PHYSICS REVIEWER

❖ Scalar and Vector Quantities

➢ Scalar
● A physical quantity that only has a magnitude
● Ex. Mass, Length, Time, Temperature, Volume, Density

➢ Vector
● A physical quantity that has both a magnitude and a direction
● Ex. Position Displacement, Velocity, Acceleration, Momentum,
Force

❖ Representation of a Vector
➢ They are represented with a single capital letter with an arrow above it
➢ Some vector quantities are represented by their respective symbols
with an arrow above it

❖ Types of Vectors
 ❖ TYPES OF VECTORS (BASED ON THEIR EFFECTS)

❖ MOTION
➢ Motion is relative (needs more information/needs clarification)

Examples of Motion include:

❖ Position
➢ Position can be described using visuals, diagrams or graphs to
describe motion
1. Describing how far the object is from the point of reference
➢ ‘’point of reference’’ Place or object used for comparison to
determine if something is in motion
2. Describing its direction relative to that point of reference

❖ Distance
➢ Refers to the length of the entire path that the object travelled
➢ Represented by broken lines (– – – >)
➢ Common units of distance include: metres (m) kilometres (km) feet (ft)
miles (mi)
❖ Speed
➢ The rate of change of position of an object in any direction.
■ The formula for speed = distance/time or s=d/t
● Other formulas that involve speed include:
● Distance = speed x time, or d=ts
● Time = distance/speed, or t=d/s
➢ Common units of measurement for speed include: km/h or kph
(kilometres per hour) & mph (miles per hour)

❖ Displacement
 ➢ Refers to the shortest distance between the 2 positions of the object
from the point of origin (initial point) and point of destination (terminal/final
point), no matter which path it took to get to that destination
➢ Represented by a solid line (—>)

❖ Velocity
➢ Vector quantity refers to the rate of change of the object’s position for
a frame of reference and time.
➢ It is the rate and direction of an object’s movement
■ The Formula for velocity is velocity = displacement/time, or v=d/t
● Other formulas that involve velocity include:
● Time = displacement/velocity, or t=d/v
● Displacement = velocity x time, or d=tv
➢ The Unit of Measurement for velocity is m/s (meters per second)

■ Initial and Final velocity

● Initial velocity describes how fast an object travels when
gravity first applies force on the object.
● Final velocity measures the speed and direction of a
moving body after it has reached its maximum
acceleration.

❖ Graphs
➢ When a graph is plotted in terms of the distance travelled by the
object and the time it took to cover such distance, the graph can be
called a ‘’Distance-time Graph’’ (Also known as “Distance vs Time
Graph”)
➢ If the graph is plotted in terms of displacement and time, it is called a
‘’Displacement-time Graph’’ (Also known as “Displacement vs Time
Graph”)
➢ If the graph is plotted in terms of velocity and time, it is called a
“Velocity-time Graph” (Also known as “Velocity vs Time Graph”)

❖ Distance-time Graph
➢ A distance-time graph will display the distance (in meters, kilometres,
feet, miles, etc.) on the Vertical (Y) Axis. On the other hand, it
will display the time (in seconds, minutes, hours, etc.) on the Horizontal
(X) Axis

➢ Straight lines on a distance-time graph represent constant speeds.

 ➢ To find the speed from a distance-time graph, you will need to be
able to find the gradient of the straight lines. The steeper the
gradient, the faster the object is travelling.
■ Gradient refers to the slope of the line.

❖ Take Note!
➢ On the straight but slanted lines, the speed is constant.

➢ On the completely flat line for both distance and time, the
object is stationary, otherwise it did not move.

➢ On the more steeper lines, it shows that the object is moving

at a faster speed.

➢ The curved line represents the object getting faster, otherwise

accelerating.
■ In other cases though, if the line is curved the other way,
it means that the object is decelerating.

Displacement-time graph
➢ A displacement-time graph displays the displacement (in meters) of
the object on the vertical Y axis, and on the other hand, it displays
time (in seconds, minutes, hours etc.) on the horizontal X axis.

➢ Displacement-time graphs can go below the horizontal axis, unlike a

distance-time graph.
■ Distance can NOT be negative, whereas displacement can be.

➢ The gradient of a displacement-tIme graph is equal to the velocity of

the object.
 ■ Positive gradient = travelling forwards
■ Negative gradient = travelling backwards
● The steeper the line, the faster the object
➢ Take Note!
■ On the straight but slanted lines, the speed is constant.

■ On the completely flat line for both distance and time, the
object is stationary, otherwise it did not move.

■ On the more steeper lines, it shows that the object is moving

at a faster speed.

■ The curved line represents the object getting faster, otherwise

accelerating.
● In other cases though, if the line is curved the other way,
it means that the object is decelerating.

■ If the graph touches the horizontal [X] axis, that means the
object is on the origin at the given time.

■ It is also recommended to take note of the fact that both

distance-time and displacement-time graphs act almost the
same, with the only exception being that displacement-time
graphs can be negative.

Here is an example:

❖ Velocity time graph

➢ Velocity- time graphs show the velocity of an object as it moves in a
straight line
 ➢ They show velocity (on the vertical axis) against time (on the
horizontal axis)

➢ Velocity graphs can go below the horizontal [X] axis, just like a
displacement time graph

➢ The area between graph and the x-axis tells us the change in
displacement of the object

■ Graph above the x-axis means the object is moving positively

■ Graph below the x-axis means the object is moving negatively

❖ Acceleration
➢ Change in velocity over time
➢ Formulas:
○ a= vf-vi / t
○ t = vf-vi / a
○ at = vf - vi
○ vf = at + vi
○ vi = vf - at

❖ Another way to graph motion is by means of ticker tape

➢ Here are tips so you can interpret the motion on the ticker tape easier:
■ Dots that are close together means that the object is in slow
motion
■ Dots that are farther apart means that the object is in fast motion
■ Dots that seem to not change their distance apart from one
another throughout the graph means that the object is in constant
motion
■ Dots that are close together at first but suddenly goes farther
apart somewhere in the graph means that the object accelerated
■ Dots that are farther apart at first but suddenly comes close
together somewhere in the graph means that the object
decelerated
➢ Here is an example of ticker tape:
■ Object in CONSTANT SLOW MOTION

■ Object in CONSTANT FAST MOTION

■ Object ACCELERATING

■ Object DECELERATING
❖ Free Fall
➢ Motion under the influence of gravitational force ONLY(neglects air
resistance)
❖ Elapsed Time
➢ Time has passed from the beginning of the fall
❖ Acceleration due to gravity is 9.8 m/s^2, downward
❖ Every second that an object falls, velocity increases by -9.8 m/s
❖ Formula for HOW FAST Free fall is
➢ V=gt
❖ Formula for HOW FAR Free fall is”
➢ ½ gt^2
❖ Formula for
❖ When an object is thrown into the air, the velocity at its highest point is ZERO

❖ Waves
➢ Rhythmic disturbances that carry energy through matter and space
➢ Carry Energy
➢ Caused by vibrations
➢ Can do work
➢ Move objects
❖ Energy
➢ Waves carry energy
➢ Vibration is a transfer of energy
➢ As waves carry energy, the particles in the medium move
➢ The direction of the motion determines the type of wave
❖ Medium
➢ Material through which a wave transfers energy
➢ Solid, liquid, gas or combination
➢ Electromagnetic waves don’t need a medium
❖ Categories of Waves
➢ Mechanical Waves
MUST travel through a medium
Cannot travel through a vacuum
Example:
● Sound, ocean waves
➢ Electromagnetic Waves
Does NOT require a medium
Can be transferred through a vacuum
Examples:
● Light, UV rays, and visible light
❖ Types of Waves
➢ Transverse Wave
Medium vibrates perpendicular to the direction of wave motion
Example:
● Water, and electromagnetic waves
 ➢ Longitudinal Wave
Medium moves in the same direction as the wave’s motion
Example: sound waves, slinky, springs

❖ Measuring Waves
➢ Frequency
■ # of waves passing a point in 1 sec
■ Unit: Hertz (Hz)
■ 1Hz=1 wave per second
■ Shorter Wavelength= Higher Frequency
■ Frequency= 1/Period
➢ Period - amount of time for one cycle to do a complete motion
➢ Velocity -
■ Speed of wave as it moves
■ Depends on type of wave or medium
➢ Formulas:
■ V = wavelength x frequency
■ Wavelength = velocity / frequency
■ Frequency = velocity / wavelength
❖ Sound Waves
➢ Mechanical Wave
■ Vibrations that travel through the air or another medium and can be
heard when they reach another person’s or animal’s ear
➢ Human Hearing
■ Sound Waves -> Vibrates ear drums -> Amplified by the bones ->
converted to nerve impulses by the cochlea
➢ Pitch
■ Highness or loudness of a sound
■ Depends on frequency of sound wave
■ Human Hearing Range = 20 hz to 20,000 hz
 ➢ Three Types of Sound Waves:
■ Infrasonic Sounds
● Too low to hear for humans
● Below 20 hz
■ Audible Sounds
● Able to be heard by humans
● 20 hz - 20,000 hz
■ Ultrasonic Sounds
● Too high frequency for humans to hear
● Above 20,000 hz

➢ Some animals and the range of their hearing (based on Pitch/hz)

■ Humans
● 20hz-20,000hz
■ Bats
● 10,000hz-120,000hz
■ Dolphins
● 150hz-150,000hz
■ Cats
● 60hz-65,000hz
■ Dog
● 15hz-50,000hz
■ Elephant
● 5hz-12,000hz

➢ Intensity
■ Volume of sound
■ Depends on energy/amplitude of sound wave
■ In decibels (dB)
➢ Formulas:
■ V = wavelength x frequency
■ Wavelength = velocity / frequency
■ Frequency = velocity / wavelength
❖ Light
➢ Electromagnetic Wave
■ Travels in transverse wave
■ Light or Light Wave is electromagnetic wave
➢ Luminous Intensity
■ As the amplitude of light increases, the intensity also
increases
➢ Light and Matter
■ Opaque
● Absorbs or reflects all light
■ Transparent
● Allows light to pass through completely
■ Translucent
● Allows some light to pass
➢ T3 ways light interacts with matter:
■ Reflection
● Bouncing back of light rays
■ Absorption
● Light energy is taken in
■ Transmission
● Passing of light
➢ Formula:
 ➢
❖ COLORS
➢ White light
■ Contains all visible colours
➢ The retina contains:
■ Rods - dim light, black, & white
■ Cones - color
● Red - absorb red and yellow
● Green - absorb yellow & green
● Blue - absorb blue & violet
➢ Color Blindness
■ One or more sets of cones do not function properly
➢ Primary Colors
■ Red, Blue, Green
■ Additive Colors
■ Combine to form White
➢ Equations:
■ R+G=Y
■ R+B=M
■ B+G=C
■ R +G + B = W
➢ Pigment
■ Coloured material that absorbs and reflects different colours
➢ Primary Pigment Colors
■ cyan, magenta, yellow
■ Subtractive colors
■ Combine to form black
➢ Cyan (G + B ) absorbs Red
➢ Yellow ( R + G) absorbs Blue
➢ Magenta ( B + R ) absorbs Green
➢ When white light strikes an opaque object, some colours are absorbed and
reflected