Units: m/s
The magnitude of the velocity vector is called the speed which is a scalar, because it does not
have any direction and can never be (-). Velocity is a vector and has both speed and direction.
It is not possible for two cars to have the same velocity and different speed, because velocity is a
vector, which have both speed and direction, so if the velocities are the same then speed and
directions are the same.
Acceleration
Velocity tells us how fast an objects position changes. Acceleration tells us how fast an objects
velocity changes. An objects velocity changes if the speed or the direction changes. For example
an object could be accelerating even if the speed is constant. If a=0 at a certain point, then
whatever velocity there is at that point will stay constant. If acceleration points in the same
direction as the initial velocity, then the objects speed is increasing. If acceleration points in
the opposite direction as the initial velocity, then the objects speed is decreasing.
Units: m/s
2
The direction of a tells v how to change; the following diagram summaries the possibilities:
a in the same direction as v means objects
speed is increasing.
a perpendicular to v means objects speed is
constant.
a in the opposite direction from v means
objects speed is decreasing.
Chapter 2 Kinematics
a at an angle between 0 and 90 to v means
objects speed is increasing and direction of v
is changing.
a at an angle between 90 and 180 to v means
objects speed is decreasing and direction of v
is changing.
2.3 Uniformly Accelerated Motion
In the last section we defined the principle quantities of kinematics: displacement, velocity and
acceleration. In this section we will summarize mathematical relationships between them in the
special, but important case of uniformly accelerated motion in which the objects acceleration, a,
is constant.
THE BIG FIVE
( )
Missing a
Missing d
Missing v
Missing v0
Missing t
Notice that these equations involve five quantities, d, v0, v, a and t, and there are five equations.
Each equation has exactly one of those quantities missing. A quantity is missing from the
problem if it is not given or asked for.
If the object starts from rest then v0 is zero.
2.4 Kinematics with Graphs
Position vs. Time graph
The slope of a position vs. time graph gives the velocity. The flat line on the graph means that
the slope is zero.
Velocity vs. Time graph
The slope of a velocity vs. time graph gives the acceleration. The flat line on the graph means
that the slope is zero.
Chapter 2 Kinematics
The area under a velocity vs. time graph gives the displacement. The area of a square is base x
height (bh). The area of a triangle is
()
Velocity
()
()
Acceleration
) (
)
Since the top of the parabola is the turning point and an objects velocity Is always tangent to its
path (whatever the shape of the trajectory), the projectiles velocity will be horizontal at the top
of the parabola. For a projectile moving in a parabolic path, its only the vertical velocity thats
zero at the top the horizontal velocity is still there.
The left and the right side of the parabola are mirror images of each other which means that the
time the projectile takes to reach the top should be the same the time it will take it to reach the
bottom.
The projectiles total flight time will be twice the time required to reach the top.