Velocity
means speed
an direction,
eg. 30mph
north.
On a distance-time
graph, gradient =speed.
On a distance
time graph,
straight diagonal
lines mean a
steady speed.
On a d-t
graph, flat
sections
are
stationary.
On a d-t graph,
curves represent
acceleration or
deceleration.
Acceleration means
how quickly velocity
is changing.
Acceleration =
change in
velocity/time taken
On a velocity-time
graph, gradient +
acceleration. The flat
sections represent a
steady speed. Uphill is
accelerating, downhill is
decelerating.
On a v-t graph,
the area under
any section is
equal to the
distance travelled.
On a v-t graph, a
curve means
changing velocity.
Weight, Gravity and Resultant Force
Gravity causes all
objects to accelerate
towards the ground.
Earth's gravitational force
is 10m/s .
Weight is caused
by the pull of
gravitational force,
mass is amount of
'stuff' in an object.
Weight = mass X gravitational
field strength
Resultant force is the
overall effect of all the
forces acting on an
object.
If the forces are
all equal on the
same line, they
can balance
Result force
means a change
in velocity,
because it
changes the
state of rest or
motion
Forces, Acceleration, and Friction
If a stationary
object has 0
resultant force, it
won't move
If an object is moving at a
constant speed, the forces
on it must be balanced,
therefore having 0 resultant
force
A non 0 resultant force
produces
acceleration/deceleration.
This can be starting,
stopping, speeding up,
slowing down, or changing
direction
Resultant force
= mass X
acceleration
When two objects interact,
the forces they exert are
equal and opposite.
However they might move
because of a difference in
mass.
If an object has no
force it will stop
because of friction,
which always acts
in the opposite
direction.
Resistance is
called drag in
fluids. To avoid
this objects are
streamlined
Friction
increases with
speed.
When an object falls gravity is
greater than drag, so it accelerates.
Its speed increase causes a build
up in friction, which reduces the
acceleration.
When the frictional
force is equal to the
accelerating force it
can't accelerate
anymore. This is
terminal velocity
Stopping Distances, Car
Design, and Work Done
The faster a
vehicle is going,
the bigger
braking force
required. The
stopping
distance will also
be larger.
Thinking distance
depends on speed and
tiredness/drugs/alcohol,
or any other distractions
Braking distance is affected
by speed, how good your
brakes are, how good the
tyres are, and how good the
grip is (depends on road
surface, weather)
Work done means
energy transferred
Work done =
Force X Distance
Applying the brakes
means work is done,
it reduces kinetic
energy by
transferring it into
heat
Regenerative brakes put the
vehicle's motor into reverse, so
the wheels are slowed. The motor
also acts as an electric generator,
changing kinetic energy into
electrical energy which is stored
as chemical energy
Cars have ways of converting
kinetic energy safely to prevent
a big change in momentum over
a short period of time. These are
crumple zones, side impact bars,
seat belts, and air bags
Potential Energy, Kinetic
Energy, and Elasticity
Gravitational Potential Energy
= mass X gravitational field
strength X height
Gravitational
potential energy is
the energy an has
because of it height
Kinetic
energy is
movement
Kinetic Energy
= 1/2 X mass X
speed squared
Kinetic
energy
depends on
mass and
speed, it can
be converted
to other sorts
of energy
To stop a car, kinetic energy is
converted to heat energy as friction
between the wheels and the brake
pads. When something falls, its
potential energy is converted into
kinetic energy, so it speeds up
Work done to an
elastic object
changes its shape,
once the force is
removed it springs
back
Extension of an elastic
object is directly
proportional to force
Force =
spring
constant X
extension
If the force
reaches the limit of
proportionality then
the object will be
permanently
stretched; once the
force is removed,
the material won't
spring back
Power, Momentum, and Collisions
Power means how
much energy is
transferred in a
space of time, and is
measured in watts
Power =
work
done/time
taken
One watt is
one joule
transferred
per second
Momentum is a property of
moving objects, the greater
mass of an object and the
greater its velocity is, the
more momentum it will have
Momentum = mass X
velocity
When no external forces
act on an event it must
have the same amount of
energy after as before.
This is the Conservation
of Momentum
When force acts on an object,
the momentum changes. A
larger force means a faster
change in momentum
If someone's momentum changes
quickly the forces on the body will be
large enough to cause injury
Fast changes in
momentum cause
injury so cars are
designed with safety
features - the longer it
takes for a change in
momentum to occur,
the smaller the force
is, therefore making it
safer for a person to
experience a change in
momentum more slowly