Define Kinematics.
The study of motion, describing how objects move without considering the forces causing the motion.
What is Position?
An object's location at a specific time.
Define Displacement (\$\Delta x\$).
Change in position relative to some origin. \$\Delta x = x - x_0\$
What is Distance?
Total path length covered by the object.
Define Velocity.
Rate of change of displacement over time; a vector quantity.
What is Speed?
Rate of change of distance over time; a scalar quantity.
Define Acceleration.
Rate of change of velocity over time; a vector quantity.
What is the effect of a constant positive acceleration on an object's velocity?
The object's velocity will increase linearly over time in the positive direction.
What is the effect of a constant negative acceleration on an object moving in the positive direction?
The object will slow down, eventually stopping and then accelerating in the negative direction.
What is the effect of taking the derivative of a position function?
It yields the velocity function.
What is the effect of integrating an acceleration function?
It yields the velocity function.
What is the effect of a non-zero acceleration?
The object's velocity will change over time.
What is the effect of zero acceleration?
The object will maintain a constant velocity (or remain at rest).
What is the difference between scalar and vector quantities?
Scalar quantities have only magnitude (e.g., distance, speed). Vector quantities have both magnitude and direction (e.g., displacement, velocity, acceleration).
Differentiate between average and instantaneous velocity.
Average velocity is displacement divided by the total time interval. Instantaneous velocity is the velocity at a specific moment in time.
How does distance differ from displacement?
Distance is the total path length, always positive. Displacement is the change in position, and can be positive or negative.
How does speed differ from velocity?
Speed is the rate of change of distance (scalar, always positive). Velocity is the rate of change of displacement (vector, can be positive or negative).
What is the difference between positive and negative acceleration?
Positive acceleration means the velocity is increasing in the positive direction or decreasing in the negative direction. Negative acceleration means the velocity is decreasing in the positive direction or increasing in the negative direction.
