CHAPTER 11 Study Guide
11.1 Distance and Displacement
Key Concepts
To describe motion accurately and completely, a frame of reference is needed.
Distance is the length of the path between two points. Displacement is the direction from the starting point and the length of a straight line from the starting point to the ending point.
Add displacements by using vector addition.
Vocabulary
frame of reference, p. 328
relative motion, p. 329
distance, p. 329
vector, p. 330
resultant vector, p. 331
11.2 Speed and Velocity
Key Concepts
Average speed is computed for the entire duration of a trip, and instantaneous speed is measured at a particular instant.
The slope of a line on a distance-time graph is speed.
Velocity is a description of both speed and direction of motion. Velocity is a vector.
Two or more velocities add by vector addition.
Vocabulary
speed, p. 332
average speed, p. 333
instantaneous speed, p. 334
velocity, p. 336
11.3 Acceleration
Key Concepts
Acceleration can be described as changes in speed, changes in direction, or changes in both. Acceleration is a vector.
You calculate acceleration by dividing the change in velocity by the total time.
The slope of a speed-time graph is the acceleration.
Instantaneous acceleration is how fast a velocity is changing at a specific instant.
Vocabulary
acceleration, p. 342
free fall, p. 343
constant acceleration, p. 345
linear graph, p. 347
nonlinear graph, p. 348
Thinking Visually
Concept Map Copy the concept map below onto a sheet of paper. Use information from the chapter to complete the concept map.
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