Space, time

and motion

Physics HL/SL
Kinematics
Motion in one dimension
Uniformly accelerated motion
Motion in two dimensions
Data booklet entry
Understandings
Understandings
Check your understanding

1. What should the path of a body be in order for

distance to be equal to displacement?
2. Can the distance ever be smaller than the
displacement?
3. What is the displacement if a body takes a path
that takes it back to its starting point?
Displacement
Δs = Positionf - Positioni
Speed
Velocity
Example

1. A swimming pool is 50 m long. A swimmer swims 4

lengths during a race. Calculate the total distance and the
dist=200m
total displacement. Disp=0m

2. Another swimmer swims 400 m across a lake in 4 minutes

and 20 seconds. What is the average speed of that
swimmer?

1.5 ms-1
Graphs to represent motion
● Displacement-time
● Velocity-time
● Acceleration time
Distance against time
graphs
distance

time
 Constant speed?

distance

time
 Constant speed

distance

time
 Constant speed

distance

The gradient of this graph gives

the speed

time
 Constant speed
How would the graph
look different for a faster
distance constant speed?

time
 Constant speed fast

distance

time
 Constant speed fast

How would the graph

look different for a
distance slower constant speed?

time
 Constant speed fast

distance

slow

time
 Getting faster?
(accelerating)
distance

time
 Getting faster
(accelerating)
distance

time
 Examples

distance

time
A car accelerating from rest and then
hitting a wall

distance

time
A car accelerating from stop and then
hitting a wall

distance

time
 Displacement
● Displacement the distance moved in a stated direction
(the distance and direction from the starting point). A
VECTOR
 Displacement/time graphs
● Usually in 1 dimension (+ = forward and - = backwards)

Faster constant speed

backwards

Displacemen
t/m

Time/s

Constant speed forwards

Displacement/time graphs
● Gradient gives the VELOCITY

Negative

Displacemen
t/m

Time/s

Positive
Velocity?
Speed against time graphs

speed

time
 No movement?

speed

time
 No movement

speed

time
 Constant speed?

speed

time
 Constant speed

speed

time
 Constant speed
How would the graph
look different for a faster
speed constant speed?

time
 Constant speed

speed

fast

time
 Constant speed
How would the graph
look different for a
speed slower constant speed?

fast

time
 Constant speed

speed

fast

slow

time
 Getting faster?
(accelerating)
speed

time
 Getting faster?
(accelerating)
speed

Constant acceleration

time
 Getting faster?
(accelerating)
speed

The gradient of this graph gives the

acceleration

time
 Getting faster?
(accelerating)
v
The gradient of this graph gives the
acceleration
speed

v −u
a=
t

(v= final speed, u = initial speed)

time
 Getting faster?
(accelerating)
speed

The area under the graph gives the distance

travelled

time
 Example:

speed

time
A ball falling from a tall building (no air
resistance)

speed

time
A dog falling from a tall building (no air
resistance)

speed

time
A dog falling from a tall building (no air
resistance)

speed

Area = height of building

time
Velocity?
 Velocity?
● Velocity is the rate of change of displacement. Also a
VECTOR
 Velocity/time graphs
● Usually in 1 dimension (+ = forward and - = backwards)

Ball being thrown into the air, gradient = constant

= -9.81 m s-2

Velocity
[m s-1]

Time [s]
 Velocity/time graphs

Area = displacement

Velocity
[m s-1]

Time [s]
 Velocity/time graphs
Gradient = acceleration

If falling, magnitude of gradient = 9.81 m s-2

Velocity
[m s-1]

Time [s]
Speed-Time & Velocity-Time graphs
 Acceleration?
● Acceleration is the rate of change of velocity. Also a
VECTOR
An interesting example (2D)

Think of a fly orbiting the earth with

constant speed (in a circle).
An interesting example

At this point, what is its velocity?

velocity?
An interesting example

velocity
An interesting example

What is its velocity here?

velocity?
An interesting example

As you can see the velocity has changed

as it is now going in another direction.

velocity
An interesting example

We have constant speed but changing

velocity.

velocity
An interesting example

We have constant speed but changing

velocity.

Of course a changing
velocity means it must
be accelerating!

velocity
What makes
roller
coasters
exciting?
Acceleration
Common misunderstanding about acceleration

What does negative acceleration mean?

If an object is moving in a positive direction and slowing down or moving in a
negative direction and speeding up.
Acceleration signs

A positive acceleration means a positive change in velocity.

A negative acceleration means a negative change in velocity.
An object with decreasing velocity in the positive direction
has a negative acceleration.
An object with increasing velocity in the negative direction
has a negative acceleration.
 Acceleration/time graphs
● Usually in 1 dimension (+ = up and - = down)

Acceleration
[m s-2]

Time [s]
 Projectiles
● Usually in 1 dimension (+ = up and - = down)

Acceleration = constant = -9.81 m s-2

Acceleratio
n
[m s-2]

Time [s]
 Note!
acceleration The area under an
acceleration/time graph gives
the change in velocity

time
Be careful! Constant speed
speed

distance

time

Gradient = speed
Area = distance travelled

time
 Be careful! Constant acceleration

speed

distance
Gradient =
acceleration

Gradient =
speed

time

time

Area = distance travelled

The moving man simulation

● https://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulations/moving-man
Instantaneous vs average
velocity
Instantaneous velocity
Example

Determine the
instantaneous
velocity at 6.5 s.
Practise

● A.1 inThinking worksheet - graphs of motion

● Worksheets
● (Graphs) https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=ybgEUwM3Lmc
Data booklet entry