Distance-time graphs

If an object moves along a straight line, the distance travelled can be represented by
a distance–time graph. The speed of an object can be calculated from the gradient of
its distance–time graph.

These graphs always have time on the X-axis. We can think of them as telling a story:
what happened first, second, etc.

 This graph tells us that in 5 seconds an object travelled 40 metres.

Because speed = distance ÷ time, we can use values from the graph to calculate the
speed:

40 ÷ 5 = 8

Speed = 8m/s

This is the same as the gradient: the gradient is the speed.

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 This graph also shows us that an object travelled 40m in 5s. The gradient is the
same. The difference is that the object started at 20m instead of 0.

 In this graph, the object travels 80m in 10s. The gradient is still 8 so the speed is
still 8m/s.

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 A higher (steeper) gradient means a higher speed. In the graph above, the red line
has a gradient of 120 ÷ 10 = 12m/s.

The blue line has a gradient of 40 ÷ 10 = 4m/s.

The green line has a gradient of 0, i.e. the object is stationary (stood still).

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Questions

1. Copy the axes onto squared paper or use the one below:

Draw lines to show the motion of an object that travels:

a) 60m in 5s
b) 100m in 5s
c) 20m in 5s
2. Find the speed for each of the objects in (1)

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 3. Copy these axes onto squared paper or use the one below:

Draw lines to show the motion of:

a) An object that travels 10m in 10s
b) An object that travels 100m in 10s
c) An object that travels 40m in 10s.
4. Find the speeds of each of these objects.

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5. Find the speed of the following:

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 6. Find the speed of the following:

Extension

For each question, copy the axes onto squared paper, then draw a line to show an
object moving at each of the three speeds given.

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Distance and displacement

An object has a position relative to its surroundings at any instant in time. When an
object moves, it changes its position.

Distance is a scalar quantity that refers to “how much ground an object has
covered” during its motion. Scalar quantities just have a number (magnitude).

Displacement is a vector quantity that refers to “how far and in what direction the
object’s position has changed”. Vector quantities have a magnitude and direction.

Consider an object that starts at position

A, and then moves to B, C and finally to
D.

The distance travelled by the object is (6

+ 1.5 + 4) = 11.5m.

The displacement of the object is 6.5m to

the right.

Questions

1. Define “distance”
2. Define “displacement”.
3. Draw a diagram to show the difference between distance and displacement.
4. Which quantity is a vector quantity: distance or displacement?
5. When people say “As the crow flies” are they referring to distance or
displacement?
6. True or false: For a single object in motion, displacement can be equal to
distance but it can never be bigger.
7.

A car starts at A and travels to B, then to C, and then back to B. What is a)

the distance travelled and b) the displacement of the car?

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 8.
a) What is the displacement from B to A? b) What is the distance?

9.

A walker travels from A to B, C, D, E and F. What is the distance travelled? What is the
displacement?

Calculating velocity and speed

Speed is the rate of change of distance:

Speed = distance ÷ time

Distance = speed x time

Speed is a scalar quantity: it only has magnitude, e.g. 14m/s

Velocity is like
speed, but it’s a
vector quantity, so
it always has
direction as well as
speed. This is
because velocity is
rate of change of
displacement and
displacement is a
vector quantity.

Velocity =
displacement ÷
time

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Displacement = velocity x time

However, people often use the word “velocity” without stating a direction – this is
sloppy but very common.

Questions

1. Define speed
2. Define velocity
3. What is the difference between speed and velocity?
4. Find the velocity of a car which travels 25m to the right over a period of 10
seconds.
5. What is the velocity of a hot air balloon which travels 125m up in a time of 50
seconds?
6. A diver travels 640m down during a 16-second dive. Find his velocity.
7. What is the displacement of a rocket travelling at a velocity of 150m/s up for 30
seconds?
8. Find the displacement of a beetle crawling for 180 seconds at a velocity of
0.25m/s to the left.
9. A car has a velocity of 24m/s to the right and travels for 58 seconds. Find its
displacement.
10. A car travelling at a velocity of 2.75m/s travels for 185 meters. What time was
taken?
11. Find the time taken by a rocket travelling at a velocity of 240m/s to reach a
displacement of 15,000m.
12. A snail travels with a velocity of 0.08m/s. It reaches a displacement of 0.2m.
Find the time taken.

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Acceleration

In everyday language, “accelerate” just means “go faster”. In Physics, it means more:

Acceleration is defined as “rate of change of velocity (speed OR direction)”.

Since velocity is both speed and direction, several different things count as
acceleration:

• Speeding up (increasing speed)

• Starting to move from rest (increasing speed from 0)
• Changing direction of linear motion e.g. a ball bouncing (changing speed
from + to – or vice versa)
• Slowing down (decreasing speed) – also called “deceleration”
• Stopping (decreasing speed to 0) – also called “deceleration”
• Turning a corner (changing direction)
• Circular motion (changing direction)

An acceleration always requires a resultant force. This is why you feel a force on you
when you’re in a car and it speeds up, slows down or turns a corner.

The units for acceleration are m/s2.

Questions

1. Define “acceleration”.
2. What is the unit for acceleration?
3. Explain why pressing the accelerator in a car causes the car to accelerate: what
change is made to the velocity?
4. Explain why applying the brakes in a moving car causes it to accelerate: what
change is made to the velocity?
5. Explain why the motion of a pebble dropped from a resting position is
acceleration: what change is made to the velocity?
6. Explain why a pebble landing on the ground undergoes acceleration: what
change is made to the velocity?
7. Explain why a bouncing ball is accelerating: what change is made to the
velocity?
8. Explain why a car turning a corner is accelerating: what change is made to the
velocity?
9. Explain why the Moon orbiting the Earth is accelerating.
10. What is the relationship between force and acceleration?

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Acceleration formula 1

Some typical accelerations:

Motorbike: 6m/s2
Car: 3m/s2

Object falling on Earth: 9.8m/s2

Space shuttle launch: 29m/s2

Average acceleration (or deceleration) can be calculated using the formula:

Acceleration = change in velocity ÷ change in time

And rearranged:

Change in velocity = acceleration x time

Which you need to memorise.

The change in velocity can be found using:

Final velocity – initial velocity

If an object is slowing down, the change in velocity will be a negative number. This
gives a negative value for the acceleration. A negative acceleration is also called
“deceleration”.

Questions
1. Give typical accelerations for a car, motorbike, object falling on Earth and a
space shuttle launch.
2. What formula links change in speed, acceleration and change in time?

3. An object accelerates from 5m/s to 10m/s over a period of 20s. Find the
acceleration.
4. Find the acceleration of an object which starts at 0.2m/s and increases its
speed to 12.5m/s over a period of 5s.
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5. What acceleration takes an object to 8m/s from 20m/s over a period of 3s?
6. An object starts at 100m/s and decelerates to 75m/s over a period of 5
seconds. Calculate the deceleration.
7. Find the deceleration of an object starting out at 45m/s and reducing its
speed to 13m/s over a period of 12s.
8. An object with initial velocity of 48m/s decelerates to 3m/s over a period of
30s. What is the deceleration?
9. An object starts at rest and accelerates to 14m/s over a period of 3.5s. Find the
acceleration.
10. An object accelerates to 105m/s from rest in 55s. Calculate the acceleration.
11. What acceleration takes an object from rest to 64m/s in 4s?
12. An object travelling at 35m/s slows to a stop over a period of 70s. What is the
deceleration?
13. Find the deceleration when an object comes to rest from 12m/s over a period
of 2.5s.
14. What deceleration occurs when an object travelling at 58m/s comes to rest
over a period of 4s?
15. How long would it take an object with deceleration 2m/s2 to go from 10m/s to
4m/s?
16. What time would it take an object with acceleration 4.3m/s2 to accelerate from
9m/s to 85m/s?
17. For an object with acceleration 0.45m/s, find the time taken to accelerate from
rest to 3m/s.
18. For an object with an acceleration of 6m/s2, what is the change in velocity
over 15s?
19. For an object with an acceleration of -18m/s2, what is the change in velocity
over 76s?
20. For an object with an acceleration of 0.9m/s2, what is the change in velocity
over 200s?

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Acceleration on a distance-time graph (HT)

Acceleration is defined as rate of change of velocity. Since velocity is equivalent to

the gradient on a distance-time graph, and accelerating object will have a changing
gradient, i.e. a curved line:

 This graph shows an object with increasing speed (positive acceleration) as the
gradient is getting higher (steeper).

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 This graph also shows an object with positive acceleration (increasing speed). It
looks different because this object is travelling backwards instead of forwards.

 This graph shows an object moving forward with negative acceleration, i.e. slowing
down. The gradient is decreasing.

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 This graph shows an object moving backwards with negative acceleration (slowing
down).

To find the speed at any time, we can draw a tangent to the curve at that time, and
find the gradient:

Example: Find the speed at 10 seconds:

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40 ÷ 7.5 = 5.33m/s

Questions:

1. On a distance-time graph, what sort of line shows acceleration?

2. Sketch a d-t graph showing positive acceleration moving forwards
3. Sketch a d-t graph showing negative acceleration moving forwards
4. Sketch a d-t graph showing positive acceleration moving backwards
5. Sketch a d-t graph showing negative acceleration moving backwards
6. What happens to speed in positive acceleration?
7. What type of motion gives a positive gradient on a d-t graph?
8. What happens to speed in negative acceleration?
9. What type of motion gives a negative gradient on a d-t graph?
10. What is “negative acceleration” also known as?
11. How can we find momentary speed of an accelerating object from a distance-
time graph?

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12. Find the speed of the object in this graph:

a. At 7 seconds
b. At 11 seconds
c. At 13 seconds
d. Is the object moving forwards or backwards?
e. Is the object accelerating or decelerating?

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13. Find the speed of the object in this graph:

a. At 7 seconds
b. 10 seconds
c. 12 seconds
d. 14 seconds
e. Is the object moving forwards or backwards?
f. Is the object accelerating or decelerating?

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14. Find the speed of the object in this graph:

a. At 3 seconds
b. At 6 seconds
c. At 9 seconds
d. Is the object moving forwards or backwards?
e. Is the object accelerating or decelerating?

15. Find the speed of the object in this graph:

a. At 3 seconds
b. At 5 seconds
c. At 8 seconds.
d. Is the object moving forwards or backwards?
e. Is the object accelerating or decelerating?

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Distance – time graphs goal-free problems

22
Velocity time graphs

The motion of an object can be shown using a velocity-time graph:

It’s easy to confuse these with distance-time graphs, but it’s important not to do so.

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This graph shows an object moving at a constant velocity (steady speed). The
gradient is 0 (horizontal line), so the acceleration is 0. Note this does not mean the
object is stationary. In this example, the object is moving at a steady speed of 4m/s.

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 This graph shows an object which is stationary. The line shows the velocity stays at
0 for the time shown. Note that stationary is a form of constant velocity: the gradient
is 0 (the line is horizontal).

25
 This graph shows an object which is accelerating. The line has a gradient (it is
sloping). The speed is changing. It starts off at 0m/s, and after 10 seconds it has
increased to 2m/s.

26
 This graph shows an object with a higher acceleration, i.e. its speed is increasing
more quickly. This object has only taken 3.5s to reach 2m/s. At 10s, its speed is 6m/s.
The gradient is higher (the slope is steeper) because the acceleration is higher.

 The graphs above show two objects with the same accelerations but different
starting (and therefore finishing) speeds.

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 This graph shows an object with negative acceleration (deceleration).

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Questions:

State what each graph shows: acceleration, constant velocity, negative acceleration,
or stationary:

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Finding acceleration from the gradient of a velocity-time graph

Because acceleration is change in velocity ÷ time, we can find acceleration of an

object by finding the gradient of a velocity-time graph.

The first thing we need to know is that:

Change in velocity = final velocity – initial velocity

= end speed - starting speed

Change in velocity = 2 – 0 = 2m/s

Acceleration = 2 ÷ 10 = 0.2m/s/s.

We have to be careful to use change in velocity, not final velocity:

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Change in velocity = 8 – 2 = 6m/s
Acceleration = 6 ÷ 10 = 0.6m/s/s.

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And if the gradient is negative:

Change in velocity = 0 – 6 = -6

Gradient = -6 ÷ 10 = -0.6m/s/s
Acceleration = -0.6m/s/s

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Questions:
Find the acceleration of the objects in the following graphs:

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34
Velocity-time graphs practice

1. A car on a journey:

2. A skier sking down a slope:

35
 3.

Velocity of the barge after the girder has been lifted:

36
 4. A ball being dropped and bouncing:

Calculating distance travelled for velocity-time graphs

The area under the graph is the distance travelled:

d/t x t = d

Find the distance travelled by the graphs on pages 29 – 36.

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Acceleration formula 2

We can also use

v2= u2+2as

Where:

v = final velocity
u = initial velocity
a = acceleration
s = displacement

This formula is given on the formula sheet.

This formula is useful when we don’t know the time taken.

Questions:

1. Find the final velocity of an object whose initial velocity is 3m/s, is travelling
with an acceleration of 4.8m/s2, and travels for 24m.

2. Find the final velocity of an object whose initial velocity is 25m/s, is travelling
with an acceleration of 0.5m/s2, and travels for 200m.

3. Find the final velocity of an object whose initial velocity is 0.2m/s, is travelling
with an acceleration of 1.9m/s2, and travels for 140m.

4. An object begins with an initial velocity of 12m/s and ends with a velocity of
63m/s. If the distance travelled is 125m, what is the acceleration?

5. What acceleration is needed to bring an object from a speed of 1.8m/s to a

speed of 15.9m/s over a distance of 35m?

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6. An object is accelerated from 105m/s to 110m/s over a distance of 13m. What
is the acceleration?

7. An object travels with an acceleration of 3.1m/s2. After it has travelled for

700m, it has reached a velocity of 207m/s. Find its initial velocity.

8. Find the initial velocity of an object travelling with an acceleration of 2.1m/s2,

which after having travelled for 900m, has reached a velocity of 607m/s.

9. An object accelerates at a rate of 1.8m/s2. If it accelerates over a distance of

1600m, what must its initial velocity be in order to reach a final velocity of
560m/s?

10. An object has initial velocity 2m/s, final velocity 3m/s, and an acceleration of
0.25m/s2. Find the distance travelled.

11. What distance is travelled by an object travelling first at 6m/s, accelerating at

4m/s2 to a final velocity 30m/s?

12. An object has initial velocity 20m/s, final velocity 300m/s, and an acceleration
of 18m/s2. Find the distance travelled.

13. An object has initial velocity 4m/s, final velocity 3m/s, and an acceleration of -
0.25m/s2. Find the distance travelled.

14. Find the final velocity of an object whose initial velocity is 400m/s, is travelling
with an acceleration of -14.8m/s2, and travels for 240m.

15. An object travels with an acceleration of -3.1m/s2. After it has travelled for
700m, it has reached a velocity of 207m/s. Find its initial velocity.

16. What acceleration is needed to bring an object from a speed of 98m/s to a

speed of 15.9m/s over a distance of 35m?

17. An object accelerates from rest to a velocity of 5m/s. If the acceleration is

0.9m/s2, calculate the distance travelled.

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18. An object accelerates from rest to an unknown speed. If the object accelerates
at 5m/s2 and travels for a distance of 15m, what is the final speed?

19. An object at rest begins to move and reaches a final speed of 165m/s after
accelerating over a distance of 30m. What is the acceleration?

20. A moving object slows to a standstill at an acceleration of -20m/s2. If the

distance travelled is 60m, find the initial velocity of the object.
21. A car travelling at 35m/s crashes into a wall and is stopped over a distance of
10.2m. Find the acceleration of the car.

22. A stone is dropped and is travelling at a speed of 1.3m/s just before it hits the
ground. If the acceleration is -135m/s2, find the distance travelled into the
ground by the stone.

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