Lesson Notes By Weeks and Term v4 - SHS 1

Lesson Video

This page supports the lesson note with a companion video and a short classroom-ready summary.

For class groups and homework, share this lesson page so learners also get the summary, objectives, and full lesson context.

Performance objectives

• Define and differentiate between distance, displacement, speed, velocity, and acceleration.
• Derive and apply the equations of uniformly accelerated motion.
• Represent motion using graphs.
• Apply concepts to real-life scenarios in Ghana.

Lesson summary

This lesson introduces the fundamental principles of kinematics, the study of motion without considering its causes. We see motion everywhere in Ghana – a tro-tro accelerating from a bus stop, a footballer chasing a ball, or even a mango falling from a tree. By understanding the mathematical relationships that govern motion, we can predict and analyze these everyday events. Today, we will derive and apply the three key equations that describe objects moving with constant, or uniform, acceleration.

Lesson notes

Part 1: Foundational Terminologies (Recap and Clarification)

Before we derive the equations, let's be very clear on the building blocks. Distance vs. Displacement: Distance (s): The total path length covered by an object. It is a scalar quantity (it only has size, no direction). *Example: You walk 10 metres to the front of the classroom and 10 metres back. The distance you covered is 20 metres.* Displacement (s): The change in position of an object in a specific direction. It is a vector quantity (it has both size and direction). *Example: In the same scenario, you start and end at the same point, so your displacement is 0 metres.* Speed vs. Velocity: Speed: The rate at which an object covers distance. It is a scalar. `Speed = Distance / Time`. Velocity (v): The rate of change of displacement. It is a vector. `Velocity = Displacement / Time`. *Example: A car travelling at 60 km/h is its speed. A car travelling at 60 km/h due North is its velocity.* Acceleration (a): Definition: Acceleration is the rate of change of velocity. It tells us how quickly an object's velocity is changing. It is a vector. Formula: `Acceleration (a) = (Final Velocity - Initial Velocity) / Time taken` `a = (v - u) / t` Where: `v` = final velocity (m/s) `u` = initial velocity (m/s) `t` = time (s) `a` = acceleration (m/s²) Uniform Acceleration: This means the velocity changes by the same amount in every equal time interval. The acceleration value is constant. *Example: An object in freefall near the Earth's surface.* Part 2: Deriving the Equations of Motion

These equations are only valid for uniform (constant) acceleration. Equation 1: `v = u + at`

This equation comes directly from the definition of acceleration. We know that acceleration `a` is the change in velocity `(v - u)` divided by time `t`. `a = (v - u) / t` To make `v` the subject, we first multiply both sides by `t`: `at = v - u` Then, we add `u` to both sides to isolate `v`: `at + u = v` Rearranging for the standard format, we get: `v = u + at` ... (Equation 1)

Evaluation guide

• Establi sh equations of uniformly accelerated motion and its application in daily life.
• Talk for learning :
•  Learners brainstorm and define the terminologies distance, displacement, speed, velocity,
• acceleration, average velocity, instantaneous velocity and disting uish between them.