PHY031 We make a distinction between distance and
displacement.
1-D Kinematics
DISPLACEMENT (blue line) is how far the
The Cheetah: A cat that is built for speed. Its object is from its starting point, regardless of
strength and agility allow it to sustain a top how it got there.
speed of over 100 km/h. Such speeds can only
be maintained for about ten seconds. DISTANCE traveled (dashed line) is measured
along the actual path.
Objectives: After completing this module, you
should be able to:
✓ Define and apply concepts of average
and instantaneous velocity and
acceleration.
✓ Solve problems involving initial and final
velocity, acceleration, displacement, and
time.
✓ Demonstrate your understanding of DISTANCE AND DISPLACEMENT
directions and signs for velocity,
displacement, and acceleration. Distance is the length of the actual path
✓ Solve problems involving a free-falling taken by an object. Consider travel from point
body in a gravitational field. A to point B in diagram below:
UNIFORM ACCELERATION IN ONE
DIMENSION:
➢ Motion is along a straight line
(horizontal, vertical or slanted).
➢ Changes in motion result from a
CONSTANT force producing uniform Distance is a scalar quantity (no direction):
acceleration.
Contains magnitude only and consists of a
➢ The cause of motion will be discussed
number and a unit.
later. Here we only treat the changes.
➢ The moving object is treated as though it (70 m, 40 mi/h, 10 gal)
were a point particle.
Reference Frames and Displacement
Displacement is the straight-line separation
Any measurement of position, distance, or of two points in a specified direction.
speed must be made with respect to a reference
frame.
For example, if you are sitting on a train and
someone walks down the aisle, their speed with
respect to the train is a few miles per hour, at
most. Their speed with respect to the ground is
much higher. A vector quantity:
Contains magnitude AND direction, a number,
unit & angle.
(40 m east; 8 km/h, N)
Reference Frames and Displacement DEFINITION OF SPEED
The displacement is written: Speed is the distance traveled per unit of
time (a scalar quantity).
Left: Displacement is positive.
Examples of Speed
Right: Displacement is negative.
DISTANCE AND DISPLACEMENT
For motion along x or y axis, the displacement
is determined by the x or y coordinate of its
final position.
Example: Consider a car that travels 8 m, E
then 12 m, W.
Net displacement D is from the origin to the
final position:
DEFINITION OF VELOCITY
Velocity is the displacement per unit of
time. (A vector quantity.)
D = 4 m, W
Distance traveled = 20 m !!
AVERAGE SPEED & VELOCITY AVERAGE SPEED AND INSTANTANEOUS
VELOCITY
Speed: how far an object travels in a given time
interval. The average speed depends ONLY on the
distance traveled and the time required.
The INSTANTANEOUS VELOCITY is how fast
and in what direction an object is moving in
a particular instant. (v at point C)
Velocity includes directional information:
AVG. SPEED VS. AVG. VELOCITY
VELOCITY IN POSITION-TIME GRAPHS
Speed Example Exercise
This is a graph of p vs. t for an object moving
with const. velocity. If we take the slope of this
line (“rise over run”) we get
Notice that the slope of the p-t curve can be (+)
or (-).
DEFINITION OF ACCELERATION
An acceleration is the change in velocity per
unit of time. (A vector quantity.)
Example of Acceleration
ACCELERATION DUE TO GRAVITY
➢ Every object on the
earth experiences a
common force: the
The wind changes the speed of a boat from force due to gravity.
2m/s to 8m/s in 3s. Each second the speed ➢ This force is always
changes by 2m/s. directed toward the
center of the earth
Wind force is constant, thus acceleration is
(downward).
constant.
➢ The acceleration due
to gravity is relatively
constant near the
ACCELERATION Earth’s surface.
You are driving in a car. What can you do to GRAVITATIONAL ACCELERATION
cause the car to accelerate?
➢ In a vacuum, all
o Speed it up (step on gas) objects fall with same
o Slow it down (step on brake) acceleration.
o Change the direction (turn the wheel) ➢ Equations for constant
To calculate acceleration, we use the acceleration apply as
following formula: usual.
➢ Near the Earth’s
surface:
This can also be written as: SIGN CONVENTION: A BALL THROWN
VERTICALLY UPWARD
Position is positive (+) or
negative (-) based on
LOCATION.
Velocity is positive (+) or
negative (-) based on
direction of motion.
Acceleration is (+) or (-)
based on direction of
force (Earth pulling on
ball).
