REVIEWER ON GENERAL PHYSICS 1

QUARTER 1

Note: This reviewer does NOT include the following topics: Measurement, Scientific Notation,
Accuracy and Precision, Random and Systematic errors. So please study from the PPT
Presentation provided.

VECTOR and SCALAR Quantity

• Vector quantity is geometrically represented by a magnitude and direction. It is

illustrated by straight arrow in which the length of the arrow is directly proportional to
the magnitude and the arrowhead tells the direction of the vector. There are
mathematical operations used to determine the vector resultants: the graphical
method and analytical method. Example: 1km, NE
•
Examples physical quantity: displacement, velocity, acceleration, and force.
• Scalar quantities are measured with numbers and units. Example: 1km
Examples physical quantity: length, mass, energy, density, power.

ADDITION of VECTORS
• The process of combining two or more vectors to obtain a
single vector. By definition, the resultant is the single vector
that, if substituted in place of several vectors to be added
would produce the same combined effect of these vectors.
The letter R is usually used to represent the resultant.

METHOD OF VECTOR ADDITION

• Graphical Method- this method makes use of a ruler and a protractor which requires
knowledge on scaling. The ruler measures the magnitude, and the protractor
determines the direction. The resultant is measured from the tail of the first vector to the
tip of the head of the second vector.
Types of graphical Method:
a. Polygon Method - This is a way wherein the second vector is drawn such that its tail
is connected to the arrowhead of the first vector. This method is applicable to two or
more vectors. Is a method for finding sum or resultant of more than two vectors.
Example: Lauren wants to find her way home from the church. She walks 6 m Northeast
then finally turns Northwest and walks 3m. Determine Lauren’s total displacement.
• Analytical Method -This method of vector addition involved using Pythagorean
Theorem and trigonometric identities to determine the magnitude and direction of a
resultant vector.

Illustration of the Pythagorean Theorem

The Soh- Cah-Toa is a mnemonic device to aid easy recall of the basic trigonometric
functions: Sine, Cosine, and Tangent. It is important to be able to identify the
hypotenuse, opposite, and adjacent sides relative to an angle before these formulas
can be used.

Example: You are hiking in the woods and make two quick displacements to avoid a
wild animal. First, you move 3.00 km west, and then you move 4.00 km south. How far
and in what direction are you from your starting point?

𝑐 = $𝑎 ! + 𝑏 !
Solution: 𝑐 = √4! + 3!
𝑐 =5km,SW

VECTOR ADDITION USING COMPONENT METHOD

Example: A (6m, NE) + B (3 m, NW)

KINEMATICS
• is the formal language or methods of describing motion. It is the branch of classical
mechanics that describes the motion of points, objects and systems of groups of
objects, without reference to the causes of motion (i.e., forces).

(3) parameters carefully defined and used by physicists to describe motion.

a. Position or displacement/distance- It is object’s location relative to a well-defined

coordinate system (reference point) at a particular instant of time. A coordinate system
is comprised of a zero a specified positive direction, and a scale.
Symbol: d Equation: Δd = df - di Unit: meter (m)

b. Velocity or speed- It is the rate at which the position of object changes with respect
to time. It also defined as the rate of change in displacement.
Symbol: v Equation: v = Δd/Δt where, (Δt = tf - ti) Unit: meter/second2 (m/s2)

c. Acceleration- It is the rate at which velocity of an object changes with respect to

time. Symbol: a Equation: a=Δv/Δt where, (Δv = vf- vi) Unit: meter/second2(m/s2) or
a= v-u/t, where v-final velocity, u-initial velocity
Example:
A skydiver jumps out of a stationary helicopter and falls freely under gravity,
accelerating uniformly at 9.8 m/s2 How fast is the skydiver moving after 5 seconds of
free fall?
Given: a= 9.8 m/s2 , t= 5secs, u= 0 , v=?
Solution: v=at v=9.8 m/s2 (5sec) v= 49 m/s2

There is acceleration only when velocity changes.

§
- If velocity is constant/unchanging throughout, there is no acceleration.
- If the velocity is increasing, the object is said to be accelerating.
- If the velocity is decreasing, then the object is said to have negative
acceleration or deceleration or retardation.
§ A body is said to move with uniform acceleration if its rate of change of velocity
with time is constant.
Use the equation for distance traveled under constant acceleration:
v1+v2
d= x t
2

Verbal to Mathematical Description of Uniform Acceleration in One Dimensional

• Motion with uniform velocity means that the object is moving an equal distance at equal
time interval. The velocity of an object is constant/unchanging moving in a particular
direction thus, the acceleration is zero as shown in Figure 1.

• Motion with uniform acceleration refers to an acceleration of an object which remains

constant irrespective of time. In short, the velocity of an object has changed with time
at a constant/steady rate as shown in Figure 2.
 INTERPRETING GRAPHS

• Distance-Time Graph (Velocity)

• Velocity-Time Graph (Acceleration)

PROJECTILE MOTION
• a motion experienced by a particle (projectile) that is thrown near the earth's surface
and moves along a curved path due to gravity.
Conditions:
- Air resistance is negligible.
- It happens near the earth's surface where gravity(g) is almost constant.

Characteristics of a projectile
● The projectile follows a parabolic path or trajectory.
● The vertical component (vy) decelerates until it becomes zero at
the maximum height because it is affected by the gravity.
● The horizontal component (vx) does not accelerate at all; thus it
is constant during flight.
● The magnitude of the particle’s velocity at point A and E are
equal. Same goes when the particle reaches point B and D.
● In a leveled plain, the projectile travels half of the range when it
reaches the highest point (C) as shown in the figure.

HORIZONTAL VELOCITY COMPONENT

• It never changes , covers equal displacements in equal time periods. This means the
initial horizontal velocity equals the final horizontal velocity.

VERTICAL VELOCITY COMPONENT

• Changes (due to gravity), does NOT cover equal displacements in equal time periods.

ANGLE OF PROJECTION (θ)

• the angle to which the particle (projectile) was projected at the beginning of the
flight. It is always measured from the horizontal.

MAX HEIGHT, TIME OF FLIGHT AND RANGE

SAMPLE PROBLEM: A mortar bomb was launched from the military base. The initial velocity of
the bomb was 75m/s and was launched at an angle of 450 from the horizontal. Calculate for
the maximum height reached (hmax) by the bomb, its time of fight (T), and how far did it go
(R)?
Given: Solution: Solution:
vi = 75 m/s a.) Calculate for hmax. b.) Calculate for the time of flight
θ = 450 T = 2 x 75 x sin(45)
hmax = (75 x sin (45))2
g = 9.80 m/s2 9.8
2 x 9.8
T= 10.82 s
hmax = 143.49 m Solution:
c) Calculate for the Range
2
R=(75) sin (2 x 45)
9.8
R= = 573.98 m
MOTION IN A CIRCLE
• When a particle moves along a curve path, the direction of its velocity at every point
on the path changes. This means that even if the particle moves with constant speed,
the acceleration is not zero because it changes direction at every point. The particle
has a component of acceleration perpendicular to the path even if its speed is
constant.
UNIFORM CIRCULAR MOTION
• When a particle moves in a circle with constant speed, the motion is called uniform
circular motion. A satellite moving in a circular orbit, a car rounding a curve with
constant radius at constant speed, an ice skater skating in a circle with constant speed
are all examples of uniform circular motion.
• the acceleration in uniform circular motion is always directed toward the center of the
circle, it is sometimes called centripetal acceleration. The word “centripetal” is derived
from two Greek words meaning “seeking the center.”

Formula for Centripetal Acceleration:

ac = v2 where: ac- centripetal acceleration; v- is the tangential speed of the object moving in circle
r r- radius of the circular path : For Radius r = diameter/2

Example: A motorcycle is travelling around a circular track with a diameter of 200 meters at a constant speed of 25 m/s. What is the
centripetal acceleration of the motorcycle?

Given: Solution:
r= 200/2=100 m ac = v2
v = 25m/s r
ac=? ac = (25m/s)2
100m
ac = 625m2/s2
100m
ac = 6.25m/s2

APPLICATIONS OF NEWTON’S LAWS OF MOTION

NEWTON’S LAWS OF MOTION

• Newton’s First Law: Objects in motion tend to stay in motion and objects at rest tend to
stay at rest unless acted upon by an unbalanced force.
- Newton’s First Law is also called the law of Inertia
- Inertia-the tendency of an object to resist changes in its state of motion.
- It also states that all objects have inertia. The more mass an object has, the
more inertia it has(and the harder it is to change its motion.
• Newton’s Second Law: Force equals mass times acceleration (F=ma).
- Acceleration- a measurement of how quickly an object is changing speed.
- Law of Acceleration- is the rate at which the velocity is changing. A change in
velocity can mean any of the following: (a) change in speed, (b) change in
direction, or (c) change in both speed and direction.
- Force is directly proportional to mass and acceleration. Imagine a ball of a
certain mass moving at a certain acceleration. This ball has a certain force.

FORMULA FOR ACCELERATION WITH TENSION and Gravitational Force:

Formula : a=T-mg , where: T=tension, m=mass of an object,

m g=9.81m/s2( acceleration due to gravity )

Sample: A crate with mass of 5kg is being lifted vertically by a rope. The tension
in the rope is 60 N. What is the acceleration of a crate?
Given: Solution:
m= 5kg a= T-mg
T = 60 N m
g=9.81m/s2 a= 60-(5)(9.81)
a=? 5
a = 60-49.05
5
a = 2.19 m/s2
 • Newton’s Third Law: For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.
TYPES OF FORCES
- Contact Force- A push, pull, tension, compression, friction, and the normal
force are examples of contact forces since you can establish a physical contact
point between the applied force and the object.
- Noncontact Forces- are forces generated at a distance from the object. The
electromagnetic forces and the weight are examples of this type of force.

You have learned already that it is the net force or the unbalanced force that will cause the
object to accelerate or change the object’s motion.

• Balance Forces- When two or more forces acting on an object are equal in all
directions. Results in no movement.
• Unbalance Forces- When two or more unequal forces act on an object.
- Moves in the direction with more force.
- Net force is the difference between these forces.
- Its SI unit is Newton.

STATIC FRICTION AND KINETIC FRICTION

• Static Friction- is the force that resists the initiation of motion between two surfaces in
contact. It acts when the surfaces are not moving relative to each other. It prevents
motion from starting and only acts when there is an attempt to move an object. It must
be overcome for motion to begin.
Example: Pushing a heavy box on the floor. Initially, it doesn’t move because static
friction is opposing the push.
• Kinetic Friction- is the force that resists the relative motion of two surfaces once they are
already moving past each other. It acts on objects that are already in motion and tends
to slow them down.
Example: Once the box starts sliding, kinetic friction is the force that continues to resist
its motion.
Static friction is generally stronger than kinetic friction, which is why it’s harder to start
moving an object than to keep it moving.