks
at a constant and steady rate. There is no
slowing or speeding in its motion.
This motion represents a constant velocity.
Velocity Formula:
The velocity of this train can be found with:
t
d
v
Velocity, m/s
Time elapsed,
sec
Distance
covered, m
Typical metric
units are listed,
but others can be
used.
Average Velocity:
Sometimes the previous formula is written as:
total
total
t
d
v
The bar above the v means average. If an
object moves with a constant velocity, the
average velocity is the same value.
If an object changes
its velocity, this
formula may be more
useful.
Illustration not to scale
Constant Velocity Example:
If sun light takes about 8 minutes to go from the sun
to the earth, how far away from the sun is the earth?
Hint: light travels at 186,000 miles per second!
480sec x
sec
mi
186,000 d

Constant Velocity Example:

If sun light takes about 8 minutes to go from the sun
to the earth, how far away from the sun is the earth?
Hint: light travels at a constant 186,000 miles per
second!
t
d
v
v t d
Rearrange
formula for
desired
variable
480sec
1min
sec 60
minx 8.0
miles x10 89 d
6

Instantaneous Velocity
Instantaneous velocity: The
speed of an object at any
particular instant.
The average speed
and instantaneous
speed may not be the
same!

A car that gradually
speeds up more and
more has an
instantaneous speed
that always changes.

Instantaneous or Average Speed?
If the police monitor your
speed with a radar gun, are
they checking your
instantaneous speed or
your average speed?
Instantaneous speed. They
would be interested in
noticing if you exceed the
speed limit at any point in
time.
Thought Question?
Two bicyclists are initially 20 km apart. They travel
towards each other at 10 km/hr. A bee is buzzing
between them going from one to the other back
and fourth at a constant 30 km/hr. What is the
total distance the bee travels before it gets
crushed as the bicycles meet in the middle?
Solution to Thought Question
This solution can be very easy, or very difficult,
depending on how you go about it.

Easy way: The bicyclists will meet in 1 hours time.
Since the bee is flying for 1 hour at 30 km/hr, it
covers a total distance of 30km.
Assignment
Page 30 Problems # 3,4,5,9
Write work for all problems! Show formulas, math
work, units!
Odd numbered problem have answers in the back
of the book.