Speed
What does speed describe?
How fast and object is moving.
What is the difference between speed and velocity?
Velocity includes speed and direction, while speed tells us how fast an object is moving.
Define acceleration in your own words.
Acceleration is a change in speed or direction over time
What is a force?
A push or pull on an object
What is motion?
Motion is a change in position over time
What is the formula for calculating speed?
Distance/Time
Why is direction important when discussing velocity?
Because direction determines the object’s overall motion (you could be moving the same speed but opposite directions).
What is the formula for calculating acceleration?
Acceleration = (Final Speed – Initial Speed) ÷ Time
Describe the role of gravity as a force.
Gravity pulls objects toward the center of the Earth
Explain why reference points are important in understanding motion.
Reference points help you see or measure how far and in what direction something moved
What are the units for speed in the SI system?
Meters per second (m/s)
Can you determine velocity without knowing speed? Explain.
No — velocity depends on both speed and direction
Provide an example of an everyday situation that involves acceleration.
Example: A car speeding up when the light turns green
What happens when balanced forces act on an object?
No change in motion — the object stays still or moves at constant speed
Can something be moving and still be at rest from another reference point?
Yes — for example, a person on a moving bus is at rest relative to the bus, but moving relative to the ground
What does a straight line on a distance-versus-time graph represent?
A straight line shows constant speed
Why might air traffic controllers need to track the velocity of aircraft?
They need to know both how fast and which way planes are moving to avoid collisions and manage air traffic.
If a car accelerates from 0 m/s to 20 m/s in 5 seconds, what is its acceleration?
(20 – 0) ÷ 5 = 4 m/s²
How can applied forces change an object's motion?
Forces can start, stop, speed up, slow down, or change the direction of motion
What are the key factors in describing motion?
Speed, direction, and position (or distance, time, and reference point)
How does the slope of a distance-versus-time graph relate to speed?
The steeper the slope, the greater the speed.
Can you determine velocity without knowing an objects speed?
No, you need both speed and direction.
What does negative acceleration (deceleration) indicate about an object's motion?
Negative acceleration means the object is slowing down
Name two types of forces and provide an example of each.
Contact force: friction (ex: brakes on a car)
Noncontact force: gravity (ex: Earth pulling an apple down)
How do forces and energy relate to each other?
Forces cause motion, and motion involves energy transfer — energy is needed to apply a force and make something move