• Wrong document? Swap it for free
  • Written by students who passed
  • Immediately available after payment
  • Read online or as PDF
Sell
Where do you study
Your language
Document preview thumbnail
Preview 2 out of 6 pages
Class notes

Physics Notes – Motion & Kinematics

Document preview thumbnail
Preview 2 out of 6 pages

A concise revision guide covering the fundamental principles of kinematics and one-dimensional motion. It details the relativity of rest and motion, distinctions between scalar and vector quantities (distance, displacement, speed, velocity, and acceleration), circular arc displacement shortcuts, calculus relationships, graphical analysis, equations of uniformly accelerated motion, and sign conventions for free-fall under gravity.

Content preview

Page 1: Core Concept of Rest & Motion

Core Concept
Rest and Motion are not absolute; they depend entirely on the OBSERVER's frame of reference.


●​ If position changes with time -> MOTION
●​ If position does not change with time -> REST



Classroom Example (Golu & Train)
●​ For a co-passenger: Golu is at REST (because both are sitting together inside the train).
●​ For a person standing on the platform: Both Golu and the train are in MOTION because their position is changing
with time.



Important Definitions
1.​ Rest: When the position of a body does not change with time with respect to the observer.
2.​ Motion: When the position of a body changes with time with respect to the observer.



★ KEY TAKEAWAY
"Motion and rest are relative terms. If the observer changes, the state changes!"




Page 2: Distance, Displacement, Speed, Velocity &
Acceleration

1. Distance vs Displacement

, Distance Displacement

Actual path covered by the object. Shortest path from initial to final position.

Scalar quantity (magnitude only). Vector quantity (magnitude + direction).



2. Speed & Velocity
●​ Speed: Distance / Time (Scalar)
●​ Velocity: Displacement / Time (Vector)
○​ Instantaneous: In small time interval dt -> dx / dt
○​ Average: Over a large time interval -> Total Path / Total Time



3. Acceleration
●​ Formula: a = dv/dt (Rate of change of velocity)
●​ v and a in SAME direction: Speed increases (Acceleration)
●​ v and a in OPPOSITE direction: Speed decreases (Braking / Retardation)




Page 3: Circular Arc Motion & Average Speed Shortcuts

1. Circular Arc Motion
●​ Radius = r, Center angle = θ (in Radians)
●​ Distance: Distance = r × θ (radians)
●​ Displacement: Displacement = 2r × sin(θ/2)



2. Average Speed Shortcuts
●​ Case A: Equal Time Intervals (t1 = t2)​
When a body travels at different speeds for equal intervals of time:​
v_avg = (v1 + v2) / 2

Document information

School year
3
Uploaded on
September 29, 2026
Number of pages
6
Written in
2026/2027
Type
Class notes
Professor(s)
Physics (chapter) motion & kinematics
Contains
All classes
$100.98

Wrong document? Swap it for free Within 14 days of purchase and before downloading, you can choose a different document. You can simply spend the amount again.
Written by students who passed
Immediately available after payment
Read online or as PDF

Sold
0
Followers
0
Items
3
Last sold
-



Why students choose Stuvia

Created by fellow students, verified by reviews

Quality you can trust: written by students who passed their tests and reviewed by others who've used these notes.

Didn't get what you expected? Choose another document

No worries! You can instantly pick a different document that better fits what you're looking for.

Pay as you like, start learning right away

No subscription, no commitments. Pay the way you're used to via credit card and download your PDF document instantly.

Student with book image

“Bought, downloaded, and aced it. It really can be that simple.”

Alisha Student

Working on your references?

Create accurate citations in APA, MLA and Harvard with our free citation generator.

Working on your references?

Frequently asked questions