Linear Motion 1
Aristotle
Galileo
384 B.C. - 322 B.C.
1564 - 1642
Scalars and Vectors
• The motion of objects can be described by
words such as
– distance, displacement, speed, velocity, and
acceleration.
Scalars
Vectors
Scalars & Vectors
Scalars: fully described by magnitude (or
size) alone. That is, direction is not
involved.
– o distance, speed, mass, temperature
– o 3m, 5 m/s, 60 kg, 5oC
• Vectors are quantities fully described by
both magnitude (size) and direction.
o displacement, velocity
o 3m, right; 5 blocks south; -2 m (the sign is the
direction); 2 m/s, up
Distance and Displacement
• Distance is a scalar quantity referring to how
far an object or person has traveled. It is the
reading on a pedometer or on an odometer.
• Displacement is a vector quantity referring to
the object's change in position. Displacement is
calculated by subtracting the initial position
from the final position: Xfinal - Xinitial
Displacement
Example
A physics teacher walks 4
meters East, 2 meters
South, 4 meters West, and
finally 2 meters North.
• The physics teacher has walked a total distance
of
– 2 m + 4 m + 2 m + 4 m = 12 m
• The physics teacher’s displacement is
–0m
Concept Test #1
A person initially at point P in the illustration
stays there a moment and then moves along the
axis to Q and stays there a moment. She then
runs quickly to R, stays there a moment, and
then strolls slowly back to P. Which of the
position vs. time graphs below correctly
represents this motion?
Concept Test #2
An object goes from one point in space to
another. After it arrives at its destination, its
displacement is:
1. either greater than or equal to
2. always greater than
3. always equal to
4. either smaller than or equal to
5. always smaller than
6. either smaller or larger than
…the distance it traveled.
Speed and Velocity
• Speed is a scalar quantity referring to how fast
an object is moving. Direction is irrelevant.
• Velocity is a vector quantity referring to how
fast an object changes its position.
• Imagine a person moving rapidly - one step
forward and one step back - always returning to
the original starting position. This motion
results in zero average velocity.
Speed & Velocity
Velocity & Speed
• The physics teacher
walks 4 meters East, 2
meters South, 4
meters West, and
finally 2 meters North.
The entire motion lasts
24 seconds. Determine
her average speed and
average velocity.
The physics teacher walked a distance of 12
meters in 24 seconds; thus, her average speed was
0.50 m/s. However, since her displacement is 0
meters, her average velocity is 0 m/s.
Instantaneous and Average
• Instantaneous Speed - speed at any given
instant in time
– speedometer reading
• Average Speed – total distance divided by
total time of travel
– rate you would have to travel constantly to
cover the same distance in the same time
Constant and Changing Speed
Acceleration
• Acceleration is a
vector quantity defined as the
rate at which an object
changes its velocity. An object
is accelerating if it is changing
its velocity.
Accelerating Objects
Position – Time for Constant
Velocity
Slope of Position-Time
Slope of Position-Time
Velocity
Slope Practice 1
• Calculate the velocity of the object
whose graph is shown above.
• -24m/8s = -3 m/s
Slope Practice 2
• Determine the
velocity of the
object whose
motion is
graphed at the
left.
• 20m/5s = 4 m/s
Slope Practice
100
40m 90m
90 10 m s 85m 10m
5s 0 s 15 m s
5s 0 s
80
70 60m 10m
10 m s
60
5s 0 s
posit. 1 (m)
Linear (posit. 1 (m))
Position (m)
50 posit. 2 (m)
Linear (posit. 2 (m))
posit. 3 (m)
40
Linear (posit. 3 (m))
posit. 4 (m)
30 Linear (posit. 4 (m))
20
50m 0m
10 m s
10 5s 0 s
0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Time (s)
Velocity – Time Graph -- 1
Graphics from Minds On Physics
Velocity - Time Graph – 2
Graphics from Minds On Physics
Constant Positive Velocity
Graphics from Minds On Physics
Constant Negative Velocity
Graphics from Minds On Physics
Average Speed Practice
Complete the table below.
16 m/s
0.01 h =36 s
30 cm
Passing Lane – Position-Time
Graphics from Minds On Physics
Passing Lane – Velocity-Time
Graphics from Minds On Physics