General physicsLesson 1 of 1 in the course Motion Along a Straight Line

Position, Displacement, Distance, and Average Velocity in One Dimension

5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 5 match pairs · 5 fill-in sentences · English

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Summary

Motion begins with a simple question: where is an object? To answer it, we describe the object's position relative to a chosen frame of reference. This lesson introduces position and explains why the reference frame matters.

Position tells where an object is at a particular time. In one-dimensional motion, position is commonly represented by the coordinate xx along a straight line. A position is not meaningful on its own: it must be specified relative to a reference point and direction.

All flashcards

Position
An object's location at a particular time, specified relative to a frame of reference.
Frame of reference
A chosen viewpoint or set of axes used to describe position and motion.
Displacement
The change in position from an initial point to a final point, including direction.
Distance traveled
The total length of the path covered, regardless of direction.
Average velocity
Total displacement divided by elapsed time; its sign indicates direction in one dimension.

Quiz questions

  1. A passenger is seated in a moving train. How can the passenger be at rest and also moving?Answer: The passenger is at rest relative to the train and moving relative to the ground.
  2. An object moves 2 m in the positive direction, then 4 m in the negative direction. What is its total displacement?Answer: −2 m-2\text{ m}
  3. A traveler walks away from a starting point and then returns to it. Which statement is correct?Answer: The total displacement is zero, while the distance traveled is positive.
  4. An object moves from x=1 mx=1\text{ m} to x=7 mx=7\text{ m} in 3 s3\text{ s}. What is its average velocity?Answer: 2 m/s2\text{ m/s}
  5. Two journeys have the same initial position, final position, and elapsed time. What can be concluded about their average velocities?Answer: Their average velocities are equal, even if their paths differ.

Based on University Physics Volume 1 by William Moebs, Samuel J. Ling, Jeff Sanny (OpenStax), licensed CC BY 4.0. Adapted into a summary, flashcards and quizzes.

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