Science (2015) Grade(s): 09-12 - Physical Science

SC15.PS.7

Analyze and interpret data for one- and two-dimensional motion applying basic concepts of distance, displacement, speed, velocity, and acceleration (e.g., velocity versus time graphs, displacement versus time graphs, acceleration versus time graphs).

Unpacked Content

Scientific and Engineering Practices

Analyzing and Interpreting Data

Crosscutting Concepts

Cause and Effect

Knowledge

Students know:
  • A body is in motion if its position changes with respect to its surroundings.
  • A particle moving in a straight line undergoes one dimensional motion.
  • A particle moving along a curved path in a plane has two dimensional motion.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Create graphs from sets of data points.
  • Identify distance and displacement as a scalar/ vector pair.
  • Identify speed and velocity as a scalar/ vector pair.
  • Describe motion mathematically in terms of an object's change of position, distance traveled, and displacement.
  • Apply concepts of average speed and average velocity to solve conceptual and quantitative problems.
  • Explain velocity as a relationship between displacement and time. (Δd=vΔt)
  • Explain acceleration as a relationship between velocity and time. (a=Δv/Δt)
  • Use graphical analysis to understand conceptual trends in displacement, velocity, acceleration, and time.
  • Use graphical analysis to solve for displacement, velocity, acceleration, and time.
  • Calculate velocity and acceleration from displacement vs. time graphs.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Motion graphs (displacement vs. time, velocity vs. time, and acceleration vs. time) for one- and two- dimensional motion may be used to derive (conceptual and mathematical) relationships of motion.

Vocabulary

  • Distance
  • Displacement
  • Scalar
  • Vector
  • Speed
  • Velocity
  • Acceleration
  • Equation of a line
  • Slope
  • Trend line
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