Physics 1 Concepts - Kinematics, Projectile Motion, Circular Motion, Forces & Newton’s Laws

Sep 28, 2026

Uploaded by Grenda

Physics 1 Concepts & Vocab covers core introductory mechanics ideas organized by topic. It explains kinematics through displacement, distance, velocity, average and instantaneous velocity, and acceleration using position–time and velocity–time graphs. Projectile motion is treated via independent horizontal and vertical components with constant horizontal velocity and gravity-driven vertical acceleration. Uniform circular motion is linked to velocity changes requiring perpendicular acceleration and centripetal acceleration. The forces section defines force types, net force, and inertia, followed by Newton’s three laws and central forces including centripetal force and the note that centrifugal force is a fictitious effect.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages40

Reading Time1 h 41 min

AccessFree to download

Kinematics

Displacement, Distance, Velocity

Acceleration

Position-Time and Velocity-Time Graphs

Projectile Motion

Uniform Circular Motion

Dynamics & Energy

Forces and Key Vocabulary

Newton’s Laws of Motion

Central Forces

Physics 1 Concepts & Vocab Kinematics Kinematics: Displacement & Velocity Key Vocabulary Displacement is the change in position of an object : displacement is a vector The distance traveled (in meters m) by an object (which is a scalar quantity) does NOT necessarily equal the magnitude of the displacement Distance Displacement Velocity (in m/s) is the rate of change of position in time : velocity is a vector Average velocity is deﬁned as the change in position divided by the time of travel On a position vs time graph, the average slope between two points represents the average velocity; the slope of the tangent line at a certain point in time represents the instantaneous velocity Kinematics: Acceleration Key Concept Acceleration (in m/s2) is the rate of change of velocity : acceleration is a vector The average acceleration is where vf is the ﬁnal velocity, v0 is the initial velocity, and Δt is the time elapsed If acceleration is constant the displacement (d), time interval (t), initial velocity (v0), ﬁnal velocity (vf), and acceleration (a) are related by On a velocity vs time graph, the average slope between two points represents the average acceleration; the slope of the tangent line at a certain point in time represents the instantaneous acceleration. The area under the graph between two time points gives the net displacement Kinematics: Projectiles Problem Solving A projectile, or an object undergoing projectile motion, is an object accelerating only due to the inﬂuence of gravity ➔ Component motions along horizontal and vertical axes are independent and can be analyzed separately-horizontal velocity is constant ➔ Projectiles near Earth’s surface have a constant downward acceleration due to gravity g ≈ -9.81 m/s2 ➔ For objects launched at an angle we decompose the initial velocity into x and y components, and apply the equations of motion with constant horizontal velocity, vertical acceleration minus g, and a common time t Kinematics: Uniform Circular Motion Key Concept ➔ Velocity is a vector and to change its direction requires an acceleration ➔ Constant acceleration perpendicular to the velocity which changes only its direction results in uniform circular motion This acceleration towards the center is called centripetal acceleration and its magnitude in terms of the velocity v and radius r is given by Dynamics & Energy Dynamics & Energy : Forces Key Vocabulary A force is a push or pull exerted on an object : Force is a vector Types of force include weight, normal (contact) force, tension, or spring force An external force is a force originating from outside an object ; internal forces within an object cannot cause a change in that object’s overall motion The net force on an object is the vector sum of all forces acting on the object Inertia is the resistance of an object to change in its state of motion ➔ The inertia of an object is measured by its mass ➔ The more mass an object has, the harder it is to accelerate Dynamics & Energy: Newton’s Laws of Motion Key Concepts Newton’s First Law: an object at rest will remain at rest and an object in uniform motion will remain in that state of motion unless acted upon by a net external force Newton’s Second Law: the net force (in Newtons N = kg m/s2) on an object is equal to the mass m times the acceleration a in that direction Newton’s Third Law: for every force, there is an equal but opposite force on the object causing the original force Dynamics & Energy: Central Forces Key Concepts A mass moving in a circle has a constant centripetal acceleration of which according to Newton’s 2nd Law requires a force The component of force directed towards the center to maintain uniform circular motion is called the centripetal force (eg provided by tension in a string) Note that centrifugal force is a ﬁctitious or pseudo force perceived in the accelerated frame of reference of an object und

FAQs

How do displacement and distance differ in kinematics?

Displacement is the change in an object’s position and is a vector, while distance traveled is a scalar quantity and does not necessarily equal the magnitude of displacement.

What do slopes on position–time and velocity–time graphs represent?

On a position vs time graph, the average slope between two points represents average velocity, and the tangent slope at a point represents instantaneous velocity. On a velocity vs time graph, the average slope represents average acceleration and the tangent slope represents instantaneous acceleration.

How are projectile motions analyzed in this material?

Horizontal and vertical component motions are independent. Horizontal velocity remains constant, while the vertical motion has constant downward acceleration due to gravity, and initial velocity is decomposed into x and y components.

What is centripetal acceleration and how does it relate to circular motion forces?

To change the direction of velocity, the motion requires acceleration perpendicular to the velocity. This inward acceleration is centripetal acceleration, and Newton’s second law implies a corresponding centripetal force directed toward the center.

Sep 28, 2026

Uploaded by Grenda