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3.2.2.3 Linear motion (incl. 3.2.2.6 Fluid mechanics) Typeit
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Linear motion is the movement of a body in a or curved line, where all parts move the same distance in the same direction at the same speed. The creation of linear motion is captured by Newton’s second law, which states that ‘when a force acts on an object, the rate of change in the momentum of the object is proportional to the size of the force and takes place in the direction the force acts’. For example, to execute a chest pass in basketball, a force must be applied to the ball in order for it to leave the player’s hands and find those of a teammate. How far the ball moves, how fast it reaches the hands of a teammate and the consistency of its movement are all encompassed by the various quantities used to describe linear motion.
| Mass and weight | These two terms are interrelated in that they both indicate how heavy an object is, yet there are key differences. Mass refers to the amount of in an object, whereas weight is the product of mass and the downward force that applies to an object. Mass and weight are related through the equation: weight = mass x acceleration due to gravity (9.81 m/s2), where the unit of measurement for mass is and weight is . |
| Distance and displacement | The measurement unit for both of these quantities is , so they may seem very similar in some respects, but in others they are significantly different. Distance is the length of the path taken by a body in its journey from one position to another, whereas displacement is measured using the length of a from where a body starts to where it ends. |
| Speed and velocity | These two terms are also commonly used interchangeably as they are both used to describe how fast a body is moving over time. The common unit of measurement for both quantities is (metres per ). However, they both represent different aspects of linear motion. Speed is the rate of change of , whereas velocity is the rate of change of . |
| Acceleration | This represents the rate of change of and is measured in metres per second squared; m/s2). It is calculated using the equation: end velocity (v1) – starting velocity (v0) / time taken (s). |
| Momentum | This describes the amount of present in an object, and can be calculated by mass x velocity. Therefore, the unit of measurement for momentum is . |
The indication of direction with weight, displacement, velocity, acceleration and momentum means that these are examples of quantities, whereas the lack of indication of direction with mass, distance and speed means that these are examples of quantities.