PhysicsPhysics

Motion, Speed, Velocity & Acceleration

Motion, Speed, Velocity & Acceleration

Motion 1Motion 1

What is motion? How do you know if something is “in motion?”

What is motion? How do you know if something is “in motion?”

Motion 2Motion 2

Motion is the changing distance between two objects.

You can tell if something is “in motion” based on a reference point. Reference point: A place or object

used for comparison to determine if something is in motion.

Motion is the changing distance between two objects.

You can tell if something is “in motion” based on a reference point. Reference point: A place or object

used for comparison to determine if something is in motion.

Motion 3Motion 3

Are we moving right now? Yes? No? How do you know? What is your reference point?

Are we moving right now? Yes? No? How do you know? What is your reference point?

**Technically, we are doing both moving AND not moving depending on your reference point!

**Technically, we are doing both moving AND not moving depending on your reference point!

Speed 1Speed 1

What is speed? How do you know what “speed” you

are going? Is speed fast or slow? Or both?

What is speed? How do you know what “speed” you

are going? Is speed fast or slow? Or both?

Speed 2Speed 2

Speed is the amount of distance an object travels in any given amount of time. We calculate speed like this:

Speed = Distance / Time

Average speed is just: total distance / total time

Speed is the amount of distance an object travels in any given amount of time. We calculate speed like this:

Speed = Distance / Time

Average speed is just: total distance / total time

Velocity 1Velocity 1

What is velocity?

Is velocity the same thing as speed?

How do I know what an objects velocity is?

What is velocity?

Is velocity the same thing as speed?

How do I know what an objects velocity is?

Velocity 2Velocity 2

Velocity is speed with direction. When dispatch contacts a police

officer to let them know where a suspect is, they will give them a velocity: “the perpetrator is on walnut st. traveling at 40mph north.”

What else do we use velocity to describe?

Velocity is speed with direction. When dispatch contacts a police

officer to let them know where a suspect is, they will give them a velocity: “the perpetrator is on walnut st. traveling at 40mph north.”

What else do we use velocity to describe?

Velocity 3Velocity 3

Change in velocity can be due to two things: 1. Change in speed 2. Change in direction (it can be one or both)

Change in velocity can be due to two things: 1. Change in speed 2. Change in direction (it can be one or both)

Acceleration 1Acceleration 1

What is acceleration?

What does it mean to accelerate?

What is the opposite of accelerate?

What is acceleration?

What does it mean to accelerate?

What is the opposite of accelerate?

Acceleration 2Acceleration 2 Acceleration is the rate at which

velocity changes with time. If velocity requires both speed and

direction, then acceleration also requires both speed and direction.

Therefore… acceleration refers to increasing speed, decreasing speed or changing direction!

Acceleration is the rate at which velocity changes with time.

If velocity requires both speed and direction, then acceleration also requires both speed and direction.

Therefore… acceleration refers to increasing speed, decreasing speed or changing direction!

Acceleration 3Acceleration 3

Increasing speed: When an objects speed increases, it is accelerating.

Decreasing speed: When an objects speed decreases, it is deccelerating or has negative acceleration.

Changing direction: If the direction changes so does the acceleration- even if the speed stays the same!!!

Increasing speed: When an objects speed increases, it is accelerating.

Decreasing speed: When an objects speed decreases, it is deccelerating or has negative acceleration.

Changing direction: If the direction changes so does the acceleration- even if the speed stays the same!!!

Acceleration 4Acceleration 4

Calculating acceleration: you must figure out the change in velocity per unit time.

Acceleration= Final velocity - Initial Velocity

time

The units used for Acceleration are meters per second per second or m/s2

Calculating acceleration: you must figure out the change in velocity per unit time.

Acceleration= Final velocity - Initial Velocity

time

The units used for Acceleration are meters per second per second or m/s2