This chapter discusses one-dimensional motion, including kinematics which describes motion without causes. It defines average velocity as displacement over time and can be positive or negative. Displacement is a change in position and is not always equal to distance traveled. Velocity describes both direction and magnitude of motion, while speed only has magnitude and is distance over time.
2. Branches of Physics
• Dynamics – branch of study
concerned with the study of motion
• Kinematics – part of dynamics that
describes motion without regard to
its causes
3. Velocity
• Average velocity is defined as
displacement divided by the time
interval during which the
displacement occurs
• SI unit is meters per second (m/s)
• Can be positive or negative
4. Displacement and Velocity
• Defined as a change in position
• Not always equal to distance traveled
• Can be positive or negative
• Calculated by final position – initial
position
–Delta X
5. Velocity and Speed
• Velocity describes motion with both a
direction and a numerical value
(magnitude)
• For any position vs. time graph, we can
determine the average velocity by
drawing a straight line between any two
points on the graph
• Speed has no direction, only magnitude
• Speed = distance traveled divided by the
time interval for the motion