How do we usefully tap into students’ everyday understanding of speed, velocity and acceleration? When do we need to think about vectors and why? How can we use graphs to help their understanding rather than just give them something else to learn? How do we deal with the inconvenience of air resistance? How can we use toy cars and ramps to understand vehicle stopping distances?

motion using speed, velocity and acceleration

speed-time and distance-time graphs

Speed = distance / time and acceleration or deceleration = change in velocity / time

velocity-time graphs to determine acceleration and distance travelled

the principles of forces and motion to the safe stopping of vehicles, including knowledge of the terms: reaction time, thinking distance, braking distance and overall stopping distance and discuss the factors which affect these distances

the physics of motion together with presented data and opinions to discuss traffic control arising from the above, e.g. the need for speed limits and seat belts