ap physics

Question 1

Vectors

Answer 1

Magnitude and direction
Example: Displacement, velocity, acceleration, force

Question 2

Scalars

Answer 2

Magnitude only no direction
Example: Time, distance, speed, mass, volume

Question 3

Magnitude

Answer 3

The amount of something
Example:
If Delta Y = 5m North then the magnitude of delta Y is 5m

Question 4

Displacement

Answer 4

Distance between objects final and initial locations. (straight line).

So displacement is change in x or delta x = x2 - x1.

Displacement is a vector which means it has both direction AND magnitude. so it can be positive negative or zero.

Remember that displacement is a vector and has magnitude AND direction meaning it can be positive, negative or even zero.

Different to distance. Distance accounts for everything while displacement is the net change in position.

Question 5

Speed

Answer 5

Average speed = distance traveled over time duration of that travel (s = d/t)

Speed is a scalar. It has magnitude only (no direction)

Question 6

Velocity

Answer 6

Average velocity = displacement (change in x) over change in time.

Velocity is a vector

Question 7

Instantaneous

Answer 7

Describes the value of a physical quantity like velocity or acceleration at a specific instant in time.

Found by looking at what happens as the time interval becomes extremely small.