Topic: Mechanics

Mechanics is divided into four chapters:

1. Vectors and scalars

2. Motion in one dimension

3. Equations of motion

4. Mechanical energy

For each chapter you'll find:

a. Textbook chapter

b. Workbook chapter

c. Video lessons

d. Practice test and memo

The workbook is interactive and goes hand in hand with the video lessons. Download the workbook if you'd like to watch the lessons and fill in information and complete the exercises as we go along.

The textbook is almost identical to the workbook, but it is structured differently. There is nothing to fill in in the textbook. The textbook is for the students that want to read the content without working through the video lessons.

I encourage all students to work through the practice test and memo to assess your understanding of each chapter.

1. Vectors and scalars

Objectives:

Identify physical quantities and categorise them as vectors or scalars.
Define a vector and a scalar.
Represent vectors graphically with a scale and an arrow.
Understand equality of vectors, negative vectors and equilibrants.
Define a resultant vector.
Add vectors in one dimension and in two dimensions graphically using the head-to-tail method.
Add vectors in one dimension and in two dimensions using a right-angled triangle algebraically.

d. Practice test and memo

2. Motion in one dimension

Objectives:

Describe the concepts of origin, position and a frame of reference.
Define distance and displacement.
Calculate distance and displacement for one dimensional motion.
Define average speed and velocity.
Define instantaneous speed and velocity.
Calculate speed and velocity for one dimensional motion.
Know how to do speed conversions.
Define acceleration.
Differentiate between positive acceleration and negative acceleration.
Calculate acceleration in one-dimensional motion.
Draw graphs of x vs t (position vs time), v vs t (velocity vs time) and a vs t (acceleration vs time), and describe motion for:
- Stationary objects.
- Uniform motion
- Constant acceleration.
Determine the velocity of an object from the gradient of an x vs t graph.
Determine the instantaneous velocity of an object from the tangent on an x vs t graph.
Determine the acceleration of an object from the gradient of a v vs t graph.
Determine the displacement of an object by finding the area under a v vs t graph.
Determine the velocity of an object by finding the area under an a vs t graph.