Two Dimensional Kinematics

Introduction

Kinematics will now be applied to motion in two dimensions. First, we will learn how to calculate the components of a vector and how to resolve those components to solve for both the magnitude and direction of a vector. These concepts will then be applied to a particle moving through projectile motion. A particle moving through projectile motion is an object traveling though space under the influence of nothing but gravity.

Essential Questions

What are the x and y components of a given vector?
What is the net displacement when given a series of displacement vectors for a particle?
What is the net change in velocity when given a series of velocity vectors for a particle?
How can the components, magnitude, and direction of a particle's velocity and acceleration be determined by the functions x(t) and y(t)?
What are the horizontal and vertical components of velocity and position as a function of time?
What is the motion of a projectile that is projected with arbitrary initial velocity?

Key Terms

Vector - Any quantity that has a magnitude and direction.
Scalar - A quantity that can be defined with only a magnitude.
Component of a Vector - The magnitudes and directions (x and y or horizontal and vertical) or any vector.
Resolving a Vector - Combining the components of a vector to determine its magnitude and direction.
Projectile - Any object traveling through the air under the influence of only the force of gravity.
Projectile Motion - The behavior of an object traveling through the air under the influence of only the force of gravity.

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