Starter quiz
- A pupil measures the time taken for different sports balls to travel 30 cm. Use the times to put the balls in order of decreasing speed, starting with the fastest.
- 1⇔ball D: 0.25 s
- 2⇔ball A: 0.28 s
- 3⇔ball B: 0.31 s
- 4⇔ball C: 0.34 s
- 5⇔ball E: 0.36 s
- Which three of these equations show the correct relationship between average speed, distance travelled and time taken?
- average speed = distance travelled ÷ time taken ✓
- average speed = distance travelled × time taken
- distance travelled = average speed × time taken ✓
- time taken = distance travelled ÷ average speed ✓
- time taken = distance travelled × average speed
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- What should be done with a single anomalous result in a set of five readings?
- Change the value of the anomalous result to match the others in the set.
- Repeat the test for the anomalous result and replace it with the new value. ✓
- Repeat the whole experiment from the start using different equipment.
- Cross out the anomalous result and ignore it in any calculations. ✓
- Use the anomalous result in any calculations but not on the graph.
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- A pupil measures the time it takes for a car to pass between two street lamps as 5.0 s. If the car is moving at 8.0 m/s, how far apart are the lamps?
- 3.0 m
- 13.0 m
- 1.6 m
- 0.6 m
- 40 m ✓
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- Which of these is a correct definition of a scalar quantity?
- a quantity with a very large value
- a quantity with a very small value
- a quantity that has a magnitude but not a direction ✓
- a quantity that has a magnitude and a direction
- a quantity that always has a value of zero
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- A tennis ball was released from a height of 20 m and took 20 s to fall to the ground. Which statements about the speed of the ball are correct?
- The average speed of the ball was 10 m/s. ✓
- The average speed of the ball was the same throughout the fall.
- The highest instantaneous speed of the ball was 10 m/s.
- The highest instantaneous speed of the ball was greater than 10 m/s.
- The highest instantaneous speed of the ball was less than 10 m/s. ✓
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Exit quiz
- Match the key words or phrases to their definitions.
- displacement⇔the distance travelled in a straight line from a starting point ✓
- vector quantity⇔a quantity with a magnitude (size) and a direction ✓
- scalar quantity⇔a quantity with a magnitude (size) but not a direction ✓
- velocity⇔the speed of an object in a particular direction ✓
- Which of these are examples of displacements?
- 30 km north ✓
- 30 cm left ✓
- 30 m
- 30 m down ✓
- 30 m/s
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- A train takes 2 hours to travel from one station to another which is 150 km west of the starting point. Calculate the velocity of the train.
- 300 km/h west
- 150 km/h west
- 75 km/h west ✓
- 300 m/s west
- 75 m/s west
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- A pupil walks 5 m north, 3 m south and then 2 m north. Which of these statements about the pupil's journey are correct?
- The total distance travelled is 10 m. ✓
- The total distance travelled is 4 m.
- Their final displacement is 10 m north.
- Their final displacement is 4 m north. ✓
- Their final displacement is 2 m north.
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- Two cars are approaching each other. Car A has a velocity of 4 m/s west and Car B has a velocity of 4 m/s east. What is the relative velocity (speed) of the two cars?
- 0 m/s
- 4 m/s
- 8 m/s ✓
- 16 m/s
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- A pupil walks 10 m west in 10 s, 5 m east in 5 s and 15 m west in 25 s. Calculate the magnitude of the average velocity for the complete journey (do not give the direction).
- '0.5 m/s' ✓
Worksheet
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Presentation
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Video
Lesson Details
Key learning points
- The velocity of an object is its speed in a given direction.
- The displacement of an object is the distance it travels in a particular direction.
- Displacement and velocity are both vector quantities.
- Velocity has a positive value in one direction and negative value in the opposite direction.
Common misconception
Pupils often have a tendency to believe that a velocity must have a positive value and have difficulty in associating a reverse in direction with a change in sign.
It is important to make sure pupils are secure in their knowledge of the vector–scalar distinction; use plenty of visual examples.
Keywords
Displacement - The displacement of an object is the distance travelled in a particular direction from a starting point.
Vector - A vector is a quantity with magnitude (size) and direction. Displacement and velocity are both vector quantities.
Velocity - The velocity of an object is its speed in a particular direction.
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