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AP Physics - Kinematics Vocab

Instructions:

Answer 14 questions in 15 minutes.
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Match each statement with the correct term.
Don't refresh. All questions and answers are randomly picked and ordered every time you load a test.

This is a study tool. The 3 wrong answers for each question are randomly chosen from answers to other questions. So, you might find at times the answers obvious, but you will see it re-enforces your understanding as you take the test each time.

1. Projectile Motion
Total distance traveled from start to finish - Is a scalar quantity (no direction)
Start a problem by asking 'What is the object doing?' - 'What is causing it to do that?' - What direction is it moving in (if two find x and y components)? Is it moving at constant v (this includes v = 0)? Is it accelerating? Force? Energy change? Se
When there is no acceleration
An example of motion in 2 dimensions (both x and y simultaneously)

2. Average speed
Speeding up - slowing down or changing direction)
Shortest distance between the beginning and ending point in the problem. Is a vector quantity (has direction)
The total distance divided by the total time for the entire trip.
The speed at an instant in time. Right now. Your speedometer reading when you glance it at.

3. Distance
A vector quantity consisting of magnitude and direction. Displacement x divided by time.
Total distance traveled from start to finish - Is a scalar quantity (no direction)
The slope is the change in y divided by the change in x. (Otherwise known as 'the rise over the run'.)
If the same speed is maintained over the entire trip. Constant speed/velocity means no acceleration.

4. Displacement
Start a problem by asking 'What is the object doing?' - 'What is causing it to do that?' - What direction is it moving in (if two find x and y components)? Is it moving at constant v (this includes v = 0)? Is it accelerating? Force? Energy change? Se
The speed at an instant in time. Right now. Your speedometer reading when you glance it at.
When there is no acceleration
Shortest distance between the beginning and ending point in the problem. Is a vector quantity (has direction)

5. Velocity
The slope is the change in y divided by the change in x. (Otherwise known as 'the rise over the run'.)
The total distance divided by the total time for the entire trip.
Start a problem by asking 'What is the object doing?' - 'What is causing it to do that?' - What direction is it moving in (if two find x and y components)? Is it moving at constant v (this includes v = 0)? Is it accelerating? Force? Energy change? Se
A vector quantity consisting of magnitude and direction. Displacement x divided by time.

6. Constant speed or velocity
The total distance divided by the total time for the entire trip.
If the same speed is maintained over the entire trip. Constant speed/velocity means no acceleration.
An example of motion in 2 dimensions (both x and y simultaneously)
The speed at an instant in time. Right now. Your speedometer reading when you glance it at.

7. The only time the average velocity equation can be used
A vector quantity consisting of magnitude and direction. Displacement x divided by time.
If the same speed is maintained over the entire trip. Constant speed/velocity means no acceleration.
The study of motion in one dimension
When there is no acceleration

8. Key words or hints that a kinematic equation must be used
If the same speed is maintained over the entire trip. Constant speed/velocity means no acceleration.
An example of motion in 2 dimensions (both x and y simultaneously)
The slope is the change in y divided by the change in x. (Otherwise known as 'the rise over the run'.)
If acceleration is present (Question contains terms such as: starts from rest - final velocity of - accelerates - comes to rest - etc.) - then you must use the three Kinematic equations

9. Speed
Start a problem by asking 'What is the object doing?' - 'What is causing it to do that?' - What direction is it moving in (if two find x and y components)? Is it moving at constant v (this includes v = 0)? Is it accelerating? Force? Energy change? Se
A vector quantity consisting of magnitude and direction. Displacement x divided by time.
If acceleration is present (Question contains terms such as: starts from rest - final velocity of - accelerates - comes to rest - etc.) - then you must use the three Kinematic equations
A scalar quantity (no direction specified) that shows the rate that distance d is covered.

10. Instantaneous speed
If acceleration is present (Question contains terms such as: starts from rest - final velocity of - accelerates - comes to rest - etc.) - then you must use the three Kinematic equations
Total distance traveled from start to finish - Is a scalar quantity (no direction)
The study of motion in one dimension
The speed at an instant in time. Right now. Your speedometer reading when you glance it at.

11. Kinematics Problem Solving Strategy
Start a problem by asking 'What is the object doing?' - 'What is causing it to do that?' - What direction is it moving in (if two find x and y components)? Is it moving at constant v (this includes v = 0)? Is it accelerating? Force? Energy change? Se
If acceleration is present (Question contains terms such as: starts from rest - final velocity of - accelerates - comes to rest - etc.) - then you must use the three Kinematic equations
The study of motion in one dimension
The speed at an instant in time. Right now. Your speedometer reading when you glance it at.

12. How to calculate slope on a straight line graph
A scalar quantity (no direction specified) that shows the rate that distance d is covered.
The slope is the change in y divided by the change in x. (Otherwise known as 'the rise over the run'.)
An example of motion in 2 dimensions (both x and y simultaneously)
The total distance divided by the total time for the entire trip.

13. Acceleration
When there is no acceleration
Speeding up - slowing down or changing direction)
Total distance traveled from start to finish - Is a scalar quantity (no direction)
A vector quantity consisting of magnitude and direction. Displacement x divided by time.

14. Kinematic
If acceleration is present (Question contains terms such as: starts from rest - final velocity of - accelerates - comes to rest - etc.) - then you must use the three Kinematic equations
A scalar quantity (no direction specified) that shows the rate that distance d is covered.
The study of motion in one dimension
If the same speed is maintained over the entire trip. Constant speed/velocity means no acceleration.

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AP Physics - Kinematics Vocab

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