1DKinematics

1. Determine the Initial and Final Events

• These should be times when you are either given some piece of information, or whne you want to determine some information.

2. Draw a Diagram

• Draw the object at the initial and final events in the appropriate relative positions.
• Draw and label vectors showing the initial and final velocities (attached to the object).
• Draw and label the acceleration vector.
• Draw and label the displacement vector (an arrow from the initial to the final location).
• If you don't know the direction of a velocity or acceleration, draw the arrow in the positive direction and label it with the appropriate value.
• Define the positive direction.

3. Make a kinematics table.

• Displacement Δx
• Initial velocity v_i
• Final velocity v_f
• Acceleration a
• Time interval Δt

• Fill in the variables you are given; no problem solving yet!
• You may and should convert values to SI units.
• You need at least three.
• See Filling in the Variables for help in doing this.

4. Decide which variable you need to solve for.

...and write NEED next to it.

5. Choose an equation.

• If there is a variable you don't know and don't need, choose the equation from these that does not include that variable.
• Otherwise, choose the equation that includes the needed variable that looks easiest to solve.

6. Solve the equation for the needed variable.

7. Determine whether the result is sensible.

• Does it have the right units? (m for Δx, m/s for v, and m/s² for a.)
• If there are two answers, choose the one that makes the most sense.