Modeling Linear Motion with Equations

You have learned that uniformly accelerated motion is modeled with equations. Position-time graphs for uniformly accelerated motion are parabolic. This structure corresponds to Kinematics Equation Two, which shows that x is a function of time squared. Velocity-time graphs for uniformly accelerated motion are linear. This corresponds to Kinematics Equation One, which shows that v is a function of t.

There are five kinematics variables: displacement, acceleration, initial velocity, final velocity, and time. Each of the four kinematics equations has four of the five variables in it. Identifying the given and unknown values helps you select the appropriate equation to solve the problem.