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Kinematics

21 Addition of Velocities

Learning Objectives

  • Apply principles of vector addition to determine relative velocity.
  • Explain the significance of the observer in the measurement of velocity.

PhET Explorations: Motion in 2D

Try the new “Ladybug Motion 2D” simulation for the latest updated version. Learn about position, velocity, and acceleration vectors. Move the ball with the mouse or let the simulation move the ball in four types of motion (2 types of linear, simple harmonic, circle).

Figure 21.8: Motion in 2D

Glossary

classical relativity
the study of relative velocities in situations where speeds are less than about 1% of the speed of light—that is, less than 3000 km/s
relative velocity
the velocity of an object as observed from a particular reference frame
relativity
the study of how different observers moving relative to each other measure the same phenomenon
velocity
speed in a given direction
vector addition
the rules that apply to adding vectors together

License

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College Physics 1 Copyright © 2012 by OSCRiceUniversity is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.