| Step | Derivation/Formula | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | \[a_1 = 2\;\text{m/s}^2,\;0 \le t \le 1\;\text{s}\] | The graph shows a nearly constant acceleration of \(2\;\text{m/s}^2\) during the first second. |
| 2 | \[\Delta x_1 = \tfrac{1}{2} a_1 t_1^2 = \tfrac{1}{2}(2)(1)^2 = 1\;\text{m}\] | Object starts from rest, so \(\Delta x_1\) for uniformly accelerated motion is \(\tfrac{1}{2} a t^2\). |
| 3 | \[v_x = v_i + a_1 t_1 = 0 + (2)(1) = 2\;\text{m/s}\] | Final speed at \(t = 1\;\text{s}\) becomes the initial speed for the next interval. |
| 4 | \[a_2 \approx 0,\;1 \le t \le 2\;\text{s}\] | The graph shows negligible acceleration after \(1\;\text{s}.\) Thus motion is at constant speed. |
| 5 | \[\Delta x_2 = v_x t_2 = (2)(1) = 2\;\text{m}\] | With zero acceleration, distance equals speed times time for the second interval. |
| 6 | \[\Delta x_{\text{total}} = \Delta x_1 + \Delta x_2 = 1 + 2 = 3\;\text{m}\] | Total distance traveled from \(0\) to \(2\;\text{s}.\) (Choice C). Choices A and B underestimate by ignoring the constant‑velocity travel, while D overestimates by assuming more acceleration than shown. |
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A car increases its forward velocity uniformly from \(40 ~ \text{m/s}\) to \(80 ~ \text{m/s}\) while traveling a distance of \(200 ~ \text{m}\). What is its acceleration during this time?
An object is released from rest near the surface of a planet. The velocity of the object as a function of time is expressed in the following equation. \( v_y = (-3) \, \text{m/s}^2 \, t \) All frictional forces are considered to be negligible. What distance does the object fall \( 10 \) \( \text{s} \) after it is released from rest?
Ball A is dropped from the top of a cliff. At the same time, Ball B is thrown straight upward from the ground at \( 30 \) \( \text{m/s} \). The two balls pass each other after \( 2.0 \) \( \text{s} \).
Which graph below shows that one of the runners started 10 meters further ahead of the other? Assume the y-axis is measured in meters and the x-axis is measured in seconds.
An airplane is traveling \( 900. \) \( \text{km/h} \) in a direction \( 38.5^\circ \) west of north.
You drive \( 4 \) \( \text{km} \) at \( 30 \) \( \text{km/h} \) and then another \( 4 \) \( \text{km} \) at \( 50 \) \( \text{km/h} \). What is your average speed for the whole \( 8 \) \( \text{km} \) trip?

The graph in the figure shows the position of a particle as it travels along the x-axis. At what value of \(t\) is the speed of the particle equal to \(0 \, \text{m/s}\)?
note that the slope of position vs time is velocity. And the graph most closely reemsbles a flat or 0 slope at 3 seconds
A spacecraft accelerates at a rate of \(20.0 \, \text{m/s}^2\).
Traveling at a speed of 15.9 m/s, the driver of an automobile suddenly locks the wheels by slamming on the brakes. The coefficient of kinetic friction between the tires and the road is 0.659. What is the speed of the automobile after 1.59 s have elapsed? Ignore the effects of air resistance.
\( \)
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| Kinematics | Forces |
|---|---|
| \(\Delta x = v_i t + \frac{1}{2} at^2\) | \(F = ma\) |
| \(v = v_i + at\) | \(F_g = \frac{G m_1 m_2}{r^2}\) |
| \(v^2 = v_i^2 + 2a \Delta x\) | \(f = \mu N\) |
| \(\Delta x = \frac{v_i + v}{2} t\) | \(F_s =-kx\) |
| \(v^2 = v_f^2 \,-\, 2a \Delta x\) |
| Circular Motion | Energy |
|---|---|
| \(F_c = \frac{mv^2}{r}\) | \(KE = \frac{1}{2} mv^2\) |
| \(a_c = \frac{v^2}{r}\) | \(PE = mgh\) |
| \(T = 2\pi \sqrt{\frac{r}{g}}\) | \(KE_i + PE_i = KE_f + PE_f\) |
| \(W = Fd \cos\theta\) |
| Momentum | Torque and Rotations |
|---|---|
| \(p = mv\) | \(\tau = r \cdot F \cdot \sin(\theta)\) |
| \(J = \Delta p\) | \(I = \sum mr^2\) |
| \(p_i = p_f\) | \(L = I \cdot \omega\) |
| Simple Harmonic Motion | Fluids |
|---|---|
| \(F = -kx\) | \(P = \frac{F}{A}\) |
| \(T = 2\pi \sqrt{\frac{l}{g}}\) | \(P_{\text{total}} = P_{\text{atm}} + \rho gh\) |
| \(T = 2\pi \sqrt{\frac{m}{k}}\) | \(Q = Av\) |
| \(x(t) = A \cos(\omega t + \phi)\) | \(F_b = \rho V g\) |
| \(a = -\omega^2 x\) | \(A_1v_1 = A_2v_2\) |
| Constant | Description |
|---|---|
| [katex]g[/katex] | Acceleration due to gravity, typically [katex]9.8 , \text{m/s}^2[/katex] on Earth’s surface |
| [katex]G[/katex] | Universal Gravitational Constant, [katex]6.674 \times 10^{-11} , \text{N} \cdot \text{m}^2/\text{kg}^2[/katex] |
| [katex]\mu_k[/katex] and [katex]\mu_s[/katex] | Coefficients of kinetic ([katex]\mu_k[/katex]) and static ([katex]\mu_s[/katex]) friction, dimensionless. Static friction ([katex]\mu_s[/katex]) is usually greater than kinetic friction ([katex]\mu_k[/katex]) as it resists the start of motion. |
| [katex]k[/katex] | Spring constant, in [katex]\text{N/m}[/katex] |
| [katex] M_E = 5.972 \times 10^{24} , \text{kg} [/katex] | Mass of the Earth |
| [katex] M_M = 7.348 \times 10^{22} , \text{kg} [/katex] | Mass of the Moon |
| [katex] M_M = 1.989 \times 10^{30} , \text{kg} [/katex] | Mass of the Sun |
| Variable | SI Unit |
|---|---|
| [katex]s[/katex] (Displacement) | [katex]\text{meters (m)}[/katex] |
| [katex]v[/katex] (Velocity) | [katex]\text{meters per second (m/s)}[/katex] |
| [katex]a[/katex] (Acceleration) | [katex]\text{meters per second squared (m/s}^2\text{)}[/katex] |
| [katex]t[/katex] (Time) | [katex]\text{seconds (s)}[/katex] |
| [katex]m[/katex] (Mass) | [katex]\text{kilograms (kg)}[/katex] |
| Variable | Derived SI Unit |
|---|---|
| [katex]F[/katex] (Force) | [katex]\text{newtons (N)}[/katex] |
| [katex]E[/katex], [katex]PE[/katex], [katex]KE[/katex] (Energy, Potential Energy, Kinetic Energy) | [katex]\text{joules (J)}[/katex] |
| [katex]P[/katex] (Power) | [katex]\text{watts (W)}[/katex] |
| [katex]p[/katex] (Momentum) | [katex]\text{kilogram meters per second (kgm/s)}[/katex] |
| [katex]\omega[/katex] (Angular Velocity) | [katex]\text{radians per second (rad/s)}[/katex] |
| [katex]\tau[/katex] (Torque) | [katex]\text{newton meters (Nm)}[/katex] |
| [katex]I[/katex] (Moment of Inertia) | [katex]\text{kilogram meter squared (kgm}^2\text{)}[/katex] |
| [katex]f[/katex] (Frequency) | [katex]\text{hertz (Hz)}[/katex] |
Metric Prefixes
Example of using unit analysis: Convert 5 kilometers to millimeters.
Start with the given measurement: [katex]\text{5 km}[/katex]
Use the conversion factors for kilometers to meters and meters to millimeters: [katex]\text{5 km} \times \frac{10^3 \, \text{m}}{1 \, \text{km}} \times \frac{10^3 \, \text{mm}}{1 \, \text{m}}[/katex]
Perform the multiplication: [katex]\text{5 km} \times \frac{10^3 \, \text{m}}{1 \, \text{km}} \times \frac{10^3 \, \text{mm}}{1 \, \text{m}} = 5 \times 10^3 \times 10^3 \, \text{mm}[/katex]
Simplify to get the final answer: [katex]\boxed{5 \times 10^6 \, \text{mm}}[/katex]
Prefix | Symbol | Power of Ten | Equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|
Pico- | p | [katex]10^{-12}[/katex] | 0.000000000001 |
Nano- | n | [katex]10^{-9}[/katex] | 0.000000001 |
Micro- | µ | [katex]10^{-6}[/katex] | 0.000001 |
Milli- | m | [katex]10^{-3}[/katex] | 0.001 |
Centi- | c | [katex]10^{-2}[/katex] | 0.01 |
Deci- | d | [katex]10^{-1}[/katex] | 0.1 |
(Base unit) | – | [katex]10^{0}[/katex] | 1 |
Deca- or Deka- | da | [katex]10^{1}[/katex] | 10 |
Hecto- | h | [katex]10^{2}[/katex] | 100 |
Kilo- | k | [katex]10^{3}[/katex] | 1,000 |
Mega- | M | [katex]10^{6}[/katex] | 1,000,000 |
Giga- | G | [katex]10^{9}[/katex] | 1,000,000,000 |
Tera- | T | [katex]10^{12}[/katex] | 1,000,000,000,000 |
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