LINEAR MOTION Speed and Velocity, v

Introduction Speed is the rate of change of distance.

Speed = distance travelled
time taken
Linear motion is the motion a straight line and
the movement in a direction where forwards is positive Average speed = total distance traveled
and backwards is negative. total time taken
Kinematics is the section of physics which studies the Speed is a scalar quantity and the value always positive.
motions of objects without considering the effects that The unit of speed is metre per second (m s-1)
produce the motion. The study generally involves the
analysis of the position of an object in relation to time.
Dynamics is the section of physics which studies the Velocity is the rate of change of displacement.
causes of motion of an object. Velocity = displacement
time taken
Distance, d and Displacement, s v=s
t
Distance, d is how far a body travels during a motion Average velocity = total displacement
without considering any particular direction or the length total time taken
of the path of an object.
Distance is a scalar quantity and the value always Velocity is a vector quantity and the value can be positive
positive. and negative depend on their directions.
The unif of distance is metre (m) The unit of velocity is metre per second (m s-1)
Displacement , s is distance traveled in a particular If an object moves in a circle with constant speed, it has
direction. different velocities at different points along the circle
Displacement ,s = final position – initial position because the direction and hence the velocity of the object
Displacement is a vector quantity and the value can be is always changing as shown in the following diagram.
positive and negative depend on their directions.
The unif of dispacement is metre (m)

Diagram below shows the difference between distance

and displacement.

Acceleration, a and Decelaration (Retardation)

Acceleration is the rate of change of velocity.

Acceleration = change in velocity
time taken
Acceleration = final velocity – initial velocity
time taken
Distance = Length of the road a = v - u
Displacement = Length of the line AB t
Negative acceleration is called as deceleration
If the motion in a straight line and in one direction, the (retardation)
magnitude of distance is same as the magnitude of Acceleration is a vector quantity
displacement . The unif of acceleration or deceleration is
meter per second per second (ms-2)

1
Extra notes Using a ticker timer to analysing the motion

1 uniform = constant = same A ticker timer is connected to an alternating electricity

2 increasing velocity = acceleration supply (a.c.) and uses the mains electricity frequency of
3 decreasing velocity (slow down) = deceleration 50 Hz to make 50 ticks or vibrations every second.
4 zero velocity = the object is stationary (at rest) 1 tick is the time interval between one dot and the next
5 negative velocity = the object moves in opposite dot on the tape.
direction 50 ticks = 1 s
6 uniform velocity = zero acceleration 1 tick = 0.02s
7 negative acceleration = deceleration
(retardation)
Example 4

Example 1

A boy walks finish the following path PQ.

Based on the ticker tape above calculate

(a) time taken
(b) average volocity

Solution

Find
(a) total distance travelled
(b) displacement

Solution Example 10

A car accelerates from rest to 25 m s-1 in 4 s.

Find the acceleration of the car.

Solution

Example 2

An object accelerates uniformly along a straight line from

a velocity of 10 m s-1 until 25 m s-1 in 5 s. Calculate the
acceleration of the object.

Solution

2
 TUTORIAL
1 A car moves with a constant velocity. The acceleration
of the car is 6 The frequency of a ticker timer is 50 Hz. The time interval
between two consecutive dots is
A increased B decreased
C zero D uniformly A 0.60 s B 0.44 s
C 0.32 s D 0.30 s
2 Deceleration means the velocity of an object is E 0.02 s

A negative B positive
C increased D decreased 7

3 The following figure shows an object moves with a

constant speed 5 ms-1 in a circle.

Based on the figure above, calculate the average

velocity.

A 0.2 ms-1 B 0.3 ms-1

The object is also moves with C 0.4 ms-1 D 0.5 ms-1
E 0.6 ms-1
A an acceleration
B zero acceleration
C constant velocity 8 The following figure shows a tape chart.

4 The figure shows a path of a moving object.

Based on the figure, which of the following is true?

If AB = 5m, BC = 5m and CD = 7m, find the total
displacement of the object if it moves from A to D. At the beginning of motion At the end of motion

A 3m B 7m A the velocity the acceleration

C 13 m D 17 m unchanged increases
E 20 m B the velocity the acceleration
increases increases
C the velocity the acceleration
5 A tick on the ticker tapes is increases unchanged
D the velocity the acceleration
A the speed of the ticker timer unchanged unchanged
B the frequency of the ticker timer
C the dinstace between two consecutive dots
D the time interval between two consecutive dots

3
 (a) Describe the type of motion is shown in the tape
9 Which of the following shows an object moving with chart.
decreasing acceleration?
...........................................................................................

...........................................................................................
(b) What is the time interval between two consecutive
dots?

...........................................................................................
(c) Calculate
(i) the minimum velocity

(ii) the maximum velocity

(iii) the average velocity.

10 A cyclist riding at a velocity 8 ms-1 and is accelerating
with 4 ms-2. What is the velocity of the cyclist after 5 s.
(iv) the acceleration.
A 16 ms-1 B 20 ms-1
C 24 ms-1 D 28 ms-1
E 32 ms-1

11 A car starts from rest and accelerates uniformly and after

travels at distance 45m the velocity of the car is 20 ms-1 .
What is the time taken?

A 4.5 s B 9.0 s
C 13.5 s D 18.0 s
E 22.4 s

12 The following figure shows a tape chart. The chart is

produced by the motion of a trolly.The ticker timer used a
supply voltage 12 V a.c. at 50 Hz.