Results

This unit is about how things move along a straight line or, more scientifically, how things move in one dimension. Examples of this would be the movement (motion) of cars along a straight road or of trains along straight railway tracks.

Using position-time graphs and number lines to find displacement and distance traveled.

Speed necessary for the space station to stay in orbit.

Viewing g as the value of Earth's gravitational field near the surface rather than the acceleration due to gravity near Earth's surface for an object in freefall.

This section introduces you to the realm of physics, and discusses applications of physics in other disciplines of study. It also describes the methods by which science is done, and how scientists communicate their results to each other.

Physics is a branch of science. The word science comes from a Latin word that means having knowledge, and refers the knowledge of how the physical world operates, based on objective evidence determined through observation and experimentation. A key requirement of any scientific explanation of a natural phenomenon is that it must be testable; one must be able to devise and conduct an experimental investigation that either supports or refutes the explanation. It is important to note that some questions fall outside the realm of science precisely because they deal with phenomena that are not scientifically testable. This need for objective evidence helps define the investigative process scientists follow, which will be described later in this chapter.

Worked examples finding displacement and distance from position-time graphs.

What would fall faster on the moon, a brick or a feather?