UNIT OVERVIEW

Every time you walk to school, ride in a taxi, or watch a ball roll across a field, you see motion. In this unit, you will learn how to describe motion using the language of physics.

What you will learn:

• How to use reference frames to describe motion
• The difference between position, displacement, and distance
• How to distinguish between speed and velocity
• What acceleration means and how to calculate it
• How to interpret and draw motion graphs
• How to use kinematic equations to solve problems
• The difference between instantaneous and average quantities

Why this matters:

• Traffic officers use motion principles to check speeding and reconstruct accidents
• Sports coaches analyse acceleration and velocity to improve performance
• Train engineers calculate how fast to accelerate and brake for safe, on-time journeys
• Emergency services calculate response times based on distance and average speeds

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