Kinematics is the branch of Mechanics that studies the motion of bodies. To better apprehend the movement of a body, the physicist studies the evolution over time of the following three quantities:
1. Position
2. Speed
3. Acceleration
Changes over time are here traced in the form of a graph. You will find here graphs for uniform linear motion at constant speed and under conditions of a constant acceleration.
The study of the forces applied to the car shows that the sum of these forces is zero for constant speed, but not for the case of uniform acceleration.
Learning objectives
To show graphs of the three principal kinematic variables as they vary over time.
To graphically illustrate the successive derivatives that link the functions x, v and a.
To describe the motion of a body in two different ways simultaneously: via motion analysis photography and in the form of a graph
How to use the animation
Select from the appropriate menu the type of motion and the variable to be observed.