Motion in One Dimension

This document explores the fundamental concepts of motion in one dimension, covering
essential topics such as scalar and vector quantities, the distinction between rest and motion,
representation of one-dimensional motion, displacement and distance, speed and velocity,
acceleration, and the graphical representation of distance-time and speed-time relationships.
Additionally, we will derive the equations of uniform accelerated motion, providing a
comprehensive understanding of these concepts.
Understanding One-Dimensional Motion

Scalar and
Vector Rest and Motion
Quantities
Displacement Speed and
and Distance Velocity

Acceleration

Scalar and Vector Quantities

In physics, quantities can be classified into two categories: scalar and vector quantities.

• Scalar Quantities: These are quantities that have only magnitude and no direction.
Examples include mass, temperature, time, and distance.

Understanding Scalar Quantities

Distance Mass

Time Temperature
 Only magnitude No direction

Scalar Quantities None

Understanding Scalar Quantities in Physics

• Vector Quantities: These are quantities that have both magnitude and direction.
Examples include displacement, velocity, acceleration, and force.

Vector Quantities

Displacement Acceleration
Velocity Force

Understanding the difference between these two types of quantities is crucial for analyzing
motion accurately.

Rest and Motion

• Rest: An object is said to be at rest if it does not change its position with respect to a
reference point over time.
 Understanding Rest

What does it mean for an

object to be at rest?

An object is at rest if it does

not change its position
relative to a reference point
over time.

• Motion: An object is in motion if it changes its position with respect to a reference

point over time. Motion can be described in terms of displacement, distance, speed,
velocity, and acceleration.

Motion Characteristics

Displacement Speed
Acceleration
The change in The rate at which an
position of an object covers The rate of change
object. distance. of velocity over time.

Distance Velocity
The total path length The speed of an
traveled by an object. object in a specific
direction.
Representation of One Dimension

One-dimensional motion can be represented on a straight line, where the position of an

object is indicated by a single coordinate. The direction of motion can be represented as
positive or negative along this line.

Choose the appropriate direction representation for motion

Positive Direction Negative Direction

Indicates motion away from Indicates motion towards
the origin the origin

Displacement and Distance

• Distance: This is a scalar quantity that refers to the total path length traveled by an
object, regardless of direction.

Considers
Total path
directional
length
change

Distance Direction

Distance measures total travel, ignoring

direction.
 • Displacement: This is a vector quantity that refers to the change in position of an
object. It is defined as the shortest distance from the initial position to the final
position, along with the direction of that straight line.

Displacement in Motion

Directionality

Shortest Path

Vector Quantity

Displacement

Speed and Velocity

• Speed: This is a scalar quantity that measures how fast an object is moving. It is
defined as the distance traveled per unit time.

Understanding Speed

What is speed?

Speed is a scalar quantity

that measures how fast an
object is moving, defined as
the distance traveled per unit
time.
 • Velocity: This is a vector quantity that measures the rate of change of displacement. It
is defined as the displacement per unit time and includes both magnitude and
direction.

Understanding Velocity

Magnitude Direction

Acceleration

Acceleration is a vector quantity that measures the rate of change of velocity per unit time. It
can be positive (speeding up), negative (slowing down), or zero (constant velocity). The
formula for acceleration (a) is given by:

Speeding Up Slowing Down

Positive Acceleration Negative Acceleration

Compare effects of acceleration on motion.

[ a = \frac{\Delta v}{\Delta t} ]

Acceleration Calculation Flowchart

Identify
Change in
Velocity

Identify
Change in
Time

Calculate
Acceleration

where ( \Delta v ) is the change in velocity and ( \Delta t ) is the change in time.

Greater impact Lesser impact

on acceleration on acceleration

Change in Velocity Change in Time

Balancing Velocity and Time Changes in Acceleration

Graphs of Distance-Time and Speed-Time

 • Distance-Time Graph: This graph represents the distance traveled by an object over
time. The slope of the graph indicates the speed of the object. A steeper slope
indicates higher speed.

Distance

Time

Distance Traveled Over Time

• Speed-Time Graph: This graph represents the speed of an object over time. The area
under the speed-time graph gives the distance traveled during that time interval. A
constant speed is represented by a horizontal line, while acceleration is represented
by an upward slope.

Speed

Time

Speed Increases Over Time

Equations of Uniformly Accelerated Motion

 Uniformly accelerated motion refers to motion in which the acceleration is constant. The
following equations describe this motion:

Uniformly Accelerated Motion Equations

Initial
Velocity
Constant
Displacement
Acceleration
Time Final
Velocity

1. ( v = u + at )
2. ( s = ut + \frac{1}{2}at^2 )
3. ( v^2 = u^2 + 2as )

Kinematic Equations

Equation for Equation for

Equation for
Velocity Velocity
Displacement
This equation Squared
calculates final This equation
determines This equation relates
velocity based on
displacement using the squares of
initial velocity,
initial velocity, time, velocities to
acceleration, and
and acceleration. displacement and
time.
acceleration.

Where:
• ( u ) = initial velocity
• ( v ) = final velocity
• ( a ) = acceleration
• ( t ) = time
• ( s ) = displacement
 Physics Variables

Initial Velocity Acceleration

Final Velocity Time
Represents the Measures the rate of
Indicates the speed The duration over
starting speed of an change of velocity
of an object at the which motion
object. over time.
end of a time occurs.
interval.

Displacement
The change in
position of an
object.

Derivation of the Equations

1. First Equation:
• Starting from the definition of acceleration: [ a = \frac{v - u}{t} ] Rearranging
gives: [ v = u + at ]
 Derivation of the First Equation of Motion

Define Rearrange
Acceleration Equation
Establishing the Manipulating the
formula for equation to isolate
acceleration velocity

2. Second Equation:
• Using the average velocity (( \bar{v} )): [ \bar{v} = \frac{u + v}{2} ] The
displacement can be expressed as: [ s = \bar{v} \cdot t = \frac{(u + v)}{2} \cdot t
] Substituting ( v ) from the first equation gives: [ s = ut + \frac{1}{2}at^2 ]

Derivation of the Second Equation of Motion

Identify
Average
Express
Velocity
Displacement Substitute Final
Derive
Velocity
Displacement
Calculate
Equation
average Use average
velocity using velocity to Substitute the
initial and express final velocity Derive the
final velocities displacement from the first displacement
in terms of equation into equation
time the using the
displacement substitution
formula
 3. Third Equation:
• Starting from the first equation: [ v = u + at ] Squaring both sides: [ v^2 = (u +
at)^2 ] Expanding and rearranging gives: [ v^2 = u^2 + 2as ]

Understanding the Third Equation of Motion

What is the first equation?

The first equation is \( v = u +

at \).

What happens when we

square both sides?

Squaring both sides gives \(

v^2 = (u + at)^2 \).

What do we get after

expanding and rearranging?

After expanding and

rearranging, we get \( v^2 =
u^2 + 2as \).

These equations are fundamental in solving problems related to uniformly accelerated

motion in one dimension.

Conclusion

Understanding motion in one dimension is essential for analyzing various physical

phenomena. By grasping the concepts of scalar and vector quantities, displacement,
distance, speed, velocity, acceleration, and the equations of motion, one can effectively
describe and predict the behavior of moving objects.