Integrated Science
Motion Study Guide
Test will be on Wednesday, May 1!
New Mexico State Standards
Motion
 Apply Newton’s laws to describe and analyze the behavior of moving objects, including:
o Displacement, velocity and acceleration of a moving object
o Newton’s second law F=ma (e.g., momentum and its conservation, the motion of an object
falling under gravity, the independence of a falling object’s motion on mass); and
o Circular motion and centripetal force.
 Know that when one object exerts a force on a second object, the second object exerts a force of equal
magnitude and in the opposite direction on the first object (i.e., Newton’s third law).
 Describe relative motion using frames of reference.
 Describe wave propagation using amplitude, wavelength, frequency, and speed.
 Explain how the interactions of waves can result in interference, reflection, and refraction.
 Describe how waves are used for practical purposes (e.g., seismic data, acoustic effects, Doppler effect.)
Key Concepts
 Distance is the length of the path between two points. Displacement is the direction from the starting
point and the length of a straight line from the starting point to the ending point.
 To describe motion accurately and completely, a frame of reference is needed. Be able to calculate
velocity given a frame of reference using vector diagrams and the Pythagorean Theorem.
 Velocity is a description of both speed and direction of motion. Velocity is a vector.
 Acceleration can be described as changes in speed, changes in direction, or changes in both.
Acceleration is a vector.
  is the symbol “delta” and stands for “change” or “difference”.
 When the forces on an object are balanced, there is no change in the object’s motion. When an
unbalance force acts on an object, the object accelerates.
 According to Newton’s first law of motion (also known as the Law of Inertia), an object at rest will stay
at rest and an object in motion will stay in motion unless acted upon by a force.
 According to Newton’s second law of motion, F=m•a. Know how to rewrite this to solve for mass or
acceleration.
 Be able to graph the relationship between force, mass, and acceleration.
 According to Newton’s third law of motion, forces exist as equal and opposite force pairs.
 Momentum = mass x velocity. This is written as p=m•v
 Momentum is conserved in a closed system.
 Be able to graph the relationship between momentum, mass, and velocity.
 Understand that centripetal force is a force that continuously changes the direction of an object to make
it move in a circle. Know that the centripetal force always points toward the center of the circle.
 A wave is created when a source of energy causes a vibration to move through a medium.
 The three main types of waves are transverse, longitudinal, and surface waves.
 The velocity of a wave is equal to its frequency times its wavelength (V=f•λ). Be able to rewrite this to
solve for frequency or wavelength.
 Know the difference between a wave’s period (the time it takes for one wave to pass a point) and its
frequency (the number of waves that pass a point in one second).
 As the energy of a wave increases, its amplitude increases.
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Be able to label the parts of a transverse wave (amplitude, crest, trough, wavelength).
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Know that reflection does not change the speed or frequency of a wave.
The “normal” is an imaginary line perpendicular to the line between two mediums.
The angle of incidence is the angle from the normal to the incident (incoming) ray.
The angle of reflection is the angle from the normal to the reflected ray.
The Law of Reflection states that the angle of incidence always equals the
angle of reflection.
Know how to draw a ray diagram.
Refraction occurs because one side of a wave moves more slowly than the
other side.
The index of refraction measures the difference between how fast the speed
of light travels in a substance in relation to how fast it travels in a vacuum.
The formula is written as n=speed of light in a vacuum/speed of light in the
material where n is defined as the index of refraction.
Interference can be constructive or destructive. Constructive interference
increases the amplitude. Destructive interference decreases the amplitude.
As a source of sound approaches, an observer hears a higher frequency. When
the sound source moves away, the observer hears a lower frequency. This is
called the Doppler Effect.
Waves and how they interact are used for such devices as ultrasound
machines, fiber optics, and radar guns.
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Memorize these facts:
The higher the index of refraction, the slower light travels in a medium.
When light is traveling between two mediums, it bends toward the normal when it moves to a slower medium.
It bends away from the normal when it moves to a faster medium.
Study Tips
 Make flashcards of the key concepts and study them!
 Study the activities you did in class and make sure you understand them.
 Re-read the “Newton’s Law of Motion” reading.
 Understand the definitions of words. Study the vocabulary list! Go to the quizlet at
http://quizlet.com/20795308/motion-flash-cards/.
 Read textbook pages 6-189 for more information.
 Visit my wordpress website at http://mmckinleyblog.wordpress.com/
 Look at this other great website:
o http://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulations/category/physics