Acceleration

Acceleration is a way to measure how fast something is speeding up. Some acceleration scenarios are:

1) Kicking a football
When a football is kicked, at first it speeds up from start (acceleration) then again due to friction and air resistance it slows down and finally comes to rest {retardation}.

2) Throwing a ball
When a ball is thrown at a certain angle with the ground it follows sort of a round path (parabolic to be exact) that means it changes direction all the time. This is also acceleration.

3) Braking a car
When a speeding car breaks it slows down with time. Its an acceleration example, but some people prefer to call it retardation.

4) Pushing a pedal
When one pushes the pedal of a car it accelerates, meaning, it goes faster with time. Its acceleration.

Velocity
Velocity is the rate something changes position. This can include both speed and direction changes. Examples of velocity scenarios are :

1) Car speeding up
When a car accelerates, the engine transfers torque to the wheels and the tractional force (not frictional force because the coefficient of traction can be greater than one) accelerates the car forward.

2) Car slowing down

In slowing down, the brakes apply a frictional force to the rotors on the tires, and the tractional force slows the car down.

3) Turning a corner
Turning becomes more complicated, but basically the tires are turned and the longitudinal traction is less than the lateral traction of the tire, so the car takes the path of least resistance, and turns with the tires.

4) Sprinters racing

Instantaneous velocity is the velocity at a specific instant in time. This can be different to the average velocity if the velocity isn't constant. Look at the photographs of the sprinters in a race. Their velocity is different as they take off and as they end. Their average velocity for the race doesn't change but their instantaneous velocity, as captured in the snapshots of an instant in time does change. Their velocity in the photograph would be an instantaneous velocity.

Momentum
Momentum can be defined as "mass in motion." All objects have mass; so if an object is moving, then it has momentum it has its mass in motion. There are two types of Momentum : Elastic and Inelastic Examples of elastic momentum scenarios are:

1) Elastic momenteum
Elastic collisions are collisions in which both momentum and kinetic energy are conserved. In the collision between the truck and the car, total system momentum is conserved. Before the collision, the momentum of the truck is 60000 kg*m/s and the momentum of the car is 0 kg*m/s; the total system momentum is 60000 kg*m/s. After the collision, the momentum of the truck is 30000 kg*m/s and the momentum of the car is 30000 kg*m/s; the total system momentum is 60000 kg*m/s. The total system momentum is conserved.

2) Inelastic momentum
If total kinetic energy is not conserved, then the collision is referred to as an inelastic collision. In the collision between a truck and a car, total system momentum is conserved. Before the collision, the momentum of the truck is 60000 kg*m/s and the momentum of the car is 0 kg*m/s; the total system momentum is 60000 kg*m/s. After the collision, the momentum of the truck is 45000 kg*m/s and the momentum of the car is 15000 kg*m/s; the total system momentum is 60000 kg*m/s. The total system momentum is conserved. The momentum lost by the truck (15000 kg*m/s) is gained by the car.

Inertia
The term "inertia" refers to the tendency of matter to continue to move, or to stay at rest, unless an external force acts upon it. Some inertia scenarios are:

1) Movement of brain after an impact

A football player is tackled and his head hits the ground. The impact stops his skull, but his brain continues to move and hit the inside of his skull. His brain is showing inertia.

2) Illusion of body moving backwards as vehicles accelerate When a car is abruptly accelerated, drivers and passengers may feel as though their bodies are moving backward. In reality, inertia is making the body want to stay in place as the car moves forward.

3) Pulling a tablecloth under dishes

If pulled quickly, a tablecloth can be removed from underneath dishes. The dishes have the tendency to remain still as long as the friction from the movement of the tablecloth is not too great.

4) Continuance of hockey puck

A hockey puck will continue to slide across ice until acted upon by an outside force.

Speed
Speed is a measurement of how fast an object moves relative to a reference point. It does not have a direction and is considered a magnitude or scalar quantity. Some speed scenarios are:

1) A moving car
If a car is traveling at the rate of 100 miles per hour the speed can be determined by how far it has traveled since it started moving.

2) Running a marathon The speed can be measured by calculating the average distance and average time.