Uniform motion

Do you want to study uniform motion in a practical way?

The online uniform motion simulations on this page teach you in a practical way what this motion is like, which despite its simplicity is of great importance for understanding other more complex types of motion.

Uniform motion is a type of motion in which an object moves along a trajectory with a constant velocity. In other words, the velocity of the object does not vary with time throughout the motion. Uniform motion is a fundamental concept in physics and is used as a basis for understanding other, more complex types of motion.

In uniform motion, the velocity of the object remains unchanged at all times. This means that the acceleration is zero and therefore the object remains on a straight path at constant velocity. That is, the magnitude and direction of the velocity do not change.

The basic formulas for uniform motion are:

Mean velocity (v_m). It is calculated by dividing the total distance traveled (d) by the elapsed time (t).

v_m= d/t.

Instantaneous velocity (v_i). It is the velocity at a given instant. In uniform motion the instantaneous velocity is always the same and equal to the average velocity.

v_i = v_m

Distance traveled (d). It is calculated by multiplying the average velocity (v_m) by the elapsed time (t).

d = v_m * t.

Elapsed time (t). Calculated by dividing the distance traveled (d) by the average speed (v_m).

t = d/v_m.

Below are several simulations and other educational resources, which can also serve as very illustrative examples. In addition, a selection of books and courses is included to help you broaden your knowledge of this subject.

Displacement
Bus
Boat
Automobile

Displacement and distance traveled

In this simulation, the path of the mouse is represented as it moves across the screen. When the mouse is lifted, the vector indicates its displacement. What does it mean when the displacement is zero but the distance traveled is not?