Physics — Introduction to One-Dimensional Motion + 7 more topics

When we talk about one-dimensional motion, we're focusing on movement along a single axis, like the x-axis. Everything is relative to an origin, a zero point you choose.

Speed is just the magnitude of velocity – how fast without the direction.

Think of it like this: if you're on a bike and pedaling harder, you're accelerating. If you hit the brakes, you're accelerating in the opposite direction. If you're moving at a constant speed, your acceleration is zero.

In physics, every quantity you measure or calculate falls into one of two fundamental categories: scalars or vectors.

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When we talk about an object's position, we usually mean its location relative to a specific reference point (like the origin of a coordinate system). Displacement tells us how much that position has changed. It's a vector quantity, which means it has both a magnitude (how far) and a direction (which way).

Think of it like this: if you walk 5 meters east, your displacement is "5 meters East." If you then walk 5 meters west, your total displacement from your starting point is 0 meters, even though you walked a total of 10 meters.