1-D Motion

Describe motion in one dimension (1-D) in terms of

distance, displacement, speed,

average and instantaneous
velocity.
Describe motion in 1-D in terms of

average and instantaneous

accelerations.

Analyze 1-D motion using verbal, graphical and

algebraic representations.
 Assumptions
Motion is confined in 1-D.
We treat objects as rigid bodies.
We treat objects as point particles.

Definition (Rigidbody)
An object that cannot be deformed.

Remark (Point particles)

Treating an object as a point particle enables us to
assign a position to an object. As long as an object
stays rigid, we can always choose a point on the
object and represent the entire object by that point.
y-axis

x-axis
 x-axis

displacement:
 time
interval:

STOP!
GO!

x-axis

displacement:
average
velocity:
x-axis

slope of
the line:

t-axis
 x-axis

tangent line

t-axis

instantaneous = lim slope of the

0
velocity: tangent line
 Are there cases wherein average
velocity equals instantaneous velocity?

Average speed is the total distance

travelled over a time interval. Isnt this
equal to average velocity? If not, cite
a counterexample.

How would you define

instantaneous speed?
v-axis

slope of the
line:

average
acceleration

t-axis
 v-axis

tangent line

t-axis
instantaneous = lim slope of the
acceleration: 0 tangent line
Practice!
Draw the corresponding x-t
and v-t diagrams for the ff:
Object at rest
Object moving with
constant velocity
Object moving with
constant acceleration
Quiz!

1. At which point(s) does the object have the

highest displacement?
Quiz!

2. At which point(s) is the object at rest?

Quiz!

3. At which point(s) is the object fastest?

Quiz!

4. What is the sign of acceleration in Point B?