Unit 1

Motion and Forces

Explore kinematics, Newton's three laws of motion, acceleration, and motion in two dimensions including projectile motion.

Unit 1 · 22 pages

Chapters

00Cover

Cover

Unit overview, learning objectives, and vocabulary for Unit 1 Motion and Forces.

What Is Physics?

Explore the scope of physics, the scientific method, and how physicists model the natural world.

Scientific Method and Measurement

Apply the scientific method, understand measurement uncertainty, and work with significant figures.

Units and Dimensional Analysis

Master SI units, unit conversions, and dimensional analysis to check equations and solve problems.

Distance and Displacement

Distinguish scalar distance from vector displacement and apply them to one-dimensional motion problems.

Speed and Velocity

Calculate average and instantaneous speed and velocity, and interpret their physical meaning.

Position–Time Graphs

Read and draw position–time graphs; extract displacement, velocity, and direction from the slope.

Velocity–Time Graphs

Interpret velocity–time graphs to find acceleration and displacement using area under the curve.

Acceleration

Define acceleration as the rate of change of velocity and solve problems involving constant acceleration.

Kinematic Equations

Apply the four kinematic equations to solve one-dimensional motion problems with constant acceleration.

Free Fall and Gravity

Analyze objects in free fall using g = 9.8 m/s² and solve problems involving vertical motion.

Newton's First Law

Understand inertia and Newton's first law; identify balanced and unbalanced forces in real situations.

Newton's Second Law

Apply F = ma to calculate net force, mass, or acceleration in one-dimensional force problems.

Newton's Third Law

Identify action–reaction force pairs and apply Newton's third law to collisions and everyday interactions.

Projectile Motion

Decompose projectile motion into independent horizontal and vertical components and solve launch problems.

Relative Motion and Frames of Reference

Analyze motion from different reference frames and add velocity vectors to solve relative motion problems.

Unit Review

Consolidate your understanding of kinematics, Newton's laws, acceleration, and two-dimensional motion with mixed problems and a student self-check.

Introduction to Physics

Discover what physics is, how scientists measure the physical world, and why SI units and significant figures matter in every calculation.

Motion in One Dimension

Analyze position, displacement, velocity, and speed for straight-line motion using kinematics equations and motion graphs.

Acceleration and Motion Graphs

Understand acceleration as the rate of change of velocity, interpret position-time and velocity-time graphs, and apply kinematics equations to accelerating objects.

Forces and Newton's Laws

Apply Newton's three laws of motion to analyze forces, draw free-body diagrams, calculate net force, and solve friction problems.

Motion in Two Dimensions

Extend kinematics to two dimensions: resolve vectors into components, analyze projectile motion, and solve problems involving objects launched at angles.

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