Motion Graphs
On a position vs. time graph, a straight, horizontal line represents this type of motion.
What is at rest (or zero velocity)?
A physical quantity described only by magnitude (size), such as time or speed.
What is a scalar?
The total length of the path traveled.
What is distance?
The vertical acceleration of all projectiles on Earth, ignoring air resistance.
What is 9.8 m/s2 downward (or acceleration due to gravity)?
This is the SI unit of work and energy.
What is the joule?
The physical quantity represented by the slope of a velocity vs. time graph.
What is acceleration?
A physical quantity described by both magnitude and direction, such as velocity or force.
What is a vector?
A change in velocity over a period of time.
What is acceleration?
In horizontal projectile motion, this component of the velocity is constant (ignoring air resistance).
What is the horizontal velocity (Vx)?
The work done by a constant force equals this quantity multiplied by the distance over which the force acts (assuming the force is in the same direction as the motion).
What is the magnitude of the force?
The motion represented by a horizontal line that is above the x-axis on an acceleration vs. time graph.
What is constant acceleration (or accelerating)?
The two common vector quantities used to describe motion that are related to distance and speed.
What are displacement and velocity?
The equation used to find the average speed of an object given the total distance and time.
What is s = d/t?
The term for the constant acceleration always directed toward the center of the circle in uniform circular motion.
What is centripetal acceleration?
This theorem states that the net work done on an object equals the change in its kinetic energy.
What is the work-energy theorem?
A graph used to find the velocity of an object by calculating the slope of the line.
What is a distance vs. time graph?
The mathematical theorem used to find the resultant when adding two vectors that are perpendicular to each other.
What is the Pythagorean theorem (a2 + b2 = c2)?
The object or point relative to which motion is measured.
What is the frame of reference?
The name of the path taken by a projectile launched horizontally or at an angle.
What is a trajectory?
Power is defined as work done divided by this quantity.
What is time?
On a position vs. time graph, the line for motion with constant negative velocity looks like this.
What is a straight line sloping downwards?
Displacement, velocity, and force are examples of this type of quantity.
What are vectors?
An object's final velocity (vf) is equal to its initial velocity (vi) plus acceleration (a) times time (t). (Write the formula).
What is vf = vi + at?
The two dimensions of motion (often called the axes) that are analyzed independently in projectile problems.
What are the horizontal (x) and vertical (y) dimensions?
In a situation where the only force doing work is gravity (like a freely falling object), the work done by gravity equals the change in this form of energy with the opposite sign.
What is gravitational potential energy?