1. Physics
Motion, Speed, Velocity,
acceleration, & energy

2. Motion 1
 What is motion? How do you know if
something is “in motion?”

3. Motion 2
 Motion is the changing distance
between two objects.
 You can tell if something is “in motion”
based on a reference point.
 Reference point: A place or object used
for comparison to determine if something is
in motion.

4. Motion 3
 Are we moving right now? Yes? No?
 How do you know?
 What is your reference point?
**Technically, we are doing both moving
AND not moving depending on your
reference point!

5. Speed 1
 What is speed?
 How do you know what “speed” you are
going?
 Is speed fast or slow? Or both?

6. Speed 2
 Speed is the amount of distance an
object travels in any given amount of
time.
 We calculate speed like this:
Speed = Distance / Time
Average speed is just:
total distance / total time

7. Velocity 1
 What is velocity?
 Is velocity the same thing as speed?
 How do I know what an objects velocity
is?

8. Velocity 2
 Velocity is speed with direction.
 When dispatch contacts a police officer
to let them know where a suspect is,
they will give them a velocity: “the
perpetrator is on walnut st. traveling at
40mph north.”
 What else do we use velocity to
describe?

9. Velocity 3
 Change in velocity can be due to two
things:
 1. Change in speed
 2. Change in direction
 (it can be only one or both)

10. Acceleration 1
 What is acceleration?
 What does it mean to accelerate?
 What is the opposite of accelerate?

11. Acceleration 2
 Acceleration is the rate at which velocity
changes with time.
 If velocity requires both speed and
direction, then acceleration also
requires both speed and direction.
 Therefore… acceleration refers to
increasing speed, decreasing speed or
changing direction!

12. Acceleration 3
 Increasing speed: When an objects
speed increases, it is accelerating.
 Decreasing speed: When an objects
speed decreases, it is deccelerating or
has negative acceleration.
 Changing direction: If the direction
changes so does the acceleration-
even if the speed stays the
same!!!

13. Acceleration 4
 Calculating acceleration: you must figure
out the change in velocity per unit time.
Acceleration= Final velocity - Initial Velocity
time
The units used for Acceleration are meters
per second per second or m/s 2

14. Energy
 Energy is the ability to do work or cause
change.
 When a living thing does work on
another object, some of that energy is
transferred.
 Examples?

15. Kinetic Energy 1
 Kinetic energy is the energy an object
has due to its motion; this depends on
both it’s mass and it’s speed.
 More mass means more kinetic energy
 More speed means more kinetic energy
 Examples?

16. Kinetic Energy 2
 Calculating Kinetic Energy:
Kinetic Energy = 1/2 x Mass x Speed 2
Note- changing the speed has a greater
impact on the object’s kinetic energy
than changing the mass.

17. Potential Energy 1
 Potential Energy is stored energy that
results from an objects position or
shape.
 This object has the potential to do work.
 When the object was placed where it is or
shaped a certain way, energy was
transferred to it.
 Examples?

18. Potential Energy 2
 Gravitational Potential Energy is an
objects potential energy based on
gravity. This is dependant on its height
relative to a reference point and it’s
weight.
 Elastic Potential energy is the potential
energy of an object that can be
stretched or compressed

19. Law of Conservation of
Energy
 According to the law of conservation of
energy, energy cannot be created or
destroyed.
 (sound familiar? What is another law that is
similar to this?)