New
New
Year 10
AQA
Higher

Displacement and velocity as vectors: including movement around a circle

I can represent and calculate the velocity of moving objects.

New
New
Year 10
AQA
Higher

Displacement and velocity as vectors: including movement around a circle

I can represent and calculate the velocity of moving objects.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Velocity of an object is its speed in a given direction.
  2. Displacement is distance in a particular direction.
  3. Displacement and velocity are vectors.
  4. Velocity is positive in one direction and negative in the opposite direction.
  5. Movement around a circle at a steady speed involves a changing velocity.

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.

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

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6 Questions

Q1.
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
Q2.
Which three of these equations show the correct relationship between average speed, distance travelled and time taken?
Correct answer: average speed = distance travelled ÷ time taken
average speed = distance travelled × time taken
Correct answer: distance travelled = average speed × time taken
Correct answer: time taken = distance travelled ÷ average speed
time taken = distance travelled × average speed
Q3.
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.
Correct answer: Repeat the test for that result and replace the result with the new value.
Repeat the experiment from the start using different equipment.
Correct answer: Cross out the result and ignore it in any calculations.
Use the result in the calculations but not in the graph.
Q4.
A pupil measures the time it takes 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
12.0 m
1.6 m
0.625 m
Correct answer: 40 m
Q5.
Which of these is a definition of a scalar quantity?
A quantity with a very large value.
A quantity with a very small value.
Correct answer: A quantity that has magnitude but no direction.
A quantity that has magnitude and direction.
A quantity that always has a zero value.
Q6.
A tennis ball is released from a height of 20 m and it falls to the ground, taking 2.0 s. Which statements about the movement are correct?
Correct answer: The average speed of the ball was 10 m/s.
The instantaneous 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 less than 10 m/s
Correct answer: The highest instantaneous speed of the ball was more than 10 m/s

6 Questions

Q1.
Match the key word with the correct description.
Correct Answer:displacement,the distance travelled in a straight line from a starting point

the distance travelled in a straight line from a starting point

Correct Answer:vector quantity,a quantity with a magnitude (size) and a direction

a quantity with a magnitude (size) and a direction

Correct Answer:scalar quantity,a quantity with a magnitude (size) but not a direction

a quantity with a magnitude (size) but not a direction

Correct Answer:velocity,the speed of an object in a particular direction

the speed of an object in a particular direction

Q2.
Which of these are examples of displacements?
Correct answer: 30 km north
Correct answer: 30 cm left
30 m
Correct answer: 3 m down
30 m/s
Q3.
A train takes 2 hours to travel from one station to another which is 150 km west of the stating point. Calculate the velocity of the train.
300 km/h west
150 km/h west
Correct answer: 75 km/h west
300 m/s west
75 m/s west
Q4.
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 4 m.
Correct answer: The total distance travelled is 10 m.
Their final displacement is 10 m north.
Correct answer: Their final displacement is 4 m north.
Their final displacement is 2 m north.
Q5.
A ball on the end of a piece of string is spun in a circle so that it travels at 4 m/s. Which of these statements are correct?
The ball has a constant instantaneous velocity of 4 m/s.
Correct answer: The ball has a constant instantaneous speed of 4 m/s.
Correct answer: The average velocity for one complete revolution is 0 m/s.
The average velocity for one complete revolution is 4 m/s.
Q6.
A pupil walks 10 m west in 10 s, then 5 m east in 5 s and then 15 m west in 25 s. Calculate the magnitude of the average velocity for the complete journey (do not give the direction).
Correct Answer: 0.5 m/s, 0.5 m/s west, 0.5 m/s w, 0.5 m/s W