KINEMATICS

One dimensional motion with constant speed

Distance, Displacement, Speed &Velocity
 INTRODUCTION
• What is kinematics?
• The study of motion of objects
• concerned with macroscopic bodies, i.e. bodies that
we can easily see.

we treat all physical subjects as point particles,

 SPEED
the speed of a body tells us how fast or slow the body is moving and it is described as the distance travelled
by the body per unit time.

𝒅𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒗𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒅
𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒆𝒅 =
𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆
Example 1

A car is moving from a street at 55 km/h. A child suddenly runs into the street. If it takes the driver 0.75 s
to react and apply the brakes, how far will the car have moved before it begins to slow down?

Distance = Speed x Time

= 55km/h x 0.75 s

Notice the incompatible unit for the time in the 2 terms. Let’s convert km/h to m/s.

55 km/h = 55 x 1000m / 3600s

= 15 m/s

Distance = Speed x Time

= 15 m/s x 0.75s
= 11 m (2 s.f)

The car would have moved 11 m before it begins to slow down.

 DISTANCE VS DISPLACEMENT
What is the distance moved by the man?

5m
3m

4m
 DISTANCE
• is the total length covered by a moving object irrespective of the direction of the
motion

5m
3m

4m

What does the 5 m represent?

 DISPLACEMENT
• the distance measured in a straight line (or linear distance) and in a
specified direction

5m
3m

4m
TEST!
 DISPLACEMENT
• Since we are only going to be focusing on one dimension motion,

• Whenever an object moves along a straight line, it is possible to imagine a

meterstick lying along the path of the object. The meterstick represents a
coordinate system.
• x = +2 cm ( for the square)
• x = -4 cm. ( for the circle)

• Displacement, ∆x is defined as the change in position and it can be

represented by an arrow which has magnitude and direction. It is defined
mathematically as:
∆x = xf - xi
 SCALAR VS VECTOR QUANTITIES
• A scalar quantity is a physical quantity which has a magnitude but no
direction.
• Eg. Distance,
• A vector quantity is a physical quantity which has both magnitude and
direction.
• Displacement,
Example 2
A student runs from the tree, 4 m from the origin, to the lamp-post, runs back and stops 5 m to the left of the
origin.
(a) What is the distance travelled
(b) What is his displacement?

(a) Distance travelled = 21 m + 30 m

= 51 m

(b) Displacement, Δx= xf – xi

= -5 m – (4m)
=-9m
(9 m to the left of the tree)
Position-Time Graphs
contains information about an object’s position at various times and can be helpful in determining the
displacement of an object during time intervals
Example 3
David and Simon are driving from the workplace to a resort which is 50.0 km away. David travels at 90.0 km/h and
Simon travels at 95.0 km/h.
(a) How long will Simon have to wait for David at the resort?
(b) Sketch the position-time graph of David and Simon on the axes given. Indicate clearly all the critical values.

Both persons travel the same distance of 50.0km.

David took time = distance / speed

= (50.0/90.0)h x 3600s
= 2000s

Simon took time = distance / speed

= (50.0/ 95.0)h x 3600s
= 1890s
(3 SF. Note that 3600 is a conversion constant)

Simon has to wait for 110s.

0
 Distance Vs Displacement

Scalar Vector
Quantity Quantity

magnitude No direction magnitude With direction

 Speed Vs Velocity

Scalar Vector
Quantity Quantity

magnitude No direction magnitude With direction

 VELOCITY
• It is a speed in a specified direction.
• the magnitude and direction that the object is
moving

displaceme nt
Velocity 
time taken

same speed, 70 km/h, but they

have different velocities

cars approach a cross-

road at 70 km/h
 HOME WORK
• Example 4-7 Lesson Notes
Note: Please download ZAPPAR to your phone so that you can zap the media
in the notes. It could be solutions/ video/ explanation.
- Very useful for self directed learning.

- Glencoe: Kinematics