Honors Physics Unit 1:
Kinematics
Memorize
i. Inertial mass is an object’s resistance to a change in motion; it determines how the object’s motion will
change when it interacts with other objects.
ii. Gravitational mass is the property of an object that determines the magnitude of its gravitational
interaction with other objects.
iii. For any object, its inertial mass and gravitational mass have been experimentally verified to be identical
in quantity.
iv. Materials have many measurable properties such as density, elasticity, friction, electrical resistivity,
heat capacity, thermal conductivity, thermal expansion; these properties result from the interactions of
the atoms and molecules that make up the material.
v. A vector is a quantity that has both magnitude and a direction; a quantity that can be described as a
magnitude only is called a scalar.
vi. Acceleration is defined as “the rate of change of velocity,” and is indicated by a change in motion.
vii. The magnitude of acceleration has nothing to do with how fast an object is moving; the direction of
acceleration is not necessarily the direction an object is moving.
viii. Free fall is a state where the only force acting on an object is the force of gravity (air resistance is
negligible); the acceleration in free fall is represented as g.
2
ix. Near the surface of the earth, the value of g is 9.805 m/s , and is directed toward the center of the earth.
1. Motion in one dimension Students should understand the meanings of, and the general relationships among position, velocity, and
acceleration for the motion of a particle along a straight line, so that they can
1) Demonstrate a qualitative understanding of constant velocity vs accelerated motion
2) Solve one-dimensional motion problems involving objects undergoing uniform acceleration.
3) Given a graph of position as a function of time, determine the instantaneous velocity at any moment
and whether the object’s instantaneous acceleration is positive, negative, or zero.
4) Given a graph of an object’s velocity as a function of time, determine the instantaneous acceleration
at any given moment and determine the net displacement for a given time interval.
2. Motion in two dimensions Students should be able to add, subtract, and resolve displacement and velocity vectors, so they can:
5) Mathematically and graphically determine components of a vector along two specified, mutually
perpendicular axes.
6) Mathematically and graphically determine the net sum of perpendicular vectors, including exact
direction.
7) Solve problems of displacement, time and velocity for objects undergoing constant velocity in 2
dimensions.
8) Apply 2-dimensional vector subtraction to determine the change in velocity of a particle or the
velocity of one particle relative to another
Students should understand the motion of projectiles in a uniform gravitational field, so they can:
9) Determine the horizontal and vertical components of a projectile’s initial velocity; sketch and/or
recognize the graphic representation of theses components as a function of time.
10) Solve projectile motion problems for objects launched at various angles and from varying initial
heights.
11) Qualitatively describe the effect of air resistance on projectiles.
Physics Classroom tutorials
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Displacement, Velocity, Acceleration: http://www.physicsclassroom.com/Class/1DKin/U1L1a.cfm
Free Fall: http://www.physicsclassroom.com/Class/1DKin/U1L5a.cfm
Kinematics equations: http://www.physicsclassroom.com/Class/1DKin/U1L6a.cfm
Vectors in 2 Dimensions: http://www.physicsclassroom.com/Class/vectors/u3l1a.cfm
Projectile Motion: http://www.physicsclassroom.com/Class/vectors/u3l2a.cfm
Physics Classroom Problem Sets
Kinematics: Overview (review of equations and concepts): http://www.physicsclassroom.com/calcpad/1dkin/
Problem set: http://www.physicsclassroom.com/calcpad/1dkin/problems.cfm
Calculating velocity and acceleration: 1—9;
PT Graphs: 10—12;
VT graphs: 13—17;
kinematics equations: 18—35
Vectors and Projectiles : Overview: http://www.physicsclassroom.com/calcpad/vecproj/
Problem Set: http://www.physicsclassroom.com/calcpad/vecproj/problems.cfm
Vector addition: 1—16;
2D motion: 17—20;
Projectile Motion: 21—34
Kahn Academy Links
1. 1D motion-A: Vectors, Displacement, Velocity, & time (4 videos)
https://www.khanacademy.org/science/physics/one-dimensional-motion/displacement-velocity-time/v/introduction-to-vectors-and-scalars
2. 1D motion-B: Acceleration (4)
https://www.khanacademy.org/science/physics/one-dimensional-motion/acceleration_tutorial/v/acceleration
3. 1D motion-C: Kinematics Equations (8)
https://www.khanacademy.org/science/physics/one-dimensional-motion/kinematic_formulas/v/average-velocity-for-constant-acceleration
4. Vectors and 2D Projectiles (first 7)
https://www.khanacademy.org/science/physics/two-dimensional-motion/two-dimensional-projectile-mot/v/visualizing-vectors-in-2-dimensions
Internet Archive Links
1. Motion in 1D: (some calculus is mentioned, just wade through it) http://ia700204.us.archive.org/14/items/AP_Physics_B_Lesson_01/Container.html
2. Center of Mass: http://archive.org/details/AP_Physics_B_Lesson_11
3. Motion in 2-D: http://ia600202.us.archive.org/14/items/AP_Physics_B_Lesson_02/Container.html
Simulations Links
The Sig Fig Game (quiz actually): http://www.lon-capa.org/~mmp/applist/sigfig/sig.htm
The Estimation Game: http://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/estimation
Hwang’s Relative motion: http://www.phy.ntnu.edu.tw/ntnujava/index.php?topic=140
Cow and PT & VT graphs: http://jersey.uoregon.edu/vlab/block/Block.html
“Moving Man” PT VT AT graphs: http://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/moving-man
Ladybug 2D vectors: http://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/ladybug-motion-2d
Tail to tip vector addition: http://www.walter-fendt.de/ph14e/resultant.htm
Vector addition: http://www.schulphysik.de/suren/Applets/Math/VectorAddition/VectorAdditionApplet.html
Projectile Motion: http://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/projectile-motion
Projectile Motion showing vectors: http://www.walter-fendt.de/ph14e/projectile.htm
Hwang’s index of kinematics applets: http://www.phy.ntnu.edu.tw/ntnujava/index.php?PHPSESSID=4f8f4b3095943cd6f7a7f61b12cf0b49&board=1.0
PhET Index of Motion Applets: http://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulations/category/physics/motion
Labs
Acceleration down a ramp: design an experimental investigation describing the motion of an object; express the
results of the analysis using narrative, mathematical, and graphical representations.
PT and VT graphs, with CBL Motion Detectors.
Projectile Motion.