SACE STAGE 1 PHYSICS NOTES
Contents:
Topic 1: Linear motion and forces
1.1 Motion under constant acceleration
1.2 Forces
Topic 3: Heat
3.1: Heat and temperature
3.2: Specific heat capacity
3.3: Change of state
Topic 4: Energy and momentum
4.1: Energy
4.2: Momentum
, SI Units-
• International system that is used by scientists all over the world.
Mass = kg (kilogram)
Length = m (meter)
Time = s (second)
Force = n
Velocity = ms-1
Acceleration = ms-2
Electric current = A (Ampere)
Amount of substance = mol (mole)
Thermodynamic temperature = K (kelvin)
Prefix’s-
Tera Giga Mega Kilo Centi Milli Micro Nano Pico
T G M k c m µ n f
1012 109 106 103 10−2 10−3 10−6 10−9 10−12
Minimum and maximum ranges
• Length: Diameter of nucleus (10−15 ) to the visible universe (1025 𝑚)
• Mass: Mass of an electron (10−30 ) to mass of the universe (1050 𝑘𝑔)
• Time: Time for light to pass nucleus (10−23 ) to the age of the universe (10−18 𝑠)
Significant figures
• The final answer should be rounded to the significant figure of the least accurate value.
Topic 1: Linear motion and forces
1.1 Motion under constant acceleration
Key concepts-
Vector quantities- Have Magnitude and direction
Scalar quantities- Have only magnitude
∆𝑣
Acceleration- The change of motion; the rate of change of displacement.
∆𝑡
Displacement- How far a body has travelled in a straight line from origin. It includes direction (e.g. 1m
north) Symbol: ∆𝑺 ∆𝑺 = 𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 − 𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑙 𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛
Distance- Total distance a body has travelled
Velocity- The rate of change of displacement. Vector quantity (the direction is always the same as that of
𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡
the displacement). A change in direction changes the velocity.
𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒
𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒
Speed- The distance of an object travelled per unit of time. Scalar quantity
𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒
Instantaneous speed and instantaneous velocity- A measure of how fast a body is travelling at a point in
time. Is equal to the tangent of the line.
Relative motion- In the context of where you are (e.g. relative motion of remaining stationary is 0 where as
it is thousands of kilometres per hour relative to the earth.
Centre of mass- The balance point of an object
Scalar and Vector quantities
Kinematics- The study of moving objects without reference to mass or force
Dynamics- forces and their effect on motion.
Force- A push or a pull. There are contact or a non-contact forces. It is a vector quantity and has
direction.
Physical quantities:
Scalar (only have magnitude) Vector (have direction / magnitude)
• Distance • Temperature • Displacement Magnetic field
• Speed • Charge • Acceleration
• Time • Heat • Force
• Mass • Energy • Momentum
• Volume • Power • Electric field
Contents:
Topic 1: Linear motion and forces
1.1 Motion under constant acceleration
1.2 Forces
Topic 3: Heat
3.1: Heat and temperature
3.2: Specific heat capacity
3.3: Change of state
Topic 4: Energy and momentum
4.1: Energy
4.2: Momentum
, SI Units-
• International system that is used by scientists all over the world.
Mass = kg (kilogram)
Length = m (meter)
Time = s (second)
Force = n
Velocity = ms-1
Acceleration = ms-2
Electric current = A (Ampere)
Amount of substance = mol (mole)
Thermodynamic temperature = K (kelvin)
Prefix’s-
Tera Giga Mega Kilo Centi Milli Micro Nano Pico
T G M k c m µ n f
1012 109 106 103 10−2 10−3 10−6 10−9 10−12
Minimum and maximum ranges
• Length: Diameter of nucleus (10−15 ) to the visible universe (1025 𝑚)
• Mass: Mass of an electron (10−30 ) to mass of the universe (1050 𝑘𝑔)
• Time: Time for light to pass nucleus (10−23 ) to the age of the universe (10−18 𝑠)
Significant figures
• The final answer should be rounded to the significant figure of the least accurate value.
Topic 1: Linear motion and forces
1.1 Motion under constant acceleration
Key concepts-
Vector quantities- Have Magnitude and direction
Scalar quantities- Have only magnitude
∆𝑣
Acceleration- The change of motion; the rate of change of displacement.
∆𝑡
Displacement- How far a body has travelled in a straight line from origin. It includes direction (e.g. 1m
north) Symbol: ∆𝑺 ∆𝑺 = 𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 − 𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑙 𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛
Distance- Total distance a body has travelled
Velocity- The rate of change of displacement. Vector quantity (the direction is always the same as that of
𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡
the displacement). A change in direction changes the velocity.
𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒
𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒
Speed- The distance of an object travelled per unit of time. Scalar quantity
𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒
Instantaneous speed and instantaneous velocity- A measure of how fast a body is travelling at a point in
time. Is equal to the tangent of the line.
Relative motion- In the context of where you are (e.g. relative motion of remaining stationary is 0 where as
it is thousands of kilometres per hour relative to the earth.
Centre of mass- The balance point of an object
Scalar and Vector quantities
Kinematics- The study of moving objects without reference to mass or force
Dynamics- forces and their effect on motion.
Force- A push or a pull. There are contact or a non-contact forces. It is a vector quantity and has
direction.
Physical quantities:
Scalar (only have magnitude) Vector (have direction / magnitude)
• Distance • Temperature • Displacement Magnetic field
• Speed • Charge • Acceleration
• Time • Heat • Force
• Mass • Energy • Momentum
• Volume • Power • Electric field
