AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based Flashcards: Displacement, Velocity, and Acceleration
Written by AP Content Team, Verified for 2026 AP Exams, Last updated: May 2026
Review key ideas with interactive flashcards. This set includes 19 cards to help you master important concepts.
How is instantaneous acceleration related to average acceleration?
Calculating the average acceleration over a very small time interval provides a value that is very close to the instantaneous acceleration.
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How is instantaneous acceleration related to average acceleration?
Calculating the average acceleration over a very small time interval provides a value that is very close to the instantaneous acceleration.
A car brakes, decreasing its velocity from 30 m/s to 10 m/s. Is the car accelerating?
Yes, the car is accelerating because the magnitude of its velocity is changing. This is often called deceleration, but it is still a form of acceleration.
Under what two conditions is an object considered to be accelerating?
An object is accelerating if the magnitude (speed) and/or the direction of its velocity are changing.
If a cyclist's displacement is 50 meters north after 10 seconds, what is their average velocity?
The average velocity is the displacement (50 m north) divided by the time interval (10 s), which equals 5 m/s north.
If a runner completes one full lap on a 400m track and ends exactly where they started, what is their displacement for the lap?
The runner's displacement is zero because their initial and final positions are the same, meaning there was no overall change in position.
What term describes a change in an object's position?
Displacement.
What is average velocity?
Average velocity is the displacement of an object divided by the interval of time in which that displacement occurs.
A race car travels around a circular track at a constant speed. Is it accelerating? Why or why not?
Yes, it is accelerating because the direction of its velocity is constantly changing, even though the magnitude (speed) of the velocity is constant.
What quantity is calculated by dividing the change in velocity by the time interval?
Average acceleration.
How can you approximate an object's instantaneous velocity?
Calculating the average velocity over a very small time interval yields a value that is very close to the instantaneous velocity.
What is displacement?
Displacement is the change in an object's position.
What are the two ways an object's velocity can be changed?
An object's velocity can be changed by altering its magnitude (speed) or by altering its direction of motion.
What two states are considered when calculating average velocity or acceleration?
The initial and final states of an object over a specific interval of time are considered when calculating these averages.
What quantity is calculated by dividing displacement by the time interval?
Average velocity.
What does it mean to treat an object as a single point in a physics problem?
It means you are using the object model, where the object's size and shape are ignored for the calculation.
What happens to the value of average velocity as the time interval used for calculation becomes extremely small?
As the time interval becomes very small, the calculated average velocity approaches the value of the instantaneous velocity.
What is average acceleration?
Average acceleration is the change in velocity divided by the interval of time in which that change in velocity occurs.
What is the 'object model' in physics?
In the object model, an object's size, shape, and internal configuration are ignored, and it is treated as a single point with properties like mass.
What is the key difference between velocity and speed that explains how an object can accelerate while maintaining a constant speed?
Velocity is a vector that includes direction, while speed is a scalar. A change in direction is a change in velocity, which is defined as acceleration.