AQA · Physics · 8463

GCSE Physics: Describing motion along a line

Forces · AQA GCSE Physics (8463), specification point 4.5.6.1. Cards are generated from the exam board's own specification for "Describing motion along a line", and every card links back to the page it came from. Specification © AQA — used with attribution.

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  1. Distance is a ? quantity because it does not involve direction.

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    scalar

  2. Define displacement.

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    The distance moved in a straight line from start point to finish point, together with the direction of that line. It is a vector quantity.

  3. What is a typical walking speed for a person?

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    About 1.5 m/s.

  4. What equation links distance travelled, speed and time for constant speed?

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    distance travelled = speed × time, i.e. s = v t (s in m, v in m/s, t in s).

  5. Define the velocity of an object.

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    Its speed in a given direction. Velocity is a vector quantity.

  6. Why does an object moving in a circle at constant speed have a changing velocity?

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    Velocity is a vector; its direction is continually changing even though its magnitude (speed) stays the same.

  7. What quantity is given by the gradient of a distance–time graph?

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    Speed.

  8. What is the equation for average acceleration?

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    acceleration = change in velocity ÷ time taken, i.e. a = Δv / t (a in m/s², Δv in m/s, t in s).

  9. What quantity does the area under a velocity–time graph represent?

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    The distance travelled (or displacement) of the object.

  10. What quantity is given by the gradient of a velocity–time graph?

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    Acceleration.

  11. State the equation for uniform acceleration linking final velocity, initial velocity, acceleration and distance.

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    v² − u² = 2 a s

  12. What is the resultant force on an object falling at terminal velocity?

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    Zero — the drag from the fluid balances the weight, so the object no longer accelerates.

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