Motion and Force

A. Motion
1. Motion is a change in position
2. Reference points are necessary
B. Speed
1. The rate of change in position
2. Types of speed:
a. Instantaneous
b. Constant
c. Average
3. Speed = Distance / Time
5. Displacement vs. distance
a. Distance – how far
something moves
b. Displacement – the
distance and direction
of an object’s change in
position from its starting point
C. Velocity
1. Speed in a defined direction
2. Velocity can change
even if speed is
constant as long
as direction
changes
D. Acceleration
1. The rate of change of velocity
2. a = (vf – vi) / t or a =  v / t
3. Units are m/s/s
4. +a = speeding up; -a = slowing down
Example: constant speed & acceleration
Graphing Acceleration