2.

03 Motion graphs
Draw, interpret and use distance-time graphs and speed-time
graphs to solve problems
 The equation of a straight line is as follows:
y = mx + c
Where:
y: Vertical axis
x: Horizontal axis
m : Gradient or slope
c: Y-intercept (where the line crosses the y-axis)

 How do you find "m" and “c"?

c is easy: just see where the line crosses the Y axis.
m (the slope) needs some calculation

Equation of
a straight line
Gradient or slope
Examples of slope
Positive or negative
Zero or undefined
 Since we will deal with distance-time graph and speed-time
graph, which are scalar quantities, there will be no values in the
negative y axis.

 The distance-time graph shows how the object moves relating

the change in its distance travelled to the time taken for this
travel.
 Since the y-axis is distance not displacement the slope can’t
be negative (distance cannot decrease!)
 Slope = y / x =  distance /  time, or:
Slope = Speed
 Slope is always positive in distance-time graph since distance
cannot be reduced.

Distance-time graphs
 Horizontal slope = Object at rest (∆ distance = 0)
 Straight line = Constant speed
 Steep slope = Object moving quicker (∆ distance high per unit
time)
 Flatter slope = Object moving slower (∆ distance low per unit
time)

Distance
time graphs
 Curved line = Either concave up or concave down
 Slope in curved line is changing and can be calculated by
finding the tangent at specific point

 Concave up: Acceleration or increasing speed over

time.

 Concave down: Deceleration or decreasing speed

over time.

 Negative slope occur in displacement-time graph, but it is

beyond your level, except the straight line that represents
constant negative velocity, or constant speed in reverse
direction.

Distance-time graph
 The speed-time graph shows how the object changes
its speed related to time.

Speed
time graph
 Horizontal line = Steady speed (zero acceleration)
 Upward straight line = Uniform acceleration
 Downward straight line = Uniform deceleration
 Curved lines means changing acceleration positively
or negatively.
◦ Best way to discover it out is to read the slope mathematically
then convert it into physics!

Speed-time graph slope & lines

 Positive slope: Acceleration
 Curved concave up = increasing acceleration

 Curved concave down = decreasing acceleration

 Negative slope: Deceleration

 Curved concave up = decreasing deceleration

 Curved concave down = increasing deceleration

Speed-time graph slope & lines

 Slope of distance-time graph = Speed

 Slope of speed-time graph = Acceleration

 Area of speed-time graph = Distance

Acceleration

Speed

Distance

Summary
 To find the slope in a concave graph at a certain point (x)
we draw a tangent line as shown below and find its slope
by forming a triangle and dividing its height by its base or
ΔY/ΔX.

 To find the area under a curve at a certain period of time,

count the number of squares and multiply it by the area
of each square

Tangent
Ex 1. Find the distance travelled by the object following the
grey curved line during 10 s time interval?
 Area under curve = no. of squares x area of each square
 Area of each square = 1 m/s x 2 s = 2 m
 Estimate ≈ 28-29 squares x 2 m ≈ 56-58 m

Area under
the curve
Mistakes in graph 1, include:
 Missing labels for the axis
 Missing descriptive title
 Extrapolated line is not drawn
using a dotted line
Mistakes in graph 2, include:
 Incorrect scale
 Inappropriate use of the scale in
x and y axis. Each box should
represent the same value across
each axis. For example, if each
box is set a value of 0.05 at the
beginning of the graph, then one
box should always represent
0.05 throughout the axis.
 The student should either start
the scale at 0 or at 0.20
Ex 3. The distance-time graph below is for a motorcycle
travelling along a straight road.
a. What is the motor cycle doing between points D and E?
b. Between which points is it accelerating?
c. Between which points is its speed steady?
d. What is the max speed of the motorcycle?
e. What is the distance travelled between A and D?
f. What is the average speed between A and D?

Example 3
 Aa: It is at rest (no movement or change in distance)

 Ab: A-B

 Ac: B-C

 Ad: Since the motorcycle was accelerating, then moved in

constant speed and finally it decelerates. Then:
Max Speed = slope =  distance /  time
Max speed = (50-10) m / (15 – 10) s = 4 m/s

 Ae: 60 m

 Af: Average speed = total distance / total time

Average speed = 60 m / 20 s = 3 m/s

Example 3
Ex 4. The speed-time graph below is for another motorcycle
travelling along the same road.
a. What is the motorcycle's maximum speed?
b. What is the acceleration during the first 10 s?
c. What is the acceleration during the last 5 s?
d. What distance is travelled during the first 10 s?
e. What is the total distance travelled?
f. What is the time taken for the whole journey?
g. What is the average speed for the whole journey?

Example 4
 Aa: 30 m/s
 Ab: Acceleration = slope =  velocity /  time or
Acceleration = (30–0) m/s / (10–0) s = 3 m/s2
 Ac: Acceleration = gradient = (0–30) m/s / (25–20) s
Acceleration = -6 m/s2
 Ad: Distance = area under the graph (area of triangle)
Distance = 0.5 x 10 x 30 = 150 m
 Ae: Total distance = area under the line (area of trapezium)
Total distance =0.5 x (25+10) s x 30m/s = 525m
 Af: 25s
 Ag: Average speed = total distance / total time
Average speed = 525 m / 25 s = 21 m/s
Ex 5. A motorist approaches a traffic light junction at 15 m/s. The
traffic light turns red when he is 30 m from the junction. He takes
0.4 s before applying the brakes and his car slows down at a rate of
3.75 m/s2 for a time interval of t before coming to stop at time T.
The speed time graph of this motorist is shown below.

a) Describe in words the speed and acceleration of the car between:

i. t = 0 s and t = 0.4 s
ii. t = 0.4 s and t = T s
b) What do you call the duration and the distance travelled in 0.4s?
c) Calculate the value of t?
d) What is the stopping distance travelled by the car?
e) Is the motorist able to stop his car in time?

Example 5
a. (i) Motorist travels at constant speed of 15 m/s with zero
acceleration.
(ii) Motorist decreases his speed from 15 m/s to 0 with an
acceleration of –3.75 m/s2
b. The distance is called the thinking or reaction distance, while the
duration is called human reaction time.
 −𝑢
c. a=
𝑡
0 −15
-3.75 = ,T=4s
𝑇

d. Stopping distance = thinking distance + braking distance

Stopping distance = area of trapezium
Stopping distance = ½ x (0.4 + 4.4) x 15
Stopping distance = 36 m
e. Since the stopping distance is more than 30 m, motorist will not
be able to stop his vehicle on time!

Example 5
Ex 6. The speed time graph of a car is shown below.
a. Describe the motion of the car in terms of both its speed and
acceleration for the following time intervals:
i) t = 0 s to 5 s ii) t = 5 s to 10 s iii) t = 10 s to 15 s
iv) t = 15 s to 20 s v) t = 20 s to 25 s vi) t = 25 s to 30 s
vii) t = 30 s to 35 s
b. Estimate the distance travelled and the acceleration for:
i) distance between t = 5 s to 10 s and acceleration at 7 s
ii) distance between t = 30 s to 35 s and acceleration at 32 s
(a)
i. Increasing speed uniformly or uniform acceleration
ii. Increasing speed at a decreasing rate or decreasing
acceleration
iii. Constant speed or zero acceleration
iv. Decreasing speed uniformly or uniform deceleration
v. Speed and acceleration is zero
vi. Increasing speed uniformly or uniform acceleration
vii. Decreasing speed at a decreasing rate or decreasing
deceleration

Example 6
(b)
 −𝑢 20 − 16
i. a= = = 4/3 m/s2
𝑡 8 −5
s = area under the graph between t = 5 s and t = 10 s
s = 5 x 15 + ¼ x  x 52 = 94.6 m
 −𝑢 7 − 14
ii. a= = = -7/4 m/s2
𝑡 30 −26
s = area under the graph between t = 30 s and t = 35 s
s = no. of squares x area of each square
s = 15.5 x 1 = 15.5 m

Ex 6.
Q1. The distance–time graph for a girl on a cycle ride is shown
below. Find:
a. How far did she travel?
b. How long did she take?
c. What was her average speed in km/h?
d. How many stops did she make?
e. How long did she stop for altogether?
f. What was her average speed excluding stops?
g. How can you tell from the shape of the graph when she travelled
fastest? Over which stage did this happen?

Homework
Q2. The speed-time graph for a car on a 5 hour journey is
shown below:
a. State in which of the regions OA, AB, BC, CD, DE the car is (i)
accelerating, (ii) decelerating, (iii) traveling with uniform
velocity.
b. Calculate the value of the acceleration, deceleration or constant
velocity in each region.
c. What is the distance travelled over each region?
d. What is the total distance travelled?
e. Calculate the average velocity for the whole journey?

Homework
Q3. A boat moves off from its mooring in a straight line.
A speed-time graph for its motion is shown below. Over
which section (or sections) of the graph does the boat:

a. Have its greatest speed?

b. Have its greatest acceleration?
c. Have retardation?
d. Have uniform acceleration or retardation?
e. Have non-uniform acceleration or retardation?
f. Travel the greatest distance?

Homework
Q4. The distance of a walker from the start of her walk is
given below at successive intervals of 1 second.
Time /s 0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Distance /m 0 3 6 9 12 15 18

a. Sketch a distance–time graph of the following values.

b. How would you describe the speed at which she walks?
c. Calculate her average speed.

Homework
Q5. The speeds of a car travelling on a straight road are
given below at successive intervals of 1 second.
Time /s 0 1 2 3 4 5
Speed /m/s 0 17.5 23.0 26.0 28.5 30.0

a. Sketch a speed–time graph using the values.

b. Describe the motion of the car
c. Calculate the acceleration of the car at t = 2 s
d. How far does the car travel in 5 s?
e. Calculate the average speed of the car?

Homework
Q6. The speeds of a car travelling on a straight road are
given below at successive intervals of 1s.

 The car travels:

1. With an average velocity of 4 m/s
2. 16 m in 4 s
3. With a uniform acceleration of 2 m/s2

 Which statement(s) is (are) correct?

A 1, 2, 3 B 1, 2 C 2, 3 D1 E3

Homework
Q7. The figure below shows the speed – time graph for a car
in motion.
a. Describe the motion of car between:

(i) t = 0 s to 5 s (ii) t = 5 s to 10 s
(iii) t = 10 s to 15 s (iv) t = 15 s to 20 s
(v) t = 20 s to 30 s (vi) t = 30 s to t = 35 s
b. Estimate the distance travelled and the acceleration for:
i) distance between t = 5 s to 10 s and acceleration at 7 s
ii) distance between t = 30 s to 35 s and acceleration at 31 s

Homework
Q8. Draw a speed-time graph of a car where its motion is as
follows:
 The car starts from rest.
 From time = 0 to time = 15 s, the car has a constant
acceleration to a speed of 28 m/s.
 From time = 15 s to time = 32 s, the car has a constant
speed of 28 m/s.
 From time = 32s, the car has a constant deceleration of
2.0m/s2 until it comes to rest.

Homework