2-1 describing motion

2-1 Describing Motion

We will be learning:

1. The difference between distance and displacement.

2. The difference between speed and velocity.

Motion

Need a frame of reference to determine motion.

Distance – how far something has moved; measured in meters (m)

Displacement – how far something has moved in relation to its starting point.

Displacement

• Speed = distance (m) s=d d x s=t

time (s) t t x s=d

Average speed = total distance

total time

Used when discussing speed for trips

• Instantaneous Speed – speed you are traveling at that instant. (look at the speedometer)

Graphing Motion

• Distance on the vertical axis

• Time on the horizontal axis

• The steeper the slope the faster the movement.

Velocity

• Change in either speed or direction.

• If you are going in a circle or on a race track, you are constantly changing velocity due to the fact that you are constantly changing direction.

Homework

• 2-1 p. 46 #1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7

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