List of Concepts Introduced
1. Rest and Motion: Defining rest and motion relative to surroundings; one-dimensional
motion (rectilinear motion).
2. Distance and Displacement: Scalar vs. vector quantities; their definitions, differences, and
units.
3. Speed and Velocity: Scalar (speed) vs. vector (velocity); uniform vs. non-uniform;
instantaneous vs. average.
4. Acceleration and Retardation: Rate of change of velocity; positive (acceleration) vs. negative
(retardation).
5. Distance-Time Graphs: Representation of motion; slope as velocity; interpreting uniform and
non-uniform motion.
6. Velocity-Time Graphs: Slope as acceleration; area as displacement; uniform and variable
motion.
7. Acceleration-Time Graphs: Representation of acceleration; area as change in speed; cases of
uniform and variable acceleration.
8. Motion Under Gravity: Uniform acceleration (9.8 m/s²); free fall and vertical motion
equations.
9. Equations of Uniformly Accelerated Motion:
Three key equations:
v=u+at
S=ut+1/2at^2
v^2=u^2+2aS
derivations and applications.
Special Cases: Motion from rest, retardation, free fall, and vertical projection.
Notes for a Student: Motion in One Dimension
These notes break down the chapter into manageable pieces, focusing on key ideas and examples to
build understanding step-by-step.
1. Rest and Motion
• What It Means:
o Rest: An object doesn’t change position relative to its surroundings (e.g., a tree while
you sit on a platform).
o Motion: An object changes position (e.g., a train passing by).
• One-Dimensional Motion: Movement along a straight line (e.g., a car on a straight road). We
treat the object as a tiny point.
• Example: A pebble falls straight down—its position changes over time (0 m at 0 s, 5 m at 1 s,
etc.).
2. Distance and Displacement
• Distance: Total length of the path traveled (scalar, only magnitude, always positive). Unit:
meters (m).
• Displacement: Shortest straight-line distance from start to end, with direction (vector). Can
be positive, negative, or zero.
• Key Difference:
o Distance depends on the path (e.g., curved path = more distance).
o Displacement depends only on start and end points (e.g., straight line from A to B).
• Example: Walk 4 km east, 3 km north. Distance = 7 km, Displacement = 5 km (northeast).
3. Speed and Velocity
• Speed: How fast something moves (distance/time). Scalar. Formula: v=St v = \frac{S}{t} v=tS.
Unit: m/s.
• Velocity: Speed with direction (displacement/time). Vector. Same unit: m/s.
• Types:
o Uniform: Equal distances in equal times (e.g., a ball on a smooth surface).
o Non-Uniform: Unequal distances or changing direction (e.g., a car in traffic).
o Average: Total distance or displacement ÷ total time.
o Instantaneous: Speed or velocity at a specific moment.
• Example: A car moves 100 m in 5 s. Speed = 20 m/s. If straight, velocity = 20 m/s in that
direction.
4. Acceleration and Retardation
• Acceleration: Rate of change of velocity. Formula: a=v−ut. Unit: m/s².
• Retardation: Negative acceleration (velocity decreases).
• Example: A car starts from rest (0 m/s), reaches 20 m/s in 10 s.
5. Distance-Time Graphs
• What It Shows: Distance (y-axis) vs. time (x-axis).
• Slope: Slope = velocity
• Types:
o Straight line upward = uniform velocity.
o Flat line = no motion (velocity = 0).
o Curve = variable velocity.
• Example: Car moves 50 m in 5 s (straight line).
6. Velocity-Time Graphs
• What It Shows: Velocity (y-axis) vs. time (x-axis).
• Slope: Slope = acceleration (Δv/Δt
• Area: Area under the graph = displacement.
• Types:
o Flat line = uniform velocity (acceleration = 0).
o Straight line up = uniform acceleration.
o Straight line down = uniform retardation.
7. Acceleration-Time Graphs
• What It Shows: Acceleration (y-axis) vs. time (x-axis).
• Area: Area = change in velocity.
• Types:
o Flat line at 0 = no acceleration.
o Flat line above 0 = constant acceleration.
o Flat line below 0 = constant retardation.
• Example:
8. Motion Under Gravity
• Key Idea: Objects fall with constant acceleration g=9.8 m/ (or 10 m/s² for simplicity).
• Upward Motion: Retardation −g
9. Equations of Motion (Uniform Acceleration)
• Three Equations:
1. v=u+at
2. S=ut+1/2at^2
3. V^2=u^2+2aS
• How They Work:
o u u u: Initial velocity.
o v v v: Final velocity.
o a a a: Acceleration.
o t t t: Time.
o S S S: Distance.
10. Special Cases
• From Rest: u=0
• Retardation: a a a is negative (e.g., brakes).
• Free Fall: a=g
• Thrown Up: a=−g
Tips to Avoid Overwhelm
• Start Small: Focus on one concept at a time (e.g., distance vs. displacement first).
• Use Examples: Relate to real life (e.g., walking to school = uniform velocity).
• Practice Graphs: Draw simple ones (e.g., straight line for constant speed).
• Memorize Equations: Learn the three equations—they solve most problems!
Simple Questions to Confirm Understanding
These questions cover all concepts and are designed to be straightforward yet comprehensive.
1. Rest and Motion:
o Q1: Is a book on your desk at rest or in motion relative to you? Why?
o Q2: What is one-dimensional motion? Give an example.
2. Distance and Displacement:
o Q3: You walk 10 m forward, then 5 m back. What’s your distance traveled?
Displacement?
o Q4: Can displacement ever be greater than distance? Why or why not?
3. Speed and Velocity:
o Q5: A car travels 60 m in 3 s. What’s its speed?
o Q6: If the car in Q5 moves north, what’s its velocity?
o Q7: What’s the difference between uniform and non-uniform speed?
4. Acceleration and Retardation:
o Q8: A bike goes from 0 to 10 m/s in 5 s. What’s its acceleration?
o Q9: If a car slows from 20 m/s to 0 in 4 s, what’s its retardation?
5. Distance-Time Graphs:
o Q10: What does a flat distance-time graph mean?
o Q11: A graph slopes up from 0 m to 20 m in 4 s. What’s the velocity?
6. Velocity-Time Graphs:
o Q12: What does the slope of a velocity-time graph tell you?
o Q13: A velocity-time graph goes from 0 to 10 m/s in 5 s. What’s the acceleration?
Displacement?
7. Acceleration-Time Graphs:
o Q14: What does a flat line at 2 m/s² mean on an acceleration-time graph?
o Q15: If the area under an acceleration-time graph is 20 m/s over 10 s, what’s the
acceleration?
8. Motion Under Gravity:
o Q16: A ball falls for 3 s (g = 10 m/s²). How far does it drop?
o Q17: A ball is thrown up at 20 m/s. How high does it go? (g = 10 m/s²)
9. Equations of Motion:
o Q18: A car starts from rest, accelerates at 3 m/s² for 4 s. What’s its final velocity?
o Q19: Using Q18, how far does it travel?
o Q20: A stone falls 45 m (g = 10 m/s²). What’s its final velocity?
10. Special Cases:
o Q21: A train slows from 30 m/s to 0 in 15 s. What’s its retardation?
o Q22: A ball thrown up returns after 6 s (g = 10 m/s²). What was its initial velocity?
