LEARNING OBJECTIVES By the end of this section, you will be able to: Figure 2.8 The motion of these racing snails can be described by their speeds and their velocities. (credit: tobitasflickr, Flickr) There is more to motion than distance and displacement.…
LEARNING OBJECTIVES By the end of this section, you will be able to: Figure 2.6 The motion of this Eclipse Concept jet can be described in terms of the distance it has traveled (a scalar quantity) or its displacement in a specific…
LEARNING OBJECTIVES By the end of this section, you will be able to: Figure 2.2 These cyclists in Vietnam can be described by their position relative to buildings and a canal. Their motion can be described by their change in position, or…
Figure 2.1 The motion of an American kestrel through the air can be described by the bird’s displacement, speed, velocity, and acceleration. When it flies in a straight line without any change in direction, its motion is said to be one dimensional.…
Physics: An Introduction Physical Quantities and Units Accuracy, Precision, and Significant Figures Approximation Scientists often approximate the values of quantities to perform calculations and analyze systems.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES By the end of this section, you will be able to: On many occasions, physicists, other scientists, and engineers need to make approximations or “guesstimates” for a particular quantity. What is the distance to a certain destination? What is the…
LEARNING OBJECTIVES By the end of this section, you will be able to: Figure 1.21 A double-pan mechanical balance is used to compare different masses. Usually an object with unknown mass is placed in one pan and objects of known mass are…
LEARNING OBJECTIVES By the end of this section, you will be able to: Figure 1.15 The distance from Earth to the Moon may seem immense, but it is just a tiny fraction of the distances from Earth to other celestial bodies. (credit:…
LEARNING OBJECTIVES By the end of this section, you will be able to: Figure 1.2 The flight formations of migratory birds such as Canada geese are governed by the laws of physics. (credit: David Merrett) The physical universe is enormously complex in…
Figure 1.1 The laws of physics describe the smallest and largest forces and structures, such as the Veil Nebula, a supernova remnant from a star that was 20 times larger than our Sun. Stretching over 110 light years across, the spectacular image…