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Cause and Effect — what makes motion ‘accelerated’
Cause
The velocity of an object changes — in magnitude, in direction, or both
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Rate of change
change in velocity ÷ time interval
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Effect: the object has acceleration (even at constant speed, if direction changes)
- Position
- The distance and direction of an object from a reference point at an instant describes its position; if this changes with time, the object is in motion.
- Displacement
- The net change in the position of an object between two given instants of time.
- Average speed
- The total distance travelled divided by the time interval during which it is covered.
- Average velocity
- The change in position (displacement) divided by the time interval in which it occurs.
- Average acceleration
- The change in velocity of an object over a time interval divided by that time interval.
- Kinematic equations (constant a)
- v = u + at; s = ut + ½at²; v² = u² + 2as — relating s, t, u, v and a.
- Uniform circular motion
- Motion in a circular path at constant (uniform) speed; the direction of velocity keeps changing, so the motion is accelerated.
