MODULE I

UNIFORMLY ACCELERATED MOTION

Lesson 1: Motion along a straight

line

Lesson 2 Free Fall

Lesson 3 Upward Motion

Module I
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MODULE I

UNIFORMLY ACCELERATED MOTION

 INTRODUCTION

This module presents uniformly accelerated motion. It will discuss the

topics on motion along a straight line, free fall and upward motion
(acceleration due to gravity). It is hoped that you will learn how to determine
and use the correct given values such as initial and final velocity, and
acceleration. You will also learn how to convert such quantities to different
system of units. It is also hoped that you will like and appreciate Physics as a
subject.

OBJECTIVES

After studying the module, you should be able to:

1. Discuss concepts such as distance or displacement, speed or

velocity and acceleration.
2. Solve and convert quantities or values to other system of units.
3. Solve and analyze problems on uniformly accelerated motion.
4. Identify and determine values of velocity, distance, time and
acceleration.
5. Solve and analyze problems under acceleration due to gravity.
6. Identify and determine values of velocity, height, time and
acceleration.

 DIRECTIONS/ MODULE ORGANIZER

There are three lessons in the module. Read each lesson thoughtfully
then answer the learning activities and a summative test at the end of the
module to find out how much you have benefited from it. Work on these
activities carefully. Date of submission and how will be submitted will be
posted in the google classroom or group chat.

In case you encounter difficulty, contact or message your

instructor/professor through messenger.

Good luck and happy reading!!!

Module I
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Lesson 1

 MOTION ALONG A STRAIGHT LINE

(Uniformly Accelerated Motion)

Physics is an empirical study. Everything we know about the physical

world and about the principles that govern its behavior has been learned
through observations of the phenomena of nature. The ultimate test of any
physical theory is its agreement w/ observations and measurements of
physical phenomena.
Thus physics is inherently a science of measurement.
Physics is one of the most fundamental of the sciences.
Physics is also the foundation of all engineering and technology.
Physics is a science that deals with matter, space, time, forces and energy.

Kinematics is the study of motion, without any reference to the forces that
cause the motion. It basically means studying how things are moving not why
they are moving. It includes concepts such as distance or displacement, speed
or velocity, and acceleration, and it looks at how those values vary over time.

Speed – is a scalar quantity

The speed of a moving body is the distance it moves per unit of time.

𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑑 𝑠
𝑎𝑣𝑒. 𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑒𝑑 = ; 𝑣=
𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝑒𝑙𝑎𝑝𝑠𝑒𝑑 𝑜𝑟 𝑡𝑎𝑘𝑒𝑛 𝑡

where: s = distance; v = ave. speed ; t = time

Velocity – a vector quantity that describes both how fast an object it is moving
and the direction in which it is headed.

𝑣𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑜𝑟 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑠
𝑎𝑣𝑒. 𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦 = ; 𝑣⃗ =
𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝑒𝑙𝑎𝑝𝑠𝑒𝑑 𝑜𝑟 𝑡𝑎𝑘𝑒𝑛 𝑡

Let us review some conversions:

1 km = 1000 m 1 in. = 2.54 cm 1 day = 86400 s

1 min = 60 s 1 m = 39.37 in. 1 mi = 5280 ft.

Example:

An automobile traveled by a circuitous path for a time of 3.0 ℎ & covered a

total distance of180 𝑚𝑖𝑙𝑒.

a) What was the average speed in ft / s ?

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b) If at the end of the trip the car was exactly 60 𝑚𝑖𝑙𝑒𝑠 𝑁 of its starting
point, what was the average velocity?

Solution:

𝑠 180 𝑚𝑖 60 𝑚𝑖
𝑎. ) 𝑣= = =
𝑡 3ℎ ℎ

Since we are ask to express the answer in 𝑓𝑡./𝑠, we convert miles to

feet and hours to second, thus

60 𝑚𝑖 5280 𝑓𝑡 1ℎ 88 𝑓𝑡
𝑣= 𝑥 𝑥 =
ℎ 1 𝑚𝑖 3600 𝑠 𝑠

Did you get how it is done?

𝑠 60 𝑚𝑖 20mi
𝑏. ) 𝑣⃗ = = 𝑁= N
𝑡 3ℎ h

Acceleration – the rate at which the velocity is changing.

𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦
𝑎𝑣𝑒. 𝑎𝑐𝑐𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 =
𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝑒𝑙𝑎𝑝𝑠𝑒𝑑 𝑜𝑟 𝑡𝑎𝑘𝑒𝑛
∆𝑣
𝑎⃗ = ; ∆𝑣 = 𝑣𝑓 − 𝑣𝑖 𝑣𝑓 = 𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑣𝑖 = 𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑙 𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦
𝑡

Example:

An automobile accelerates at a constant rate from 15 𝑚𝑖/ℎ to 45 𝑚𝑖/ℎ in 10 𝑠

while traveling in a straight line. What is the average acceleration?

Given: 𝑣𝑖 = 15 𝑚𝑖/ℎ 𝑣𝑓 = 45 𝑚𝑖/ℎ 𝑡 = 10 𝑠

Required: 𝑎⃗
Solution:
𝑚𝑖 𝑚𝑖 𝑚𝑖
∆𝑣 𝑣𝑓 − 𝑣𝑖 45 − 15 30
𝑎. ) 𝑎⃗ = = = ℎ ℎ = ℎ
𝑡 𝑡 10 𝑠 − 0 10𝑠

𝑚𝑖 𝑓𝑡
𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑐𝑒 30 = 44
ℎ 𝑠

Then, the average acceleration can be written also as

𝑓𝑡
44 𝑠 𝑓𝑡
𝑎⃗ = = 4.4
10𝑠 𝑠2

Module I
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Uniformly Accelerated Motion:

 Motion in a straight line in which the direction is always the same &
the speed changes at a constant rate.

5 formulas:

1. ) 𝑠 = 𝑣𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑡 𝑜𝑟 𝑠= 𝑣
⃗⃗⃗⃗𝑡

(𝑣𝑓 − 𝑣𝑖 )
2. ) 𝑎 = 𝑜𝑟 𝑣𝑓 = 𝑣𝑖 + 𝑎𝑡
𝑡
1
3. ) 𝑣𝑎𝑣𝑒 = (𝑣 + 𝑣𝑖 )
2 𝑓

4. ) 𝑣𝑓 2 = 𝑣𝑖 2 + 2𝑎𝑠

5. ) 𝑠 = 𝑣𝑖 𝑡 + 1⁄2 𝑎𝑡 2

𝑁𝑜𝑡𝑒: 𝑣𝑓 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑣𝑖 𝑐𝑎𝑛 𝑠𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒𝑠 𝑏𝑒 𝑤𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑛 𝑎𝑠 𝑣 𝑎𝑛𝑑𝑣𝑜.

Example:

How far does an automobile move while its speed increases uniformly from
15 𝑚𝑖/ℎ to 45 𝑚𝑖/ℎ in10 𝑠? Express your answer in 𝑓𝑡.

Given: 𝑣𝑖 = 15 𝑚𝑖/ℎ 𝑣𝑓 = 45 𝑚𝑖/ℎ t = 10 s

Required: 𝑠 𝑖𝑛 𝑓𝑡.
Solution: any of the distance formula would do in solving the required. You
can use the first formula but solve first the average velocity

1 1 𝑚𝑖 𝑚𝑖 𝑓𝑡
𝑣⃗ = (𝑣𝑓 + 𝑣𝑖 ) = (45 + 15) = 30 = 44
2 2 ℎ ℎ 𝑠

44 𝑓𝑡
𝑠= 𝑣
⃗⃗⃗⃗𝑡 = (10 𝑠) = 440 𝑓𝑡
𝑠

Example Problems:

1. A ship travels 9 𝑚𝑖 in 45 𝑚𝑖𝑛. What is its speed in 𝑚𝑖/ℎ?

Given: 𝑠 = 9 𝑚𝑖 𝑡 = 45 𝑚𝑖𝑛
Required: 𝑣 𝑖𝑛 𝑚𝑖/ℎ
Solution: converting minutes to hours

𝑠 9 𝑚𝑖 60 𝑚𝑖𝑛 𝑚𝑖
𝑣= = 𝑥 = 12
𝑡 45 𝑚𝑖𝑛 1ℎ ℎ

Module I
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Lesson 2

 FREE FALL
(Acceleration due to gravity)

Free falling bodies:

When an object is raised and released, it falls faster and faster because
gravity is continually pulling it down. Such object, called a freely falling body,
is not affected by any other force except gravity. Its downward speed
𝑚 𝑓𝑡
increases by 9.8 𝑠 (32 ) after each second. The longer the time of fall the
𝑠
greater the velocity. Disregarding air friction, all bodies fall with constant
acceleration if the distance of fall is not too great.
The increasing speed of a freely falling body is called acceleration
𝑚 𝑓𝑡
due to gravity and is equal to 𝑔 = 9.8 𝑠2 𝑜𝑟 (𝑔 = 32 𝑠2 ).
𝑚
On the moon, 𝑔 = 1. 60 𝑠2

5 formulas:

1. ) 𝑦 = 𝑣𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑡 𝑜𝑟 𝑦= 𝑣
⃗⃗⃗⃗𝑡

(𝑣𝑓 − 𝑣𝑖 )
2. ) 𝑔 = 𝑜𝑟 𝑣𝑓 = 𝑣𝑖 + 𝑔𝑡
𝑡
1
3. ) 𝑣𝑎𝑣𝑒 = (𝑣 + 𝑣𝑖 )
2 𝑓

4. ) 𝑣𝑓 2 = 𝑣𝑖 2 + 2𝑔𝑦

5. ) 𝑦 = 𝑣𝑖 𝑡 + 1⁄2 𝑔𝑡 2

Example Problems:

1. A stone dropped from a bridge strikes the water 2.5 𝑠 later.

a. What is its final velocity in m/s?
b. How high is the bridge?

𝑚
Given:∶ 𝑣𝑖 = 0 𝑡 = 2.5 𝑠 𝑔 = + 9.8 𝑠2
𝑚
Required: 𝑎. ) 𝑣𝑓 𝑖𝑛 𝑠 𝑏. ) 𝑦
Solution:
𝑚
Solving for 𝑎. ) 𝑣𝑓 𝑖𝑛 𝑠

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𝑚
𝑣𝑓 = 𝑣𝑖 + 𝑔𝑡 = 0 + ( 9.8 2 ) ( 2.5 𝑠)
𝑠
𝑚
𝑣𝑓 = 24.50
𝑠
Solving for 𝑏. ) 𝑦, here any distance formula can be use, try
𝑦 = 𝑣𝑖 𝑡 + 1⁄2 𝑔𝑡 2
𝑚
𝑦 = (0)( 2.5 𝑠) + 1⁄2 (9.8 2 ) ( 2.5 𝑠)2
𝑠
𝑦 = 30.625 𝑚 𝑜𝑟 30.63 𝑚

2. A ball is thrown vertically downward with a velocity of 12 𝑚/𝑠.

a. How far has the ball fallen in 1 𝑠?
b. 2 𝑠 later?
𝑚
Given:∶ 𝑣𝑖 = 12 𝑚/𝑠 𝑔 = + 9.8 𝑠2
Required: 𝑎. ) 𝑦 𝑖𝑛 1 𝑠 𝑏. ) 𝑦 𝑖𝑛 2 𝑠
Solution:
Solving for 𝑎. ) 𝑦 𝑖𝑛 1 𝑠

𝑦 = 𝑣𝑖 𝑡 + 1⁄2 𝑔𝑡 2
𝑚 𝑚
𝑦 = (12 ) (1 𝑠) + 1⁄2 (9.8 2 )(1 𝑠)2
𝑠 𝑠

𝑦 = 16.9 𝑚

Solving for 𝑏. ) 𝑦 𝑖𝑛 2 𝑠 the same formula

𝑚 𝑚
𝑦 = (12 ) (2 𝑠) + 1⁄2 (9.8 2 )(2 𝑠)2
𝑠 𝑠

𝑦 = 43.6 𝑚

3. A ball is dropped from a window 64 𝑓𝑡 above the ground.

a. How long does it take the ball to reach the ground?
b. What is its final velocity?

𝑓𝑡
Given:∶ 𝑣𝑖 = 0 𝑦 = 64 𝑓𝑡 𝑔 = + 32 𝑠2
Required: 𝑎. ) 𝑡 𝑏. ) 𝑣𝑓
Solution:
Solving for 𝑎. ) 𝑡 we can use the 5th formula since y and 𝑣𝑖 is
given, then substitute values
𝑦 = 𝑣𝑖 𝑡 + 1⁄2 𝑔𝑡 2
𝑓𝑡
64 𝑓𝑡 = (0)𝑡 + 1⁄2 ( 32 2 )𝑡 2
𝑠
𝑓𝑡 2
64 𝑓𝑡 = 16 2 𝑡
𝑠
𝑡 =2𝑠

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Lesson 3

 UPWARD MOTION
(Acceleration due to gravity)

Motion of a body thrown upward:

It is common knowledge that when an object is thrown upward, it soon

comes down. As it goes up its acceleration decreases
by 9.8 𝑚 𝑠 2 𝑜𝑟 (32 𝑓𝑡 𝑠 2 ). Gravity decreases its speed until it becomes zero.
At this point, it has reached its maximum height and starts to fall. As it falls,
it speed increases uniformly. The velocity when it has reached the same
where it was thrown equals the initial velocity. The time of ascent equals the
time of fall.
𝑚
On the moon, 𝑔 = 1. 60 𝑠2

In this lesson, we will also use the 5 formulas for uniformly accelerated
motion, but the acceleration 𝑎 is changed by 𝑔. We will change also the letter
𝑠 to 𝑦 for the distance which indicates 𝑦 as vertical distance.

Note: Before we go to problem solving, 𝑔 here is constant but negative value,

𝑚 𝑓𝑡
use 𝑔 = − 9.8 𝑠2 if the distance is in meter or kilometer and use 𝑔 = − 32 𝑠2
𝑚
if the distance is in feet. On the moon, 𝑔 = −1. 60 𝑠2

Note: Taking up as positive, At the highest point, the velocity will be

zero. If we compute such value positive like velocity it means that it is going
upward but if is negative the object is directed downward.

Example Problems:
1. A ball thrown vertically upward return to its starting point in 4 𝑠. Find
its initial speed?

Note: Fr. beginning to end, displacement is zero

𝑚
Given: 𝑦 = 0, 𝑡 = 4 𝑠 𝑔 = − 9.8 𝑠2
Required: 𝑣𝑖
Solution:
𝑦 = 𝑣𝑖 𝑡 + 1⁄2 𝑔𝑡 2
𝑚
0 = 𝑣𝑖 (4 𝑠) + 1⁄2 (− 9.8 2 )(4 𝑠)2
𝑠
78.4 𝑚 = 𝑣𝑖 (4 𝑠)
𝑚
𝑣𝑖 = 19.6
𝑠

2. A stone is thrown straight upward and it rises to a height of 20 m. With

what speed was it thrown?

Module I
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𝑚
Given: 𝑦 = 0, 𝑦 = 20 m 𝑔 = − 9.8 𝑠2
Required: 𝑣𝑖
Solution: at the highest point, 𝑣𝑓 = 0

𝑣𝑓 2 = 𝑣𝑖 2 + 2𝑔𝑦
𝑚
02 = 𝑣𝑖 2 + 2(− 9.8 2 )20 m
𝑠

𝑚2
392 = 𝑣𝑖 2
𝑠2
𝑚
𝑣𝑖 = 19.80
𝑠

3. A stone is thrown vertically upward w/ velocity 40 𝑚/𝑠 at the edge of

a cliff having a height of 110 𝑚. Neglecting air resistance,
a. compute the time required to strike the ground at the base of
the cliff.
b. With what velocity does it strike?

Note: Choose upward as positive.

𝑚 𝑚
Given:∶ 𝑣𝑖 = 40 𝑠 y = −110m 𝑔 = − 9.8 𝑠2

(Note that y is negative since our basis or starting point is at the top of
the cliff which is zero considering the base of the cliff. From the xy
plane, below zero is negative value.)

Required: 𝑎. ) 𝑡 𝑏. ) 𝑣𝑓
Solution:

We can compute first for the velocity,

Solving for 𝑏. ) 𝑣𝑓
𝑣𝑓 2 = 𝑣𝑖 2 + 2𝑔𝑦

𝑚 2 𝑚
𝑣𝑓 2 = (40 ) + 2(− 9.8 2 )(−110m)
𝑠 𝑠

Considering the positive and the negative value of velocity

𝑚2
𝑣𝑓 2 = ±3756 2
𝑠
Since it is directed downward, we choose the negative value, hence

𝑚
𝑣𝑓 = −61.29
𝑠
Solving for 𝑎. ) 𝑡 since the computed velocity is negative, we
carry on the sign

𝑣𝑓 = 𝑣𝑖 + 𝑔𝑡

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 MODULE SUMMARY

In module I, you have learned about uniformly accelerated motion. You

have learned the important concepts like velocity, displacement and
acceleration which varies along time.

There are three lessons in module I. Lesson 1 discusses motion along a

straight line. The five formulas for uniformly accelerated motion was
presented.

Lesson 2 deals with the motion on free falling bodies. Free fall
acceleration or what we called acceleration due to gravity was presented.

Lesson 3 is the upward motion. Upward motion is a combination of

objects thrown upward and free fall. Acceleration due to gravity is also
present. Careful assigning of positive and negative values is noted.

Congratulations! You have just studied Module I. now you are ready to
evaluate how much you have benefited from your reading by answering the
summative test. Good Luck!!!

Module I