Work through the list without notes. If you cannot do a statement, follow its link, then come back. Guide = study guide; Practice = practice questions.
Understanding
- I can name five ways to represent a motion and say what each shows most clearly. (Guide: “One motion, five representations”)
- I can read a motion diagram: gaps for speed, arrows for velocity and acceleration. (Guide: Figure 1; Practice Q1)
- I can state what the slope and the area of x–t, v_x–t and a_x–t graphs represent. (Guide: “Graphs: slopes and areas”; Practice Q2, Q5)
- I can explain why the three kinematic equations need constant acceleration, and when to split a motion into stages. (Guide: “Where the constant-acceleration equations come from”)
- I can describe free-fall acceleration near Earth’s surface: size, direction and why it stays the same at the top of a throw. (Guide: “Free fall near Earth’s surface”; Practice Q3)
Skills
- I can sketch matching x–t, v_x–t and a_x–t graphs from a narrative, with values. (Guide: Figure 2; Practice Q5)
- I can find displacement from a v_x–t graph and change in velocity from an a_x–t graph, counting area below the axis as negative. (Practice Q2, Q5)
- I can choose the kinematic equation that leaves out the quantity I do not need, and pick the correct square root. (Guide: Worked example 1; Practice Q4)
- I can solve a vertical throw with a_y = −g, including heights below the launch point. (Guide: Worked example 2)
- I can derive a symbolic expression, such as a fall time or stopping distance, before putting in numbers. (Guide: Worked example 3; Practice Q6)
Reasoning
- I can use a derived expression to predict how a quantity changes when another is doubled or quadrupled. (Guide: Worked example 3; Practice Q6)
- I can compare two objects in free fall that start with different velocities. (Practice Q3)
- I can describe and sketch motion with changing acceleration, and explain why the constant-acceleration equations do not apply. (Guide: “When acceleration is not constant”; Practice Q7)
All ticked? Move on to the Topic 1.4 study guide on reference frames and relative motion, or return to the course roadmap.