Ch 3: Kinematics in Physics: Help and Review
About This Chapter
Who's it for?
Anyone who needs help learning or mastering high school physics material will benefit from taking this course. There is no faster or easier way to learn about high school physics. Among those who would benefit are:
- Students who have fallen behind in understanding how to solve the big five kinematics equations or interpret graphs of free fall and projectile motion
- Students who struggle with learning disabilities or learning differences, including autism and ADHD
- Students who prefer multiple ways of learning science (visual or auditory)
- Students who have missed class time and need to catch up
- Students who need an efficient way to learn about kinematics
- Students who struggle to understand their teachers
- Students who attend schools without extra science learning resources
How it works:
- Find videos in our course that cover what you need to learn or review.
- Press play and watch the video lesson.
- Refer to the video transcripts to reinforce your learning.
- Test your understanding of each lesson with short quizzes.
- Verify you're ready by completing the Kinematics in Physics chapter exam.
Why it works:
- Study Efficiently: Skip what you know, review what you don't.
- Retain What You Learn: Engaging animations and real-life examples make topics easy to grasp.
- Be Ready on Test Day: Use the Kinematics in Physics chapter exam to be prepared.
- Get Extra Support: Ask our subject-matter experts any kinematics question. They're here to help!
- Study With Flexibility: Watch videos on any web-ready device.
Students will review:
This chapter helps students review the concepts in a kinematics unit of a standard high school physics course. Topics covered include:
- Scalars and vectors
- Distance and displacement
- Speed and velocity
- Acceleration
- Uniformly accelerated motion
- Vector diagrams
- Position vs. time graphs
- Velocity vs. time graphs
- Free fall motion
- The acceleration of gravity
- Projectile motion

1. What is Kinematics? - Studying the Motion of Objects
Kinematics is the study of the motion of objects. Kinematics can tell you a lot about motion, but not everything. In this lesson, we will examine the types of questions kinematics can and cannot answer.

2. Scalars and Vectors: Definition and Difference
In this lesson, we will examine scalars and vectors, learn why it is important to know the difference between the two and why remembering to add a direction to many of your exam answers could be the reason you get it right or wrong.

3. What is Position in Physics? - Definition & Examples
After watching this video, you will be able to explain what position is, why it is a vector, and interpret position-time graphs. A short quiz will follow.

4. Distance and Displacement in Physics: Definition and Examples
Distance and displacement might seem like similar terms but in physics, understanding the difference can mean getting a question right instead of wrong. In this lesson, we will define these terms and illustrate how easy it is to confuse the two.

5. Speed and Velocity: Difference and Examples
Is it possible to drive with a speed of 100 mph but a velocity of 0? In this lesson, we will examine the difference between speed and velocity and use that information to answer this question.

6. Acceleration: Definition, Equation and Examples
Acceleration can be a tricky topic for many students who tend to get hung up on an object's speed. In this lesson, we will explore the common aspects of acceleration and why speed is not always important.

7. Uniformly-Accelerated Motion and the Big Five Kinematics Equations
In this lesson, we will begin to solve problems that combine position, displacement, velocity, and acceleration. I will introduce the Big Five Equations to help you on your way.

8. Representing Kinematics with Graphs
In this lesson, we will introduce how to use graphs to visually represent kinematics. For some students, graphing these types of problems is easier than using algebra equations.

9. Ticker Tape Diagrams: Analyzing Motion and Acceleration
After watching this video, you will be able to explain what a ticker tape diagram is and analyze motion using a ticker tape diagram. A short quiz will follow.

10. What are Vector Diagrams? - Definition and Uses
After watching this video, you will be able to explain what vector diagrams are and how they are used, including vector addition and subtraction. A short quiz will follow.

11. Using Position vs. Time Graphs to Describe Motion
Describing motion with graphs can be a simple, yet powerful tool in your physics arsenal. In this lesson, we begin by looking at the basic position vs. time graph.

12. Determining Slope for Position vs. Time Graphs
Simply looking at a position vs. time graph can tell you a lot about straight line motion, but doing a few basic calculations can tell you even more. In this lesson, we will learn how to use the slope of the line to determine average velocity.

13. Using Velocity vs. Time Graphs to Describe Motion
In this lesson, we will look at an example of a velocity vs. time graph. By examining the shape of the graph, it is possible to accurately describe the motion of an object, even if that motion is very complex.

14. Determining Acceleration Using the Slope of a Velocity vs. Time Graph
In this lesson, we will learn how to use the slope of the line on a velocity vs. time graph to calculate the acceleration of an object in straight line motion.

15. Velocity vs. Time: Determining Displacement of an Object
There is a lot of information you can determine by looking at a velocity vs. time graph. In this lesson, we will use a little geometry to calculate the displacement of the object represented by the graph.

16. Understanding Graphs of Motion: Giving Qualitative Descriptions
You can just look at graphs of straight line motion and accurately describe how that object is moving. In this lesson, we will investigate the basic shapes the graphs can take and what conclusions you can draw from these shapes.

17. Free Fall Physics Practice Problems
In this lesson, we will dive into doing calculations involving free falling objects. We will begin with a few helpful tips to get started before working through a couple of example problems.

18. Graphing Free Fall Motion: Showing Acceleration
Kinematics topics are great for using x, y scatter graphs to visualize motion. In this lesson, we will examine the basic shapes of two different types of graphs of an object in free fall.

19. The Acceleration of Gravity: Definition & Formula
In this lesson, we will introduce the acceleration due to gravity. Objects in free fall are one of the few real world examples of straight line motion with constant acceleration, so they are commonly used when learning kinematics.

20. Projectile Motion: Definition and Examples
A projectile is any object that is given an initial velocity and then follows a path determined entirely by gravity. In this lesson, we will introduce projectile motion and touch on a few key facts to keep in mind when working through these problems.

21. Projectile Motion Practice Problems
After watching this video lesson, you will know how to use the sets of equations that are used to solve projectile motion problems. Learn how to manipulate them to find the answer you need.

22. Kinematic Equations List: Calculating Motion
After watching this video, you will be able to explain what kinematics is, list the five most important kinematics equations, and use them to solve problems. A short quiz will follow.
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Other Chapters
Other chapters within the High School Physics: Help and Review course
- Introduction to Physics: Help and Review
- Vectors in Physics: Help and Review
- Newton's Laws in Physics: Help and Review
- Work, Energy, & Power in Physics: Help and Review
- Linear Momentum in Physics: Help and Review
- Rotational Motion in Physics: Help and Review
- Circular Motion and Gravitation in Physics: Help and Review
- Oscillations in Physics: Help and Review
- Electrical Forces and Fields in Physics: Help and Review
- Potential and Capacitance in Physics: Help and Review
- Direct Current Circuits in Physics: Help and Review
- Magnetism in Physics: Help and Review
- Waves, Sound, and Light: Help and Review
- Atomic and Nuclear Physics: Help and Review
- Fluid Mechanics in Physics: Help and Review
- Thermal Physics & Thermodynamics: Help and Review
- Relativity & Quantum Theory in Modern Physics: Help and Review
- The Universe in Physics: Help and Review
- Physics Lab Experiments: Motion: Help and Review
- Physics Lab Experiments: Matter & Light: Help and Review
- Physics Lab Experiments: Electricity: Help and Review