I.

Introduction to Physics

 Vector
o Magnitude/Size with Direction
Vector Components
o Example:
 Force
 Acceleration
 Velocity
 Displacement
 Momentum
 Scalar
o Magnitude/Size only
o Examples:
 Time
 Volume
 Speed
 Temperature
 Kinematics
o Study of the motion of objects without considering the different forces applied to
it
Distance vs Displacement

Speed Vs Velocity

Example:
1. You have a constant velocity of 3m/s to the east. How long will it take for you to travel
720m?
Given: Solution:
  Acceleration
o Change in Velocity/time
⃑⃑
𝛥𝑣
o 𝑎⃑ = 𝑡

Example:
1. You accelerated your car from rest to 50km/hr in 5 seconds. Assuming that the
acceleration is uniform. What was your acceleration within that 5 seconds?
Given: Solution:

 One Dimensional Motion

o Average Velocity
𝛥𝑥⃑ 𝑥2 −𝑥1
 𝑣𝑎𝑣𝑒−𝑥 = =
𝛥𝑡 𝑡2 −𝑡1
o Instantaneous Velocity
𝛥𝑥⃑
 𝑣𝑥 = lim
𝛥𝑡→0 𝛥𝑡

Example:
1. A car is 19m from a sign post (point A). After 3 seconds it is now 277m(point B) from
the post. What is the car’s average velocity from point A to B?
Given: Solution:

2. Suppose the velocity of a car at any given time is given by

60𝑚 0.50𝑚
𝑣𝑥 = + ( 3 ) 𝑡2
𝑠 𝑠
a. Find the average acceleration of the car in the time interval 𝑡1 = 1.0𝑠 𝑡𝑜 𝑡2 =
3.0𝑠
b. Find the instantaneous acceleration at time 𝑡1 = 1.0𝑠 use Δt = 0.1s then Δt=0.001
Given: Solution:
  Uniformly Accelerated Motions
o X-axis, Acceleration is constant
 𝑣𝑥 = 𝑣𝑥0 + 𝑎𝑥 𝑡
1
 𝑥 = 𝑥0 + 𝑣𝑥0 𝑡 + 2 𝑎𝑥 𝑡 2
 (𝑣𝑥 )2 = (𝑣𝑥0 )2 + 2𝑎𝑥 (𝑥 − 𝑥0 )
1
 (𝑥 − 𝑥0 ) = 2 (𝑣𝑥 − 𝑣0 )t
o Y-axis, Gravitational Acceleration
 𝑣𝑦 = 𝑣𝑦0 − 𝑔𝑡
1
 𝑦 = 𝑦0 + 𝑣𝑦0 𝑡 − 𝑔𝑡 2
2
2 2
 (𝑣𝑦 ) = (𝑣𝑦0 ) − 2𝑔 (𝑦 − 𝑦0 )
1
 (𝑦 − 𝑦) = 2 (𝑣𝑦 − 𝑣0 )t
o Remember
 Acceleration due to gravity
9.8𝑚 32𝑓𝑡
 𝑔= =
𝑠2 𝑠2
 Near the moon
1.6𝑚
 𝑔= 𝑠2
 Near the sun
270𝑚
 𝑔 = 𝑠2

Example:
4.0𝑚
1. Starting from your house you move to the east with a constant acceleration of . At
𝑠2
time t=0 you are 5m east of your house, moving east at 15m/s
a. Find your position and velocity at t=2.0s
b. How far from your house are you when your velocity hits 25m/s
Given: Solution:

2. A coin is dropped from a building and it falls freely from rest. What are its position and
velocity after 1.0s.
Given: Solution:
  Projectile Motion

Example:
1. A fast moving car drives off the edge of a cliff. Just before falling off the edge its
velocity is horizontally oriented with a magnitude of 9.0m/s.
a. Find the car’s displacement with respect to the edge of the cliff after 0.5s after it
falls.
b. What is its velocity 0.5s after it falls off the edge.
Given: Solution:

 Additional Formulas
o Maximum Height Formula
(𝑣0 )2 sin2 𝜃
 𝐻= 2𝑔
o Range
(𝑣0 )2 sin⁡(2𝜃)
 𝑅= 𝑔
Example:
2. A baseball is hit with an initial velocity of 37.0m/s at an angle of 53.1deg.
a. Find the velocity of the ball at t=2s
b. Find the time when the ball reaches its maximum height and the time it takes to
get there.
c. Find the horizontal range of the of the ball
Given: Solution:

 Circular Motion
o When a particle moves in a
circle with Constant Speed
𝑣2
o 𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑑 = Centripetal
𝑅
Acceleration
o Always inward
o For uniform circular motion
(distance over time)
2𝜋𝑅
 𝑣= 𝑇
o The equation can also be
expressed as
4𝜋 2 𝑅
 𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑑 = 𝑇2

Example:
1. You’re driving your car along a tight curve. The maximum lateral acceleration your car
can sustain without it skidding out of the path is 9.4𝑚/𝑠 2 . If you are traveling at constant
40m/s, what is the radius of the tightest unbanked curve you can drive on?
Given: Solution:

2. An amusement park ride is moves at a constant speed in a horizontal circular path of

radius 5.0m. It makes a complete circle every 4s. What is its lateral acceleration?
Given: Solution: