Physics Review Question

Unit: mechanics
Year: 1988 Question#: 2
Question: Distance is to displacement as
(1 ) force is to weight
(2 )speed is to velocity
(3 )velocity is to acceleration
(4 )impulse is to momentum

What is this question really asking?




Explanation by: Meghan K.

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Answer 1
Force is to weight.

Incorrect.

We are looking for the pattern of scalar to vector.
force to weight is more like the pattern of general to specific.





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Answer 2
Speed is to velocity

Correct.
We are looking for a pattern that is scalar to vector.
Distance is a scalar quantity. It is the total length of the path that an object travels. Displacement is the corresponding vector quantity. Meaning, it is distance with regard to direction. It extends in a straight line from starting point to end point. Speed is a scalar quantity measuring distance divided by time. Velocity is the corresponding vector quantity measuring displacement divided by time. Meaning, it is speed with regard to direction.

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Answer 3
Velocity to acceleration

Incorrect

We are looking for the pattern of scalar to vector not vector to related vector.
Velocity is a component of the relationship called acceleration. Acceleration is a vector quantity of change in velocity divided by the change in time.
A= change in velocity/change in time.
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Answer 4
Impulse to momentum

Incorrect
We are looking for the pattern of scalar to vector, not vector to related vector.
Impulse is a vector quantity and is the product of force X time. Momentum is the product of mass X velocity. These have nothing to do with displacement or distance.

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What's this question really asking?
Which of the choices are relative in the same way that distance and displacement are? return to top

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