1. PHYSICS STUDY GUIDE
Your upcoming physics test primarily covers material from Chapters 18 and 19 in your textbook. You’ll also want to review your
foldables, notes, in-class work, handouts, homework and quizzes. Be sure to check the class blog (website) as well. Stuff you
will need to know includes, but is not limited to:
Perspective Motion (what it means) Motion Diagrams
Scalar quantities vs. Vector Distance vs. Displacement Distance vs. Time graphs
quantities
Speed Velocity Velocity vs. Time graphs
Acceleration Forces Force diagrams
Balanced vs. Unbalanced Forces Stuff from our previous unit on “SPACE.” We don’t want you forgetting stuff
now that we’ve moved on.
1. What does it mean for an object to be in motion?
2. An object is in motion if it is moving relative to a(n)______________________________
3. Think about our very first physics discussion, with the ball. Why can’t you answer the question, “Is the ball moving?” with a
simple “Yes,” or “No?”
4. Think about your ride home from school. Imagine yourself sitting on the bus (or car), and observing the outside world.
Explain why you are and are not moving on your way home from school.
5. What are the four ways we discussed that an object can move? Name them, and draw the corresponding motion diagram
(Hansel and Gretl dots).
I. __________________________
II. __________________________
III. ___________________________
IV. ___________________________
6. Describe the motion in the following diagrams. Assume that the object is moving from RIGHT TO LEFT
Object
A.

2. PHYSICS STUDY GUIDE
B.
C.
7. What is SPEED? What is the equation you would use to calculate an object’s speed?
8. What is the difference between AVERAGE SPEED and INSTANTANEOUS SPEED?
9. What is VELOCITY? How can velocity change?
10. What is ACCELERATION? How would you calculate acceleration of an object?
11. Which of these two DISTANCE VS. TIME graphs shows periods of constant speed? Explain your answer.
12. Describe the motion of the object in Graph A.

3. PHYSICS STUDY GUIDE
13. Which of the two graphs on the previous page shows acceleration? How do you know?
14. Using Graph A on the previous page, calculate the average speed of the object in motion from 12 s to 20 s.
15. Compare Graphs A and B on the previous page. At a time of 2 seconds, which graph shows a greater velocity?
How do you know?
16. Identify the following VELOCITY VS. TIME graphs as CONSTANT SPEED, INCREASING SPEED or DECREASING
SPEED.
A._______________________ B.______________________ C._______________________
17. On a DISTANCE VS. TIME graph, a flat line segment means ____________________________________. However, on a
VELOCITY VS. TIME graph, a flat line segment means _____________________________.
18. What is a FORCE? Explain the difference between BALANCED and UNBALANCED FORCES.
19. Friction acts in a direction _____________________________________________ to the direction of an object’s motion.
a. unrelated b. opposite
c. equal d. perpendicular

4. PHYSICS STUDY GUIDE
Joe pushing and cabinet moving Draw and label arrows to show which FORCES are involved in this situation.
Remember to make your arrows the appropriate sizes. Indicate whether the
forces are BALANCED or UNBALANCED.
20. If you increase the force on an object, its acceleration
a. decreases. b. stays the same.
c. also increases. d. stops.
21. The following diagrams show a skier accelerating down a hill. In these diagrams F G = Gravity. FN = Normal Force, FF =
Friction and FAR = Air Resistance. THE SKIER IS NOT PUSHING HIMSELF WITH HIS POLES.
In which diagram are the forces labeled correctly?
A FF B FF
FN FAR
FG FN
FG
FAR
C D FN
FN
FAR FF
FF FAR
FG
FG