Speed m/s

V2

V1

A B C D

0 t1 t2 t3 t4 time/s

TOTAL DISTANCE = AREA OF A + AREA OF B + AREA OF C + AREA OF D

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 TRAVEL GRAPHS (KINEMATICS)

IMPORTANT NOTES AND FORMULAE

1. Definition: Travel graphs are the presentations of journeys of objects over duration of
time. The two common types of graphs are velocity - time graphs where velocity is
plotted against time and Distance (displacement) – time graph where distance is plotted
against time.
2. Common terms associated to travel graphs
(a) Acceleration: Acceleration is the rate of change of velocity. The SI units are metre
per second square (m /s2 or ms ).
(b) Velocity: this is the rate of change of displacement. The SI unit for velocity is
metre per second (m/s).
(c) Speed: distance travelled with respect to the time taken. Speed has the same units
with velocity (m/s).
(d) Average speed: is the total distance covered over total time taken.
(e) Distance: the length between two end points. SI units is metre(m).
(f) Displacement: distance covered in a specified direction.
3. Calculations of distance, Speed and time.

(a) Speed = (b) Distance = speed × time (c) Time =

S= = × =

S T

Example 1

1. A car covered a distance of 360km in 12 hours. Calculate the speed in km/h at which
the car was moving.
2. A motor bike moving at a speed of 56m/s covered a distance of 504m. Calculate the
total time taken by the motor bike.

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 Solution

1. Data 2. Data

D = 360km S = 56m/s

T = 12hours, S = ? D = 504 and T = ?

) *
S= = = 30$%/ℎ T= = = 9,
! ( )

4. Velocity − time graphs

Velocity - time graph (also speed-time graph) is the graph that displays the motions
of objects moving in a straight line.
Usually, it involves plotting velocity versus time.
Velocity (speed) is presented on the vertical axis (.-axis) while time on the horizontal
axis (/ −axis).
Velocity (m/s)

P Q
V

A B C

0t1 t2 t3 t4 time (s)

V = final velocity
U = initial velocity
t1 to t2 = time covered in the first part of the journey
t2 to t3 = time covered in the second part of the journey.
t3 to t4 = time covered in the last part of the journey.
t1 to t4 = time covered for the whole journey.
0 to P = constant acceleration

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 PQ = constant velocity (constant speed)
Qt * = constant deceleration or retardation.
5. Calculations based on the Velocity − time graph
3 4 5 46 7 4 5 46 7
(a) Acceleration (a) =
8
: ;
9= , where = = = − =! .
<
We can see that, acceleration is the same as gradient of the straight line.
>? >@
%=
A ? A@

(b) Retardation (deceleration): this is a negative acceleration.

: ;
9= , where = = =* − =
<
(c) Distance (D): distance under velocity − time graphs is the same as area under the
graph of any figure. The common figures formed under velocity time graphs are
square, rectangle, right angled triangle and a trapezium.
From the diagram above, the total distance will be either
(i) D = area of A + area of B + area of C
! !
D = BC = − =! D × EF + E × C = − = D + BC = − =! D × E.
! !
D= Hℎ + IH + Hℎ

OR
(ii) D = area of the trapezium
!
D = B C=* − =! D + C = − = DFE,
!
D = C9 + HDℎ where 9 = C=* − =! , H = = − = 9KL E = ℎ
6 4
(d) Average speed =
6 4

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 Example 2

1. The diagram below shows a velocity – time graph of a particle moving

Speed (m/s)
15

0 5 10 13 time(s)
Calculate,
(a) the acceleration in the first part of the journey,
(b) the distance covered when the particle was moving with a constant speed,
(c) the average speed of the particle
(d) the retardation in the last 3 seconds of the journey.
2. The diagram below shows the speed time graph of an electric train which was moving
in a straight road.
Velocity (m/s)

20

0 t 50 time (s)

(a) Given that the distance covered by the train in the first part of the journey is
100m, calculate the value of =.
(b) Calculate the acceleration in the first t seconds.
(c) Calculate the total distance covered.

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 3. The diagram below represents a speed-time graph of an abject. The object started
from v m/s and accelerated uniformly to a speed of 6v in 4 seconds. The object
moved with this speed for 8 seconds and again accelerated uniformly to a speed of 20
m/s in 4 seconds and it then came to rest.

speed (m/s)
20

6V

0 4 12 16 t time (s)
(a) Calculate the acceleration of the car in terms of v in the first 4 seconds.
!
(b) Given that, the acceleration in the first 4 seconds is 2 m/s , find the value

of V.
(c) If the deceleration was 5m/s2, calculate the value of t.
(d) Calculate the distance travelled by the car in the first 16 seconds.

Solution

: ;
1. (a) 9= (b) the particle was travelling with constant speed from
<
!)
9= )
the 5th second to the 10th second.
!)
9= D=I×H
)

9 = 3 m/s2 D = 5 × 15
D = 75m

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 6 4 : ;
(c) average speed = (d) 9 =
6 4 <
! !)
D = C9 + HDℎ 9=
! !)
D = C13 + 5D15 9=−

D = 135m 9 = −5 m/s
! )
∴ average speed = = 10.4m/s
!

! : ; !
2. (a) W = Hℎ (b) 9 = (c) W = C9 + HDℎ
<
! !
100 = × = × 20 9= W = C50 + 40D20
!

100 = 10= 9=! W = 10C90D

= = 10 9 = 2%/, W = 900%

: ; ! ): : ;
3. (a) 9= <
(b) 2 = *
(c) 9 = <
: : ) ):
9= = −5 =
* * <
)
9 = * E %/, 10E = 20 −5= = −20

E = 2 %/,. ==4
∴ X = Y + Z[ = \]
20

(d) 12 12 12

0 4 4 12 12 16
! !
D = C9 + HDℎ + I×H + C9 + HDℎ
! !
D = C2 + 12D4 + 8 × 12 + C12 + 20D4

D = 2C24D + 96 + 2C32D
D = 208m

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 EXAMINATION QUESTIONS

QUESTION 1
The diagram below is the speed time graph of a car. The car starts from rest and
accelerates uniformly at 2 m/s2 for t seconds until it reaches a speed of 16 m/s. It then
travels for 40 seconds, after which it comes to rest in a further 10 seconds.
Speed (m/s)
16

0 t Time(s)
Find the
(a) value of =,
(b) distance travelled in the last 50 seconds,
(c) speed of the car when = = 53 seconds.
QUESTION 2
The diagram below shows a speed time graph of an object. It starts from rest and
accelerates uniformly for 2 seconds until it reaches a speed of 10m/s. It moves at this
constant speed for 6 seconds and accelerates until it reaches the speed of v m/s after 5
seconds. Finally it retards for the next 8 seconds until it comes to a halt.
Speed (m/s)

10

0 2 8 13 21 Time(s)

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 Calculate the,
(a) accelerate during the first 2 seconds,
(b) value of V if the retardation in the last 8 seconds is 3m/s2?
(c) average speed for the whole journey.
QUESTION 3
The diagram below shows speed-time graph of a particle which accelerates uniformly
from rest for 12 seconds until it reaches a speed of 24m/s. It moves at a constant speed
for a further 12 seconds before it accelerates uniformly fir another 6 seconds to a speed of
V m/s.
Speed (m/s)

24

0 12 24 30 time(s)
(a) Calculate its acceleration for the first 12 seconds.
(b) Find the distance which the particle covered in the 24 seconds.
(c) Given that the total distance covered was 600m, calculate the value of V.
QUESTION 4
The diagram below shows the speed-time graph of a particle. The particle started off
from rest and accelerated uniformly for 10 seconds. It then travelled at a constant speed
for 20 seconds and then decelerated to rest.
Speed
(m/s) V

0 10 30 t time(sec)

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 (a) Find the speed V the particle reached if its acceleration was 2m/s2 in the first
10 seconds.
(b) Given that the total distance covered was 750m, find the value of t in the
diagram.
(c) What was the speed at 40 seconds?
QUESTION 5
The diagram below shows a speed-time graph of a car of a journey.

V(m/s)
30

20

10

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 T t(seconds)
(a) Find the acceleration during the first 5 seconds.
(b) If the total distance travelled was 825m, find the value of T.
(c) Find the average speed for the whole journey.
QUESTION 6
The diagram below show a speed - time graph of a 100m sprinter who accelerates
uniformly for 3 seconds until he reaches a speed of 12m/s. He maintains the speed for 7
seconds and then uniformly retards for a further 4 seconds and comes to a stop.
Speed (m/s)
12

0 3 10 14 time(s)

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 Calculate
(a) acceleration during the 3 seconds
(b) retardation at the of his race
(c) distance he covered in the first 10 seconds.
QUESTION 7
The diagram below is the speed-time graph of a particle. The particle accelerates
uniformly from a speed of v m/s to a speed of 5v m/s in 20 seconds.
Speed m/s

5v

V
a
0 20 time (s)
(a) Find an expression in terms of v, for acceleration.
(b) The distance travelled by the object from 0 to 20 seconds is 80m. Find the
value of V.
(c) Find the speed at t = 15 seconds.

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