When can we say that an object

is in motion?
⚫ 1 minute!!! Discuss with the person next to you: Is the
speed of the ball different relative to the pitcher, the truck
driver, and the jet pilot? Why or why not?
 KINEMATICS OF
TRANSLATION
The motion of objects can be described by
words. Even a person without a background in
physics has a collection of words that can be
used to describe moving objects. Words and
phrases such as going fast, stopped, slowing
down, speeding up, and turning provide a
sufficient vocabulary for describing the motion
of objects. In physics, we use these words and
many more. We will be expanding upon this
vocabulary list through this lesson.
 Some Physics Quantities
Vector - quantity with both magnitude (size or numerical
value) and direction
Scalar - quantity with magnitude (size or numerical
value) only
Vectors: Scalars:
• Displacement • Distance
• Velocity • Speed
• Acceleration • Time
• Momentum • Mass
• Force • Energy
Kinematics

The study of motion of an object without regard

to the causes of the motion.
Kinematics
TRANSLATION
– Motion along
a straight line.
Described by
displacement,
Velocity and
Acceleration.

Right – Positive
Left – Negative
MOVING THROUGH!
 QUESTION 1
To describe the motion of
an object, what must be
exactly determined?
 Reference Point and Position
⚫ To locate an object we need a reference
point
⚫ Reference Point – the origin – the starting point
you choose to describe the position of an object.
⚫ We also then need to consider where the
object is relative to the origin – the position of
the object.
⚫ Position (x) – where you are located
⚫A complete description of position
includes: •Distance, Direction and
Reference Point
 Position
⚫ The object’s position
is its location with
respect to a chosen
reference point.
⚫ Consider the point to
be the origin of a
coordinate system.
⚫ In the diagram, allow
the road sign to be
the reference point.
 QUESTION 2
What refers to the total
length of path taken by an
object to move from its initial
to its final position?
 Distance
⚫ Distance (d) – how far an object travels.
⚫ Does not depend on direction.
⚫ Scalar or vector quantity? Scalar

⚫ Imagine an ant crawling along a ruler.

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
cm

⚫ What distance did the ant travel?

d = 3 cm
 Distance
⚫ Distance does not depend on direction.
⚫ Here’s our intrepid ant explorer again.

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
cm

⚫ Now what distance did the ant travel?

⚫ d = 3 cm
⚫ Does his direction change the answer?
 Distance
⚫ Distance does not depend on direction.
⚫ Let’s follow the ant again.

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
cm

⚫ What distance did the ant walk this time?

⚫ d = 7 cm
 QUESTION 3
What refers to the straight-
line distance between an
object’s initial and final
position?
 Displacement
⚫ Displacement (x) – where you are in
relation to where you started.
⚫ Does depend on direction. Vector Quantity
⚫ Displacement (x)
=final position (x) – initial position(x0)
⚫ Refers to the straight-line distance
between an object’s initial and final
positions, with the direction towards the
final position.
 Displacement
⚫ Let’s revisit our ant, and this time we’ll find
his displacement.
- +

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
cm

⚫ Distance: 3 cm
⚫ Displacement: +3 cm
⚫ The positive gives the ant a direction!
 Displacement
⚫ Find the ant’s displacement again.
⚫ Remember, displacement has direction!

- +

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
cm

⚫ Distance: 3 cm
⚫ Displacement: -3 cm
 Displacement
⚫ Find the distance and displacement of the
ant.
- +

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
cm

⚫ Distance: 7 cm
⚫ Displacement: +3 cm
 Displacement vs.
Distance
⚫ Example of distance:
⚫ The ant walked 3 cm.
⚫ Example of displacement:
⚫ The ant walked 3 cm EAST.
⚫ An object’s distance traveled and
its displacement aren’t always the
same!
 QUESTION 4

Answer the
practice problem in
the next slide.
 Practice Problem 1
⚫ An athlete runs around a track that is 100 meters
long three times, then stops.
⚫ What is the athlete’s distance and displacement?

⚫ Distance = 300 m
⚫ Displacement = 0 m
 QUESTION 5

Answer the
practice problem in
the next slide.
 Practice Problem 1
⚫ An athlete runs around a track that is 100 meters
long three times, then stops.
⚫ What is the athlete’s distance and displacement?
⚫ Distance = 300m; Displacement = 0

⚫ Why is the
displacement
zero?
 Practice Problem
Answer the following:
 Practice Problem
Answer the following:
 Motion w/ Increasing
AT REST velocity/constant acc.

Motion w/
constant velocity
 Practice Problem
Answer the following:
 Practice Problem
Answer the following:
True or False
True or False
True or False
True or False
True or False
True or False
 Rates
⚫A rate measures how
fast something changes.
⚫In physics, a rate is
almost always calculated
as a quantity divided by
time.
 QUESTION 6
What refers to the rate
at which an object
moves?
 Speed
⚫ Speed (s) – Rate at
which an object moves;
⚫ speed = distance
traveled by a body in a
given time
⚫ Units: m/s OR km/h
⚫ Like distance, speed
does not depend on
direction.
⚫ Scalar or Vector? Scalar
 Average Speed
⚫ Average speed - Total distance
traveled divided by total time traveled.
 Types of Speed
⚫ Constant speed - Speed that does not
change (same distance is travelled the same
amount of time)

⚫ Instantaneous speed – Speed at a given

instant in time (what the speedometer says)
 QUESTION 7
What refers to the time
rate of change of
position?
 Velocity
⚫ Velocity (v) – measure of speed in a given
direction; the time rate of change of position
⚫ velocity = x / time, w/ direction
⚫ Scalar or Vector? Vector
⚫ The velocity of an object can change if:
•It speeds up
•It slows down, It changes direction
 Is their speed the same?
Is their velocity the same?
 Speed Vs Velocity
An object is moving in a circle at a constant
speed of 10 m/s. We say that it has a constant
speed but is its velocity is changing? Why?
Direction of Motion

The direction of the object keeps changing.

 Pulling It All Together
⚫ Back to our ant explorer!
1s
2
3
4
5 - +

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
cm

⚫ Distancetraveled: 7 cm
⚫ Displacement: +3 cm
⚫ Average speed: (7 cm) / (5 s) = 1.4 cm/s
⚫ Average velocity: (+3 cm) / (5 s) = +0.6 cm/s
 QUESTION 8
What refers to the rate
of change in velocity?
 Acceleration
⚫ Acceleration – the rate at which velocity
changes
⚫ Can be an:
⚫ Increasein speed (Change in magnitude)
⚫ Decrease in speed (Change in magnitude)
⚫ Change in direction
⚫ OR BOTH
 Types of acceleration
⚫ Increasing speed
⚫ Example: Car speeds up at green light

⚫ Decreasing speed screeeeech

⚫ Example: Car slows down at stop light

⚫ Changing Direction
⚫ Example: Car takes turn (can be at constant
speed)
Worded Problems (Speed, Velocity
and Acceleration)
Worded Problems (Speed, Velocity
and Acceleration)
Worded Problems (Speed, Velocity
and Acceleration)
Displacement
Speed (Ave.)
Velocity (Ave.)

Acceleration
Ave. Velocity with
Constant Acce.
 QUESTION 10
What do we call the
simplest type of
accelerated motion in
a straight-line?
 Uniformly Accelerated
Motion
⚫ Thesimplest type of accelerated
motion is a straight-line motion with
constant acceleration.
⚫In this type of motion, the
velocity changes by equal
amounts in a specified time
interval.
 KINEMATIC
EQUATIONS OF
MOTION
Displacement
Speed (Ave.)
Velocity (Ave.)

Acceleration
Ave. Velocity with
Constant Acce.