Physics: Kinematics and Newtonian Mechanics Quiz

Kinematics and Newtonian Mechanics

Speed, Velocity, and Acceleration

• Speed is the distance covered by a body in a particular time, measured in m/s, and is a scalar quantity.
• Velocity is a measure of an object's speed in a specific direction.
• Average speed is calculated by distance travelled/time taken.
• Uniform acceleration is when an object's velocity changes at a constant rate, calculated by change in velocity/time taken.
• Non-uniform acceleration is when an object's velocity changes at a varying rate.
• Deceleration is a negative acceleration.

Graphical Analysis of Motion

• Speed-time and distance-time graphs can be plotted and interpreted to describe an object's motion.
• The shape of a speed-time graph can indicate:
  • At rest: horizontal line
  • Moving with uniform speed: horizontal line
  • Moving with uniform acceleration: curved line
  • Moving with non-uniform acceleration: irregular line
• The area under a speed-time graph can be calculated to determine the distance travelled for motion with uniform speed or uniform acceleration.

Free-Fall

• The acceleration of free-fall for a body near the Earth is constant and approximately 9.8 m/s².
• The motion of bodies with constant weight falling with and without air resistance can be described qualitatively.
• Terminal velocity is the maximum velocity reached by a falling object when air resistance equals the weight of the object.