Summary of Quarter 1

Unit 1 was an introduction to physics. We began by developing a thorough understanding of metric measurements and how to convert these units. A few common graphs were also introduced to us. We learned how to identify the relationship of the graph, what is going on in terms of motion, and how to represent each graph with an equation. Once this basic knowledge was established we applied it in the following units.

Unit 2 was about Kinematics, or the study of motion. This called for a lot of graphs. We learned how to convert a position vs. time graph into a velocity vs. time graph, and the other way around. By comparing both of these graphs we could really analyze the motion of the object. We could look at what was going on with distance and velocity at the same time to see how they were related. We also began solving simple word problems with the new equation d=vt, that is distance=average velocity multiplied by the time.

In Unite 3 several new equations came in handy. We learned about acceleration, an addition to kinematics, and applied it in our new equations.  I learned that the acceleration of gravity here on earth is 9.8m/square second. With our three new equations we could solve word problems to find distance, velocity, time, or acceleration. This applied to several real life situations, such as a moving vehicle, dropping something, or throwing something.

This quarter I learned about the technical differences in scientific vocabulary. Before I would not have known the difference between speed and acceleration. Nor would i have recognized scalar values apart from vector values. Most importantly, I learned how deceiving motion can be. Who knew that to stop accelerating in one direction, you actually have to accelerate in the opposite direction. Or that two objects fall at the same rate regardless of mass. Or when a ball is tossed up into the air it undergoes several changes in velocity, but has the same acceleration the whole time. And it is accelerating in the same direction even though it goes up and down. Tricky tricky.