Forces and motion

Vectors and Scalars

• The quantities which have only a magnitude are called as scalar
quantities .

• The quantities which have both magnitude as well as a direction are

call as vector quantities
• Scalar • Vector
• Length / distance[m] • Displacement [m]
• Mass[kg] • Weight [N]
• Time [S] • Force [N]
• Speed [m/s] • Velocity [m/s]
• Pressure [Pa] • Acceleration[] m/
• Energy [J] • Friction [N]
Current [A]
• Density [kg]
 Distance : Is a numerical measurement of how apart
objects or two points are .

The actual length along a particular path or between

two points .

Distance and Scalar quantity .

Displacement
Displacement : Distance given with a direction or the
shortest distance between the initial to final position .

Is a vector quantity .
 Distance

Displacement
Speed
• Definition :
The rate of change of the distance .Speed is a
scalar quantity as it has no particular direction .

Speed =

Units = ,
 • Definition :
The rate of change of the
displacement .Velocity is a vector quantity as it

Velocity
has both direction and magnitude.

Velocity =

Units = ,
Example
• An object has travelled 120 km in 1 hour and 30 minutes .Calculate
the average speed of the object .give your answer in km/h .

• Average speed =

• =80 km/h
 Example.
• The fastest speed that a cheetah can run is 160 km/h .convert this
speed in to
Speed conversions
• The speed of a toy car is 10 m / s . Calculate the speed of the car in
km/h.
Summary
• To convert

• Km/h to m/s [ divide by 3.6 ]

• m/s to km/h [ multiply by 3.6 ]

Question
• Km/h • m/s

• 72 km/h 20 m/s

108 m/s • 30 m/s

• 360 km/h 100 m/s

Acceleration

• Definition :

The rate of change of the velocity of a moving object

Acceleration is a vector quantity , as it has both the magnitude as well
as a direction
.
• Acceleration =
Characteristics of Distance time graphs
• Gradient of the DT graph represents the speed of the object .

• Horizontal lines represent the object is stationary [as the gradient = 0,

Section B – C ]

• Steeper the gradient faster the object travel [C – D ]

• Positive gradient show the object is moving away from the starting point .
• Negative gradients shows object is moving towards the starting point
Characteristics of V T graphs
• Gradient represent the acceleration.

• Straight lines with positive gradient represents constant acceleration .

• Straight lines with negative gradients represent constant deceleration

• Horizontal lines represent that the object is moving at a constant

velocity
• Area under the VT graph represent the total displacement .
Comparison
Question:
• Calculate the distance travelled by the objects in each of the following
situations using the velocity time graphs .