physics / Classical Mechanics / free
Kinematics
Describe motion with position, velocity, and acceleration before asking what causes it.
Follow the mechanism1 / 3
Initial velocity and acceleration are set. The starting velocity and a constant acceleration fully describe this one-dimensional motion.
one-dimensional motionx = x₀ + v₀t + ½at²
Kinematics describes what motion does. It does not explain the force that produced the acceleration; that is the boundary between this model and dynamics.
position21.0 m
velocity10.0 m/s
acceleration2.0 m/s²
The x–t curve bends because velocity changes. The dashed tangent's slope at the dot is the velocity (10.0 m/s); acceleration sets how fast that slope changes.
04 / PRACTICE
0 / 3 checkedMake the idea yours.
Use the model, then answer without looking back. Each check isolates one decision a learner should be able to make after this lesson.
CHECK 1 / 3