MOTIONS

Notes

Definition:

• Speed is the distance traveled per unit of

time. It is a scalar quantity, meaning it
has magnitude but no direction.
Formula:
speed=Distance /time
Units:

• Common units include meters per second

(m/s), kilometers per hour (km/h), and
miles per hour (mph).
Types:
 • Average Speed: Total distance traveled
divided by total time taken.
• Instantaneous Speed: Speed at a specific
moment in time, often measured using
speedometers.

Velocity

Definition:

• Velocity is the rate of change of

displacement with respect to time. It is a
vector quantity, meaning it has both
magnitude and direction.
Formula:

Velocity=ΔsΔt\text{Velocity} = \frac{\Delta
s}{\Delta t}Velocity=ΔtΔs
where Δs\Delta sΔs is the change in position
(displacement) and Δt\Delta tΔt is the time
interval.
Units:

• Common units include meters per second

(m/s) and kilometers per hour (km/h),
similar to speed.
Key Points:

• Displacement vs. Distance: Velocity is

based on displacement (shortest path with
direction), while speed is based on total
distance.
• Average Velocity: Total displacement
divided by total time.
 • Instantaneous Velocity: Velocity at a
specific point in time, found using
derivatives in calculus.

Acceleration

Definition:

• Acceleration is the rate of change of

velocity with respect to time. It is also a
vector quantity, having both magnitude
and direction.
Formula:

Acceleration=ΔvΔt\text{Acceleration} =
\frac{\Delta v}{\Delta t}Acceleration=ΔtΔv
where Δv\Delta vΔv is the change in velocity
and Δt\Delta tΔt is the time interval.
Units:
 • Common units include meters per second
squared (m/s²).
Types:

• Positive Acceleration: When an object

speeds up.
• Negative Acceleration (Deceleration):
When an object slows down.
• Uniform Acceleration: Constant
acceleration over time, common in free fall
under gravity.

Relationships Between Speed, Velocity, and

Acceleration

1.Speed vs. Velocity:

a.Speed does not consider direction, while
velocity does. Two objects can have the
 same speed but different velocities if
they move in different directions.
2. Velocity and Acceleration:
a.Acceleration affects the velocity of an
object. A positive acceleration indicates
an increase in velocity, while negative
acceleration indicates a decrease.

Graphical Representation

• Speed vs. Time Graph:

o A horizontal line indicates constant
speed. The slope represents acceleration.
• Velocity vs. Time Graph:
o A positive slope indicates acceleration,
while a negative slope indicates
deceleration. The area under the graph
represents displacement.
Summary

• Speed: Scalar quantity representing

distance over time.
• Velocity: Vector quantity representing
displacement over time.
• Acceleration: Vector quantity representing
the change in velocity over time.

GRAPHS
Distance-Time Graphs

Definition:

• A distance-time graph shows the

relationship between the distance traveled
by an object and the time taken.
Axes:

• X-axis: Represents time (t).

 • Y-axis: Represents distance (d).
Key Features:
1.Slope:
a.The slope of the graph indicates the
speed of the object.
b. A steeper slope indicates a higher speed,
while a shallower slope indicates a lower
speed.
c. Slope calculation:
Slope=ΔdΔt\text{Slope} =
\frac{\Delta d}{\Delta t}Slope=ΔtΔd
2. Horizontal Line:
a.Indicates that the object is at rest (no
distance change over time).
3. Straight Line:
a.Indicates uniform motion (constant
speed).
 b. The steeper the line, the greater the
speed.
4. Curved Line:
a.Indicates acceleration or deceleration.
b. If the curve slopes upwards more
steeply, the object is speeding up.
c. If it levels off, the object is slowing
down.
Interpretation:

• The graph can be used to determine how far

an object has traveled at any point in time.
• The area under the graph is not relevant in
distance-time graphs.
Speed-Time Graphs

Definition:

• A speed-time graph (or velocity-time

graph) shows the relationship between the
 speed (or velocity) of an object and the time
taken.
Axes:

• X-axis: Represents time (t).

• Y-axis: Represents speed (v) or velocity.
Key Features:
1.Slope:
a.The slope of the graph represents
acceleration.
b. A positive slope indicates acceleration,
while a negative slope (downward)
indicates deceleration.
c. Slope calculation:
Slope=ΔvΔt\text{Slope} =
\frac{\Delta v}{\Delta t}Slope=ΔtΔv
2. Horizontal Line:
 a.Indicates constant speed (no
acceleration).
3. Straight Line with Positive Slope:
a.Indicates uniform acceleration
(constant increase in speed).
4. Straight Line with Negative Slope:
a.Indicates uniform deceleration
(constant decrease in speed).
5. Curved Line:
a.Represents varying acceleration or
deceleration.
Interpretation:

• The area under the speed-time graph

represents the distance traveled.
• A larger area corresponds to a greater
distance.
Summary of Differences

Distance-Time
Feature Speed-Time Graph
Graph
X-axis Time (t) Time (t)
Y-axis Distance (d) Speed (v) or Velocity
Slope Represents speed Represents acceleration
Object moves at constant
Horizontal Line Object is at rest
speed
Area Under Graph Not applicable Represents distance traveled

Applications

• Distance-Time Graphs: Useful for

understanding the overall journey of an
object, determining total distance, and
visualizing motion.
• Speed-Time Graphs: Essential for
analyzing motion, particularly in
scenarios involving acceleration or
deceleration, and calculating the distance
traveled over time.
 Mass, Density & weight
Mass Density

Definition:

• Mass density (ρ) is defined as the mass

(m) of an object divided by its volume (V):
ρ=mV\rho = \frac{m}{V}ρ=Vm
 • Units: Typically expressed in kilograms
per cubic meter (kg/m³) or grams per cubic
centimeter (g/cm³).
Weight

Definition:

• Weight (W) is the force exerted by gravity

on an object. It can be calculated using:
W=m⋅gW = m \cdot gW=m⋅g where ggg
is the acceleration due to gravity
(approximately 9.81 m/s² on Earth).
• Units: Typically expressed in newtons (N)
in the SI system.
Key Points:

• Free Fall: In free fall, objects experience

weightlessness because the only force
acting on them is gravity.
Relationship Between Mass Density and Weight

• The weight of an object can also be related

to its density and volume: W=ρ⋅V⋅gW =
\rho \cdot V \cdot gW=ρ⋅V⋅g
• This shows how density influences the
overall weight of an object for a given
volume.
Summary

• Mass Density: Mass per unit volume; a

measure of how compact a substance is.
• Weight: The force of gravity on an object;
varies with location.
• Both concepts are crucial in physics,
engineering, and many scientific
applications.
 Acceleration of Free fall

Acceleration of Free Fall

Definition:

• The acceleration of free fall refers to the

rate at which an object accelerates
downward due to the force of gravity when
it is in free fall.
Key Concepts

1.Gravitational Acceleration (ggg):

a.On Earth, the acceleration due to
gravity is approximately
9.81 m/s29.81 \,
\text{m/s}^29.81m/s2.
b. This value can vary slightly based on
altitude and geographic location.
 2. Direction:
a.The acceleration of free fall is directed
toward the center of the Earth
(downward).
Equations of Motion in Free Fall

The following kinematic equations apply to

free-falling objects, assuming the initial
velocity is 000 (i.e., dropped):
1.Final Velocity:

v=gtv = gtv=gt
a.Where:
i. vvv = final velocity
ii. ggg = acceleration due to gravity
iii. ttt = time of fall
2. Displacement:

s=12gt2s = \frac{1}{2}gt^2s=21 gt2

 a.Where:
i. sss = displacement (distance
fallen)
ii. ggg = acceleration due to gravity
iii. ttt = time of fall
3. Final Velocity Squared:

v2=2gsv^2 = 2gsv2=2gs
a.This relates the final velocity to the
distance fallen.
Summary

• Acceleration of Free Fall: Approximately

9.81 m/s29.81 \, \text{m/s}^29.81m/s2
directed downward.
• Independence from Mass: All objects fall at
the same rate in a vacuum.
 • Key Equations: Used to calculate final
velocity, displacement, and the time of
fall.

Direction & Displacement

Displacement

Definition:

• Displacement is a vector quantity that

refers to the shortest distance from the
initial position to the final position of an
object, along with the direction of that
straight line.
Key Characteristics:
 1.Vector Quantity: Displacement has both
magnitude (length) and direction.
2. Calculation:
a.Displacement = Final Position - Initial
Position.
3. Units: Typically measured in meters
(m).
Direction

Definition:

• Direction indicates the path along which

something moves or the position of an
object relative to a reference point.
Key Characteristics:
Scalar Quantity: Direction itself is not a
standalone quantity; it is a component of
vector quantities like displacement and
velocity.