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Rectilinear Motion

Definition

Rectilinear motion refers to the movement of an object along a straight line path. It involves changes in position, velocity, and acceleration without any deviation from a straight line.

Analogy

Imagine you're on a train that moves only forward or backward on a perfectly straight track. The train's rectilinear motion means it can only go in one direction without turning left or right.

Related terms

Position Function: A position function describes the location of an object at any given time. In rectilinear motion, the position function would represent how far the object is from its starting point.

Velocity: Velocity is the rate at which an object changes its position with respect to time. In rectilinear motion, velocity tells us how fast and in which direction the object is moving along the straight line.

Acceleration: Acceleration measures how quickly an object's velocity changes over time. In rectilinear motion, acceleration indicates whether the object is speeding up or slowing down along the straight line path.