Motion

Objective
3.1 explain displacement, speed, velocity, and acceleration
3.4 derive equations representing uniformly accelerated motion in a single
dimension
3.8 state Newton’s Laws of motion

Define displacement, speed, velocity and acceleration;

Distance, s

Distance is a scalar quantity which refers to how far an object travels or how much
ground an object has covered during its motion.
Unit: m

Displacement, s
Displacement is a vector quantity which refers to how far an object travels in a
particular direction
This is usually the shortest distance between two points
Unit: m

If the object travels in a straight line the distance and displacement will be the
equal.

Speed and Velocity

Speed , v

The rate of change of distance.

The change of distance with time.
This is how fast an object travels.

Equation
Speed=distance travelled/time taken
Average Speed=total distance travelled /time taken

Δs
v=
Δt

Unit: m/s = ms-1 (metre per second)

.
If an object travels at a constant speed it covers the same distance each second.

Instantaneous speed is the actual speed at any given instant of time.

Uniform speed / constant speed occurs if the object covers equal distances in equal
time intervals, no matter how small the time intervals are.

for example
an object moving with constant speed

for every 1 s the distance moved is 6 m

an object moving with changing speed

object is moving at different distance each second

Velocity, v

The rate of change of displacement.

The change in displacement with time.
Speed in a particular direction.

Equation
Average Velocity = Displacement/ time taken
v = Δs/Δt
Unit: ms -1

If the object travels in a straight line the speed and velocity will be the equal.
NB
The above equations represent the average speed and velocity if the object is
not accelerating.

Acceleration, a
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxFYfumAAlY&t=147s

The rate of change of velocity.

The change in velocity with time.

Equation
Acceleration = change in velocity/ time taken
a = Δv/Δt
Unit: ms /s = ms-2 (metre per second squared)
-1

If the speed is constant and the direction changes, then the velocity also changes.
Hence the object is accelerating. For example - moving in a circle with a constant
speed, the direction is changing and so velocity is also changing.

If the velocity of an object changes by equal amounts in equal times, no matter

how small the time intervals are, we say that the object is moving with constant or
uniform acceleration.

The opposite of acceleration is deceleration or retardation, that is , slowing down.

deceleration is written with a negative sign to show the vector direction.

Vector Scalar
Displacement Distance
Velocity Speed
Acceleration
PER: IMPLIES THAT WE MUST DIVIDE
RATE: HOW A QUANTITY CHANGES WITH TIME
MEANS THAT WE MUST DIVIDE THE QUANTITY BY TIME
DELTA, Δ : MEANS THE CHANGE IN

If the object is accelerating or decelerating, we can use another set of equations

called:
NEWTON’S EQUATIONS OF MOTION
v -u = at
s = (u+v)t
2
v - u = 2as
2 2

s = ut + ½ at2
 Newton's Laws of Motion

First Law
A body will continue in a uniform motion unless acted upon by an unbalanced
external force.

Explanation
An object at rest will remain at rest or an object in motion will remain in motion
until a force comes along to change it.

Second Law
The rate of change of momentum is proportional to the force applied.
The second law can be written in the form of an equation.
F = ma
Where
F = Force
m = mass
a = acceleration

Third Law
If object A exerts a force on Object B, then Object B will exert an equal but
opposite force on Object A.

Norm
al
React
ion

(R)

Weig
ht

(W)
The Normal Reaction (R, N, FN) is the force that a surface pushes back with. It is
always at right angles to the surface.

Recall
F = ma
W = mg
Therefore g is an acceleration and is called the acceleration due to gravity, g =
10ms-2.
NEWTON'S EQUATIONS OF MOTION

If the object is accelerating or decelerating, we use another set of equations to

determine velocity and speed.

Newton’s Equations of motion.

v -u = at
s
v=
t
s = (u+v)t
2
v - u = 2as
2 2

s = ut + ½ at2

Define our symbols

u = initial speed or velocity
v = final speed or velocity
a = acceleration
t = time taken
s = distance or displacement

Scenario
An object has an initial velocity, u and accelerates to a final velocity, v, along a
straight line in time t, covering a distance, s.

Equation for acceleration

From definition
acceleration = change in velocity/time taken
 a = (final velocity - initial velocity)/time taken
a = (v-u)/t
OR
v -u = at
v = u + at …….. eqn 1

Using Average velocity

Average velocity = (u+v)/2
Also
Average velocity = Displacement / time taken
= s/t
Therefore, equating
s/t = (u + v)/2
s = (u+v)t …….eqn 2
2

Other EQUATIONS are derived from the first two.

Try to derive them.
v2 - u2 = 2as Make t the subject of the formula for eqn 1 and 2 and equate them
s = ut + ½ at2 Make v the subject of the formula for eqn 1 and 2 and equate
them