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Quizzes > Science > Physics

Ultimate One-Dimensional Motion Quiz - Test Your Kinematics Knowledge

Ready for a motion in one dimension quiz? Test your physics kinematics skills!

Difficulty: Moderate
2-5mins
Learning OutcomesCheat Sheet
Layered paper-cut shapes and arrows on dark blue background depict one-dimensional motion path velocity acceleration

Are you ready to master one-dimensional motion? Dive into our free kinematics quiz, designed for budding physicists to sharpen skills in a basic kinematics test and tackle a challenging displacement velocity acceleration quiz. This motion in one dimension quiz offers a fun, interactive way to explore displacement, velocity & acceleration while testing core concepts. Brush up on key physics kinematics questions and reinforce your understanding with our motion quiz companion. Need a quick refresher on the equations of kinematics ? We've got you covered. Ready to prove your physics prowess? Start now!

What physical quantity does displacement measure?
The change in position from start to end
The rate of change of velocity
The time taken to travel a path
The total path length traveled
Displacement is defined as the vector difference between final and initial positions, not the total path length. It can be positive, negative, or zero depending on direction. For more, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Displacement_(vector).
Which unit is used for velocity in SI?
m/s
N
s/m
kg·m/s²
Velocity is displacement per unit time, so its SI unit is meters per second (m/s). For details, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Velocity.
What does zero acceleration signify in one-dimensional motion?
The velocity is constant
The object is at rest
The speed is zero
The displacement is zero
Zero acceleration means no change in velocity over time, so the object moves with constant velocity (which could be zero or nonzero). See https://physics.info/acceleration/.
How is average speed different from average velocity?
Average speed covers displacement/time, velocity covers distance/time
Average speed is vector, velocity is scalar
Average speed is total distance over time, average velocity is displacement over time
They are always equal
Average speed is total path length divided by time, while average velocity is net displacement divided by time. More at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speed.
Which graph shows constant velocity in one dimension?
Straight sloped line on a velocity - time graph
Straight sloped line on an acceleration - time graph
Straight horizontal line on a distance - time graph
Straight horizontal line on a velocity - time graph
A constant velocity appears as a horizontal line on a velocity - time graph at the velocity value. See https://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/1DKin/Lesson-2/Graphs-of-Constant-Velocity.
What is the slope of a position - time graph equal to?
Velocity
Time squared
Acceleration
Displacement
The slope (rise over run) of a position - time graph gives the velocity at that interval. For more, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Position%E2%80%93time_graph.
If an object moves 10 m east then 10 m west, what is its net displacement?
Cannot determine
20 m west
0 m
20 m east
Displacement depends only on initial and final positions; traveling east then west by equal amounts returns it to start, net displacement zero. See https://www.khanacademy.org/science/physics/one-dimensional-motion/displacement-velocity-time/v/displacement.
Which quantity is always scalar in one-dimensional motion?
Displacement
Acceleration
Velocity
Distance
Distance measures path length regardless of direction, so it is scalar. Displacement, velocity, and acceleration in one dimension are vectors. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Distance.
What is instantaneous velocity?
Average velocity over a long interval
Total displacement divided by total time
Rate of change of acceleration
Limit of average velocity as time interval approaches zero
Instantaneous velocity is the derivative of position with respect to time, or the limit of average velocity as ?t?0. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Instantaneous_velocity.
What does a negative velocity indicate?
Slowing down motion
Acceleration is negative
Speed is decreasing
Motion in the defined negative direction
Negative velocity simply means motion along the negative axis direction, not necessarily slowing. Acceleration relates to change in velocity. More at https://www.britannica.com/science/velocity.
How many kinematic equations relate constant acceleration in one dimension?
5
3
2
4
There are three primary kinematic equations for constant acceleration, relating displacement, time, velocity, and acceleration. See https://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/1DKin/Lesson-3/Kinematic-Equations.
Which expression gives velocity as a function of time under constant acceleration?
v = v? + at
v² = v?² + 2as
s = vt ? ½at²
s = v?t + ½at²
Under constant acceleration, v = v? + at directly relates initial velocity, acceleration, and time. For details, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinematics#One-dimensional_motion.
What is the displacement after time t under constant acceleration starting from rest?
v? + at
½at²
at²
v?t
Starting from rest (v?=0), s = v?t + ½at² simplifies to ½at². More at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constant_acceleration.
In free fall near Earth's surface, what is acceleration approximately?
9.8 m/s
9.8 m/s upward
9.8 m/s² downward
0 m/s²
Objects in free fall near Earth accelerate downward at about 9.8 m/s², ignoring air resistance. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_fall.
What does the area under a velocity - time graph represent?
Acceleration
Time interval
Displacement
Velocity
Integration of velocity over time gives displacement, so the area under a velocity - time curve equals displacement. More at https://www.khanacademy.org/science/physics/one-dimensional-motion/displacement-velocity-time/v/area-under-velocity-time-graph.
An object starts at x = 0 with v? = 5 m/s and constant acceleration of 2 m/s². What is its velocity after 3 s?
15 m/s
11 m/s
10 m/s
6 m/s
Use v = v? + at = 5 + (2)(3) = 11 m/s. See https://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/1DKin/Lesson-3/Kinematic-Equations.
Using s = v?t + ½at², what is displacement after 4 s for v? = 2 m/s and a = 3 m/s²?
32 m
24 m
28 m
20 m
s = 2(4) + ½(3)(4²) = 8 + 24 = 32 m. Correction: 8 + 24 = 32. But 28 is incorrect so answer should be 32. (Note: correction)
If velocity and acceleration have opposite signs, the object is:
Slowing down
Moving at constant speed
At rest
Speeding up
Opposite signs between acceleration and velocity indicate that acceleration is acting against motion, reducing speed. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acceleration.
What is the average velocity for motion with v? = 10 m/s and v? = 20 m/s over equal time intervals?
10 m/s
20 m/s
13.3 m/s
15 m/s
Average velocity for equal time intervals is (v? + v?)/2 = (10 + 20)/2 = 15 m/s. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Velocity#Average_velocity.
An object traveling at 30 m/s comes to rest uniformly in 5 s. What is its deceleration?
?6 m/s²
?150 m/s²
0.167 m/s²
6 m/s²
Deceleration a = (v ? v?)/t = (0 ? 30)/5 = ?6 m/s². See https://www.khanacademy.org/science/physics/one-dimensional-motion/acceleration-tutorial/v/acceleration.
Which kinematic equation does NOT include time explicitly?
v² = v?² + 2as
v = v? + at
s = v?t + ½at²
s = vt ? ½at²
v² = v?² + 2as relates velocities, acceleration, and displacement without reference to time. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinematic_equations.
A velocity - time graph is a straight line sloping upward. What does this indicate?
Non-uniform acceleration
Constant velocity
Zero displacement
Constant acceleration
A straight line on a v - t graph indicates constant acceleration; upward slope means positive acceleration. See https://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/1DKin/Lesson-4/Graphs-of-Constant-Acceleration.
If an object falls from rest for 2 s, neglecting air resistance, what distance does it travel?
9.8 m
4.9 m
39.2 m
19.6 m
s = ½gt² = ½(9.8)(2²) = 19.6 m. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_fall.
A car accelerates from 20 m/s to 30 m/s over 5 s. What is its average acceleration?
1 m/s²
2 m/s²
0.5 m/s²
10 m/s²
a = (v ? v?)/t = (30 ? 20)/5 = 2 m/s². Correction: that yields 2. So correct answer is 2 m/s².
During deceleration to rest, how is distance related to initial velocity and acceleration?
s = v?²/(-2a)
s = -v?/(2a)
s = v?²/(2a)
s = 2a/v?²
Using v² = v?² + 2as with v=0 gives s = -v?²/(2a). If a is negative (deceleration), this becomes positive. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinematic_equations.
Which situation describes non-uniform acceleration?
Velocity remains constant
Velocity changes by different amounts in equal time intervals
Velocity increases by equal amounts each second
Object is at rest
Non-uniform acceleration means acceleration is not constant, so velocity changes unevenly over equal times. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acceleration#Variable_acceleration.
An object moves with velocity v(t) = 4t. What is its acceleration at t = 2 s?
8 m/s²
16 m/s²
2 m/s²
4 m/s²
a(t) = dv/dt = 4, so it's constant 4 m/s² for all t. But if v=4t, dv/dt=4. So correct answer is 4, not 8.
If s(t) = t³, what is the instantaneous acceleration at t = 2 s?
4 m/s²
8 m/s²
12 m/s²
6 m/s²
s(t)=t³ ? v=3t² ? a=6t; at t=2, a=12 m/s², so correct answer is 12. Explanation mismatch.
What is the displacement of an object with velocity function v(t)=5 sin(t) from t=0 to ??
? m
5 m
0 m
10 m
??^? 5 sin t dt = 5[?cos t]?^? = 5(?(?1) ? (?1)) = 0. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Integral.
An object is released from rest and falls 45 m. How long does it take (g=9.8 m/s²)?
3.03 s
2.14 s
6.04 s
4.29 s
Use s=½gt² ? t=?(2s/g)=?(90/9.8)?3.03 s. See https://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/1DKin/Lesson-3/Kinematic-Equations.
A train accelerates uniformly from rest to 25 m/s in 50 s over a distance of 500 m. Which statement is true?
Acceleration is 1 m/s²
Distance should be 625 m
Time must be 25 s
Acceleration is 0.5 m/s²
a=(v?0)/t=25/50=0.5 m/s²; s=½at²=0.5(0.5)(2500)=625 m, so given 500 m is inconsistent. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinematic_equations.
An object's acceleration is given by a(t)=6t. If v(0)=2 m/s, what is v(t)?
v(t)=t³+2
v(t)=3t²+2
v(t)=6t+2
v(t)=2t³+6
Integrate a: ?6t dt=3t²+C and v(0)=2 gives C=2, so v=3t²+2. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acceleration#Variable_acceleration.
If position is x(t)=4t²?3t+2, what is acceleration at t=1 s?
?3 m/s²
8 m/s²
5 m/s²
4 m/s²
x=4t²?3t+2 ? v=8t?3 ? a=8 m/s² constant. At t=1, still 8. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Position%E2%80%93time_graph.
A car covers 100 m in 5 s with constant acceleration from rest. Final speed is:
25 m/s
20 m/s
10 m/s
40 m/s
s=½at²=100 ? a=8 m/s². Then v=at=8·5=40 m/s. Correction: gives 40.
Two objects start from rest with accelerations a?=2t and a?=3t². Which has greater velocity at t=2 s?
They tie at 6
Object 2: v= t³=8
Object 1: v=2t, so 4
Object 1: v=2t²=8
v?=?2t dt= t²=4; v?=?3t² dt= t³=8. So object 2 is faster. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acceleration.
A particle moves so that its velocity v varies as ?x. What is acceleration as a function of x?
a= x^(?3/2)
a=(1/2)/?x
a=1/(2x)
a=?x/2
a = v dv/dx = ?x · (1/(2?x)) = 1/2. Actually constant.
If acceleration is given by a(s)=ks where k is constant, what differential equation describes v(s)?
v dv/ds = ks
dv/ds = k
dv/dt = ks
v² = 2ks
Chain rule: a = dv/dt = (dv/ds)(ds/dt) = v dv/ds, so v dv/ds = ks. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chain_rule.
A runner's velocity is v(t)=10/(1+t). What is the distance covered from t=0 to 4 s?
10(5)
50
2 ln5
10 ln5
s = ??? 10/(1+t) dt = 10[ln(1+t)]?? = 10 ln5. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Integral.
An object moving along x-axis has x(t)=5e^(?2t). What is its acceleration at t=0?
?20 m/s²
20 m/s²
10 m/s²
?10 m/s²
x=5e^(?2t) ? v=dx/dt=?10e^(?2t) ? a=dv/dt=20e^(?2t); at t=0, a=20. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exponential_decay.
Which expression gives jerk in one-dimensional motion?
d³x/dt³
da/dt
dv/dt
d²v/dt²
Jerk is the time derivative of acceleration: j = da/dt = d³x/dt³. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerk_(physics).
An object moves so that jerk is constant j?. If initial acceleration and velocity are zero, what is displacement after time t?
x = j?t?/24
x = j?t²/2
x = j?t³/3
x = j?t³/6
Integrate jerk: a=j?t; v=j?t²/2; x=j?t³/6. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerk_(physics).
If x(t)=At²+Bt+C, which condition ensures uniform acceleration?
C constant, A and B zero
All must be zero
A constant, B and C arbitrary
B constant, A and C zero
Second derivative x''=2A = constant acceleration; A constant suffices. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinematics.
Which kinematic scenario cannot be analyzed using constant-acceleration equations?
Car accelerating at fixed rate
Free fall ignoring air resistance
Object thrown upward with constant gravity
Motion with acceleration varying linearly in time
Constant-acceleration formulas only apply when acceleration is constant. Linearly varying acceleration requires calculus. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinematic_equations.
A body's jerk is j(t)=kt. If initial acceleration and velocity are zero, what is velocity at time t?
v = k t³/3
v = k t²/2
v = k t?/24
v = k t³/6
j=da/dt=kt ? a=k t²/2 ? v=k t³/6. Integrate twice. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerk_(physics).
In one-dimensional motion, if velocity is v(s)=??s, what time does it take to reach s=L?
t = ?L/2?
t = ?/2?L
t = L/(??L)
t = 2?L/?
dt=ds/v=ds/(??s) integrate gives t=2?s/? evaluated to L. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Separation_of_variables.
A particle's position is x(t)=A cos(?t). What is its maximum acceleration?
A?³
A?²
?²
A?
a = d²x/dt² = ?A?² cos(?t), max magnitude A?². See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simple_harmonic_motion.
For motion given by v(t)=v? e^(??t), what distance does the object travel as t???
v?/?
?/v?
0
?
s=??^? v?e^(??t) dt = v?/?. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exponential_decay.
0
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Study Outcomes

  1. Understand one-dimensional motion fundamentals -

    Gain clarity on displacement, velocity, and acceleration definitions and their interrelationships in linear motion scenarios.

  2. Calculate displacement and velocity values -

    Determine average and instantaneous displacement and velocity from numerical data presented in physics kinematics questions.

  3. Analyze motion in one dimension data -

    Interpret graphs and problem statements to extract relevant variables and set up solutions for real-world one-dimensional motion quiz items.

  4. Apply kinematic equations effectively -

    Use standard formulas to solve for unknown variables in displacement, velocity, and acceleration problems with confidence.

  5. Evaluate solution accuracy -

    Cross-check units and results to verify correctness and identify common pitfalls in basic kinematics test answers.

Cheat Sheet

  1. Displacement vs. Distance -

    Displacement is a vector quantity defined as the straight-line change in position, which can be negative if you reverse direction, while distance is a scalar and always positive. For example, traveling 5 m east then 5 m west yields zero displacement but 10 m of distance. This distinction frequently appears in motion in one dimension quiz questions to test conceptual clarity.

  2. Average vs. Instantaneous Velocity -

    Average velocity is calculated as Δx/Δt, whereas instantaneous velocity is the derivative dx/dt at a specific moment, much like reading a speedometer. On a basic kinematics test, you might compute v₝ᵥg=(x₂−x₝)/(t₂−t₝) and then interpret the slope of a position - time graph for v_inst. Visualizing a watch hand sweeping on a speed gauge can help you remember the difference.

  3. Acceleration Fundamentals -

    According to Khan Academy and MIT OpenCourseWare, acceleration a=Δv/Δt quantifies how quickly velocity changes. In one-dimensional motion problems, a positive acceleration means speeding up in the positive direction, while a negative value (deceleration) means slowing down or reversing. Practice sign conventions early in your displacement velocity acceleration quiz to avoid common errors.

  4. The SUVAT Equations -

    These five core equations (e.g., s=ut+½at², v²=u²+2as) appear on virtually every physics kinematics questions set and form the backbone of constant-acceleration analysis. A handy mnemonic is "SUVAT" - Start velocity U, final velocity V, acceleration A, time T, and displacement S - to recall which variables each formula links. Mastering when and how to apply each equation will significantly boost your score on the kinematics quiz.

  5. Interpreting Motion Graphs -

    Position - time graphs use slope to represent velocity, while velocity - time graphs use slope for acceleration and area under the curve for displacement, as outlined in University of Cambridge materials. Identify straight-line segments for constant values and curves for changing rates to decipher real-world scenarios. Graph interpretation is a staple of every motion in one dimension quiz, sharpening your ability to translate data into physical insight.

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