All Flashcards
What is the effect of a non-zero slope on a position vs. time graph?
Indicates the object is moving with a certain velocity.
What is the effect of a curved line on a position vs. time graph?
Indicates the object is accelerating.
What is the effect of a zero slope on a position vs. time graph?
Indicates the object is at rest.
What is the effect of a non-zero slope on a velocity vs. time graph?
Indicates the object is accelerating.
What is the effect of the area under a velocity vs. time graph?
Represents the displacement of the object.
What is the effect of a positive acceleration on a moving object?
If the velocity is positive, the object speeds up. If the velocity is negative, the object slows down.
What is the effect of a negative acceleration on a moving object?
If the velocity is positive, the object slows down. If the velocity is negative, the object speeds up.
What are the key differences between scalar and vector quantities?
Scalar: Magnitude only, added arithmetically. | Vector: Magnitude and direction, added using vector rules.
Differentiate between displacement and distance.
Displacement: Change in position (vector), direction matters. | Distance: Total path traveled (scalar), no direction.
What are the differences between speed and velocity?
Speed: How fast an object is moving (scalar). | Velocity: Speed with a direction (vector).
Compare and contrast velocity vs. time graphs and position vs. time graphs.
Position vs. Time: Slope = Velocity, Y-intercept = Initial displacement. | Velocity vs. Time: Slope = Acceleration, Area under curve = Displacement, Y-intercept = Initial velocity.
How does average and instantaneous acceleration differ?
Average Acceleration: Change in velocity over a time interval. | Instantaneous Acceleration: Acceleration at a specific moment in time.
What is a frame of reference?
A frame of reference is the perspective from which motion is observed and described.
Define 'position' in physics.
Position is an object's location relative to a fixed point.
What is a scalar quantity?
A scalar quantity has only magnitude (e.g., distance, speed, mass).
Define a vector quantity.
A vector quantity has both magnitude and direction (e.g., displacement, velocity, acceleration).
What is displacement?
Displacement is the change in position of an object; it's a vector quantity.
Define 'distance' in physics.
Distance is the total path length traveled by an object; it's a scalar quantity.
What is speed?
Speed is how fast an object is moving; it's a scalar quantity (distance/time).
Define 'velocity'.
Velocity is speed with a direction; it's a vector quantity (displacement/time).
What is acceleration?
Acceleration is the rate of change of velocity; it's a vector quantity.
What is an inertial reference frame?
A frame where Newton's first law holds true (objects at rest stay at rest, objects in motion stay in motion unless acted upon by a force).