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Concordian International School

IBDP Physics (2025): A.1 Kinematics

This guide is for the DP Physics syllabus with first assessments in 2025

A.1 Kinematics

Demos and simulations

Instructions:

  1. Press "Start"
  2. Look at the trajectory
  3. Check the correct boxes for velocity and acceleration.
  4. If you got it right - click the arrow up and repeat for the next motion

Are you able to get all 10 motions correctly?

This simulation visualizes the average and instantaneous velocity. 

Choose a graph and drag the slider. Observe

  1. The values of the instantaneous velocity and average velocity
  2. How these are obtained from the graph.

Where is the instantaneous velocity zero?

Where is the average velocity zero?

Two blocks are sent off with the same initial velocity on two different tracks.

Which one will arrive at the destination first?

Click "Start" to run the simulation.

Explain your observation (hint: focus on the horizontal and vertical components of the velocity) 

Drag the time button to the right and observe the vectors on the left and graphs on the right

Throw the ball at random speeds.

What can you say about the vertical motion in each case (vertical red drops)?

What can you say about the horizontal motion in each case (horizontal red drops)?

Link here

  1. "Fire" without air resistance.
  2. Select "Air resistance" and set your b - value to your chosen value (higher b --> higher air resistance)
  3. "Fire" with air resistance

Name 3 ways in which the two trajectories differ

Step 1.

Adjust the angle and velocity so you can hit the monkey!

Link

Step 2.

Press Movement 1, Press movement 2, Press movement 1+2.

Explain, using equations, your observation for movement 1+2