Physics - Vectors and Scalars
OCR A-Level Physics 2022
Uniform and non-uniform acceleration
What is uniform acceleration?
Where the acceleration is constant during motion.
What is non-uniform acceleration?
Where the acceleration changes during motion.
Vector and scalar quantities
Vector’s quote in Despicable Me is?
“I commit crimes with both direction and magnitude”
Motion in a circle
How could you describe the velocity of a object moving at a constant speed in a circle?
- Constantly changing velocity and therefore accelerating.
- Because the object is changing direction and velocity is a vector.
Vectors at A-level
What is the biggest difference between physics at GCSE and at A-level?
- GCSE is thinking in one dimension
- A-level is thinking in two
What is the No.1 rule for adding vectors?
Always add them tip to tail.
Velocity and acceleration
What is the average velocity for any motion where you return to the starting point?
Why is the average velocity for any motion where you return to the starting point $0ms^{-1}$?
Because displacement is a vector and so the overall displacement for the motion will be $0m$.