Physics
1. Kinematics
Units
- SI Units
- Meter (m) for Length
- Kilogram (kg) for Mass
- Second (s) for Time
- Derived Units
- Speed: Meters per second (m/s)
- Velocity: Meters per second + Direction (m/s + Direction)
- Acceleration: Meters per second squared + Direction (m/s² + Direction)
- Force: Newtons (N)
- Energy: Joule (J)
Prefixes
Prefix Symbol Factor
Giga G 109 (Billion)
Mega M 106 (Million)
Kilo k 103 (Thousand)
Centi c 10-2 (One Hundredth)
Milli m 10-3 (On Thousandth)
Micro μ 10-6 (One Millionth)
Nano n 10-9 (One Billionth)
Graphs
- Use a Pencil
- Independent on x-axis and Dependent on y-axis
- If scale isn’t provided, choose one + Make it take up whole space
- Make data points crosses
- Give a title
- Label both axes with units.
- Line of Best Fit: Ignore outliers and draw an average line. Ignore outliers + have same number
of points over and under the line
- Gradient + Area under graph can give insights
Physics
Vectors
- Scalar quantities only need a magnitude - i.e distance and speed.
- Vector quantities require a magnitude and direction, and there is an arrow above to denote that
it is a vector.
Scalar Vector
Length Displacement
Area Velocity
Mass Acceleration
Distance Force
Speed Thrust
- Vectors are represented as arrows
- The length represents the magnitude
- The arrow gives the direction. The arrow has a head and a tail
- Note: A negative direction means the vector is in the opposite direction to the
direction given, e.g.: -20m North = 20m South.
Vector Addition & Subtraction:
- The tail of the second vector joins to the head of the first
- Show working Out.
- The resultant vector spans from the tail of the first vector to the head of the second vector
Distance & Displacement
- Distance is the overall length that an object travels.
- Displacement is the distance from the origin to the final destination.
Speed & Velocity
- Speed is the rate of change of distance.
- Velocity is the rate of change of displacement.
Average vs Instantaneous Speed/Velocity
- Average Speed is the overall rate of change of distance.
- Instantaneous Speed the speed of an object it is travelling at one moment in time.
- Average Velocity is the overall rate of change of distance and direction.
- Instantaneous Velocity is the velocity of an object in a moment in time.
- Converting m/s --> km/hr
- Multiply by 3.6
- Converting km/hr --> m/s
- Divide by 3.6
Physics
Equations of Motion
- v = u + at
- s = ut + ½at²
- v² = u² + 2as
- Where:
- v = Final Velocity (m/s)
- u = Initial Velocity (m/s)
- a = Acceleration (m/s²)
- s = Displacement (m)
Graphs of Motion
- Displacement vs Time
- Any point gives instantaneous displacement.
- Gradient describes instantaneous velocity.
- Gradient gives velocity
Physics
- Velocity vs Time
- Any point gives instantaneous velocity.
- Gradient gives acceleration.
- Area gives displacement.
- NEVER ASSUME WE START AT THE ORIGIN!
Physics
- Acceleration vs Time
- Any point gives instantaneous acceleration.
- Area gives change in velocity.
- Displacement vs Time Graph: EXAMPLES
Physics
Component Vectors & Resolving Vectors
- A vector is made up of two perpendicular components.
Relative Velocity
- Relative Velocity is the velocity of an object from one frame of reference.
- A car travelling at 60kmhr-1, is travelling at 60kmhr-1 relative to the ground.
1D Relative Velocity
- Vag: Velocity of object A relative to the ground
- Vbg: Velocity of object B relative to the ground
- Vab : velocity of object A relative to object B.
- Formula: Vab = Vag - Vbg
Vector In 2D
- Vectors are represented using bearings
- Vector Addition/Subtraction:
- Sketch the vectors by joining the tail of the second vector with the head of the first.
- Determine the magnitude of the resultant vector using Pythagoras or Trig
- Find the internal angle and the answer the resultant vector as Vr = Xm, θ
Analysing Changing Motion
- Change in direction or magnitude of velocity leads to change in velocity leading to
acceleration
- Step 1: Draw the vectors separately
- Step 2: Draw the vectors together
- Step 3: Find the resultant velocity
- Step 4: Solve for Acceleration
Circular motion
- Speed is constant
- Linear velocity
- Period of rotation is constant
- Angular velocity is constant
- Acceleration is directed towards the center of the circle