4.

7 Movement and Interactions

Overview
This topic explores the principles of motion, forces, energy transfer, and wave
behavior. It includes understanding the laws of motion, types of forces, energy transfer,
and the behavior of waves. This lesson will delve into these concepts with detailed
explanations, examples, and applications.

1. Motion

1.1 Describing Motion

● Distance and Displacement:

○ Distance: The total path traveled by an object, regardless of direction.
○ Displacement: The shortest path between the initial and final position of an
object, considering direction.
○ Example: Walking 3 meters east, then 4 meters north results in a
displacement of 5 meters northeast.
● Speed and Velocity:
○ Speed: The rate at which an object covers distance, specifically the rate of
change of an object’s distance (scalar quantity).
■ Formula:

Speed = Distance/Time​

○ Velocity: The rate at which an object changes its position, specifically the
rate of change of an object’s displacement (vector quantity).
■ Formula:

Velocity = Displacement/Time ​
 ○ Example: A car traveling 60 km/h north has a speed of 60 km/h and a
velocity of 60 km/h north.
● Acceleration:
○ Definition: The rate of change of velocity.
■ Formula:

Acceleration = Change in Velocity/Time

○ Example: A car increasing its velocity from 0 to 20 m/s in 4 seconds has

an acceleration of (20 m/s / 4s) = 5 m/s2

1.2 Graphical Representation of Motion

● Distance-Time Graphs:
○ Slope represents speed.
○ A straight line indicates constant speed.
○ A curve indicates changing speed.
○ Example: A distance-time graph showing a straight line indicates the
object is moving at a constant speed.
● Velocity-Time Graphs:
○ Slope represents acceleration.
○ Area under the graph represents displacement.
○ Example: A velocity-time graph with a slope of zero indicates constant
velocity.

1.3 Equations of Motion

● Uniform Acceleration:
○ Equations:
■ v = u + at
■ s = ut + ½at2
■ v2 = u2 + 2as
○ Example: A car starting from rest (u=0) and accelerating at 3 m/s² for 5
seconds travels:
 s = 0×5 + ½ × 3 × 52 = 37.5meters.

1.4 Circular Motion

● Centripetal Force:
○ Force directed towards the center of a circular path.
○ Example: The tension in a string when swinging a ball around in a circle
provides the centripetal force.
● Centripetal Acceleration:
○ Acceleration directed towards the center of a circular path.
○ Formula: ac = v2/r
○ Example: A car turning in a circular path experiences centripetal
acceleration.

2. Forces and Their Effects

2.1 Types of Forces

● Contact Forces:
○ Friction: The force that opposes the motion of objects.
■ Example: Rubbing hands together generates heat due to friction.
○ Tension: The force exerted by a stretched object like a rope or cable.
■ Example: The tension in a rope when pulling a sled.
○ Normal Force: The support force exerted upon an object in contact with
another stable object.
■ Example: A book resting on a table experiences a normal force
from the table.
● Non-Contact Forces:
○ Gravitational Force: The force of attraction between two masses.
■ Example: The Earth's gravitational pull on a falling apple.
○ Electrostatic Force: The force between charged objects.
■ Example: The repulsion between two positively charged balloons.
 ○ Magnetic Force: The force between magnets or magnetic materials.
■ Example: The attraction between a magnet and a refrigerator door.

2.2 Newton's Laws of Motion

● First Law (Law of Inertia):

○ An object at rest stays at rest, and an object in motion stays in motion at
constant velocity unless acted upon by an external force.
○ Example: A book remains on a table until pushed.
● Second Law (Law of Acceleration):
○ The acceleration of an object is directly proportional to the net force acting
on it and inversely proportional to its mass.
■ Formula: F = ma
○ Example: Pushing a car with a larger force results in greater acceleration.
● Third Law (Action and Reaction):
○ For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.
○ Example: The force exerted by a rocket engine pushes the rocket upward,
while the exhaust gases are pushed downward.

2.3 Resultant Forces and Equilibrium

● Resultant Force:
○ The single force that has the same effect as all the forces acting on an
object combined.
○ Example: Two people pushing a box in the same direction with forces of
10 N and 15 N have a resultant force of 25 N.
● Equilibrium:
○ When the resultant force on an object is zero, the object is in equilibrium.
○ Example: A hanging picture frame remains stationary because the upward
tension in the wire balances the downward gravitational force.

2.4 Turning Forces and Moments

● Moment of a Force:
 ○ The turning effect of a force about a pivot.
■ Formula:

Moment = Force × Distance from Pivot

○ Example: Using a longer spanner increases the moment, making it easier

to turn a bolt.
● Principle of Moments:
○ For an object in equilibrium, the sum of the clockwise moments about a
pivot equals the sum of the anticlockwise moments.
○ Example: A seesaw is balanced when the moments on either side of the
pivot are equal.

3. Energy Transfer and Conservation

3.1 Forms of Energy

● Kinetic Energy: Energy of motion.

○ Formula: K E = 1/2mv2
○ Example: A moving car has kinetic energy.
● Potential Energy: Stored energy due to position or state.
● Gravitational Potential Energy: The energy an object possesses due to its
position in the gravitational field.
○ Formula: PE = mgh
○ Example: A book on a shelf has gravitational potential energy.
● Elastic Potential Energy: Energy stored in stretched or compressed objects.
○ Example: A stretched spring has elastic potential energy.
● Thermal Energy: Energy due to the temperature of an object.
○ Example: Boiling water has more thermal energy than cold water.
● Chemical Energy: Energy stored in chemical bonds.
○ Example: Food and fuel contain chemical energy.
● Electrical Energy: Energy from electric charges.
 ○ Example: Batteries and lightning.
● Nuclear Energy: Energy stored in the nucleus of atoms.
○ Example: Energy released in nuclear reactions in the sun.

3.2 Conservation of Energy

● Principle: Energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transferred or converted

from one form to another.
○ Example: In a roller coaster, potential energy at the top converts to kinetic
energy as it descends.

3.3 Energy Efficiency

● Efficiency: The ratio of useful energy output to total energy input.

○ Formula:

Efficiency = Useful Energy Output / Total Energy Input × 100%

○ Example: An energy-efficient light bulb converts a higher percentage of

electrical energy into light energy compared to a traditional bulb.

3.4 Work Done and Power

● Work Done:
○ The energy transferred when a force moves an object.
■ Formula:

W = F × d (where W is work done, F is force, and d is distance)

○ Example: Pushing a box with a force of 10 N over 5 meters does 50 J of

work.
● Power:
○ The rate of doing work or transferring energy.
■ Formula:

P = W/t (where P is power, W is work done, and t is time)

 ○ Example: A 60 W light bulb uses 60 J of energy per second.

4. Waves

4.1 Types of Waves

● Transverse Waves:
○ Oscillations are perpendicular to the direction of wave travel.
○ Example: Light waves, water waves.
● Longitudinal Waves:
○ Oscillations are parallel to the direction of wave travel.
○ Example: Sound waves.

4.2 Properties of Waves

● Wavelength (λ): The distance between successive crests or troughs.

○ Example: The wavelength of visible light ranges from 400 to 700 nm.
● Frequency (f): The number of waves passing a point per second.
○ Unit: Hertz (Hz)
○ Example: The frequency of middle C on a piano is about 261.63 Hz.
● Amplitude: The maximum displacement from the rest position.
○ Example: The louder the sound, the greater the amplitude of the sound
wave.
● Wave Speed (v): The speed at which the wave travels.
○ Formula: v = fλ
○ Example: The speed of sound in air is approximately 343 m/s.

4.3 Wave Behavior

● Reflection: Waves bouncing off a surface.

○ Example: Echoes are reflections of sound waves.
● Refraction: Waves changing direction when they enter a different medium.
○ Example: A straw appears bent in water due to the refraction of light.
 ● Diffraction: Waves spreading out as they pass through an opening or around an
obstacle.
○ Example: Sound waves bending around a door.
● Interference: When two waves meet and combine.
○ Constructive Interference: When waves add up to make a larger
amplitude.
○ Destructive Interference: When waves cancel each other out.

4.4 Electromagnetic Spectrum

● Overview: The range of all types of electromagnetic radiation.

○ Order: Radio waves, microwaves, infrared, visible light, ultraviolet, X-rays,
gamma rays.
○ Useful mnemonic to remember the order: Richard Married Ian’s Very Ugly
eX- Girlfriend
○ Example: Visible light spectrum ranges from red (longest wavelength) to
violet (shortest wavelength).

4.5 Sound Waves

● Production: Sound waves are produced by vibrating objects.

○ Example: A guitar string vibrates to produce sound.
● Propagation: Sound waves travel through a medium (solid, liquid, gas) by
compressions and rarefactions.
○ Example: Sound travels faster in solids than in gases.
● Properties:
○ Pitch: Determined by the frequency of the sound wave.
■ Example: Higher frequency sounds have a higher pitch.
○ Loudness: Determined by the amplitude of the sound wave.
■ Example: Larger amplitude sounds are louder.