Motion and Speed

It's very important to understand the difference between these terms because Physicists are very fussy about the precise definition of words.

1. 1
   Speed is the rate of movement

   .

   Speed = distance / time

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2. 2
   'Velocity is not just the rate of movement, but the rate of movement in a certain direction

   .

   Velocity = displacement / time. The diagram below shows displacement. See how it can have positive and negative values.

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Acceleration is when the speed of an object is increasing - similar to when you put your foot on the accelerator to go faster on the motorway. It does not go straight to 130 km/h, but must speed up to reach it. The equation for acceleration is

Speed - Time Graph

From the start to point A the train is traveling at a constant speed of 10ms-1

Between points A and B it is accelerating because the line goes up, on a distance time graph this would appear as a curve. It accelerates at: a = (v-u)/t a = (30 - 10)/100 a = 0.2ms-2

From B to C it is at a constant speed of 30ms-1

To find the distance you calculate the area under the line using simple laws of geometry. The main difference with a velocity / time graph, is when the line goes down, it may mean the object is decelerating or it is moving in the opposite direction, so it is possible to have a negative velocity.

Stopping Distance

Stopping distance is the distance a vehicle travels from the point the driver should stop, to when he or she actually becomes stationary. It combines thinking distance and deceleration distance. Here it is represented in a speed/time graph.

Factors that can increase stopping distance are:

1. 1
   Speed

   .

   A faster vehicle will travel more distance (d = s x t).

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2. 2
   Mass

   .

   A heavier vehicle may travel further because it has greater momentum.

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3. 3
   Road Condition

   .

   If the road is wet, for example, the vehicle will move more because there is less friction to stop it. That is why we should drive slower when it rains, the DSA advises that stopping distance is doubled in the rain and increases by 10 times on icy roads.

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4. 4
   Reaction Time

   .

   The thinking distance will be lengthened if the driver isn't concentrating or their reaction has been inhibited by alcohol or sleep deprivation for example.

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Hello Jamie my name is Vincent and I want to know the difference between speed and motion?

I want to know the difference between speed and motion. What would be the very simple way to express these difference particularly to a non-scientific person?

Very Simply put:

• 1) Motion is a state of progression from point A to point B.

• 2) Speed is a state of moving rapidly "Rapidity".

If you need to reference this article in your work, you can copy-paste the following depending on your required format:

APA (American Psychological Association)
Motion and Speed. (2017). In ScienceAid. Retrieved Sep 30, 2023, from https://scienceaid.net/physics/forces/motion.html

MLA (Modern Language Association) "Motion and Speed." ScienceAid, scienceaid.net/physics/forces/motion.html Accessed 30 Sep 2023.

Chicago / Turabian ScienceAid.net. "Motion and Speed." Accessed Sep 30, 2023. https://scienceaid.net/physics/forces/motion.html.

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