Chapter 2 Motion (II)

2.1 Graphs of straight-line motion

A Displacement−time graph (s−t graph)
1 A displacement−time graph shows the displacement (from a reference point) of an
object at different instants.
change in displaceme nt
2 Slope of s−t graph = = ____________________
change in time

s/m

25

10

0 t/s
15 30 60

Time interval Position Change in s Velocity v Direction of motion

(+ or −)
change from + 15
(a) 0−15 s 25 − 10 = +15 m = +1 m s−1
10 m to 25 m 15

(b) 15−30 s stay at 25 m (at rest)

(c) 30−60 s −

Checkpoint 1
Jason walks along a straight line. The figure above shows his s−t graph in the first 60 s. The
forward direction is taken as positive.
(a) Describe the motion of Jason in the first 60 s.
(b) What is his total displacement in the first 60 s?
Solution
(a) During 0−15 s, Jason moves forwards at a ____________ speed of _______________.
During 15−30 s, Jason is _________________.
During 30−60 s, Jason moves ____________ at a ____________ speed of _________.
(b) Total displacement in the first 60 s =
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3. When the s−t graph is a curve, the ______________________ velocity of the object is
given by the slope of the curve at that instant (i.e. the slope of the tangent at that point).

s
t

s
t

s s
v = slope =
t

0 t

Checkpoint 2
The figure above shows the s−t graph of car A.
(a) Explain how the graph shows that the car slows down.
(b) At t = 0, another car B resting at s = 2 m starts to speed up. Sketch the s−t graph of B.

Solution
(a) As time goes on (t increases), the ________________ of the curve ________________,
i.e. the velocity of A ________________.
(b) At t = 0,
slope of the s−t graph = v = ________
The s−t graph of B:
s/m

0 t

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B Velocity−time graph (v−t graph)
1 A velocity−time graph shows the velocity of an object at different instants.
2 Slope of v−t graph = _______________________
3 Area under v−t graph = _______________________
* When the area is below the time axis, the __________________ is taken as negative.

v / m s−1

18

0 t/s
5 15 35 50

−9

Speed up / slow down /

Direction of motion a / m s−2
Time unchanged
(derived from sign of v) (slope)
(derived from signs of v & a)
18 − ( −9)
=
15 − 0
(a) t = 2 s − slow down
+1.8

(b) t = 5 s (at rest) (N / A)

(c) t = 8 s

(d) t = 20 s

(e) t = 40 s

Time interval Change of displacement s

(f) 0−5 s s =

(g) 5−50 s s =

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Checkpoint 3
A car travels along a straight road. The figure below shows its v−t graph in the first 100 s.
The forward direction is taken as positive.

v / m s−1

10

50 100
0 t/s
20

−15

(a) Find the average velocity and the average speed of the car in the first 100 s.
(b) Sketch the v−t graph in the same figure if the backward direction is taken as positive.

Solution
total displaceme nt
(a) Average velocity = =
total time of travel

total distance travelled

Average speed = =
total time of travel

Checkpoint 4
Annie walks at 1.5 m s−1 towards the right for 10 s. After resting for 20 s, she walks back to
the starting position in 15 s. Sketch the s−t graph and v−t graph of Annie for her journey.

s/m v / m s−1

0 t/s 0 t/s

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Checkpoint 5
In each of the following cases, find the time at which objects X and Y meet.
(a) (b)

s/m v / m s−1

20 object X 20 object X
15 object Y 15 object Y

0 t/s 0 t/s
3 4 3 4

Solution

Checkpoint 6
Amy and Betty run along a straight road. They are at the same position at time t = 0. The
figure below shows their v−t graphs.
v

Amy

Betty
0 t/s
5

Determine whether each of the following statements is correct.

(a) Amy meets Betty at t = 5 s.
(b) The average speed of Amy from t = 0 to t = 5 s is higher than that of Betty.
(c) The average acceleration of Amy from t = 0 to t = 5 s is greater than that of Betty.

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C Acceleration−time graph (a−t graph)
1 An acceleration−time graph shows the acceleration of an object at different instants.
2 The s−t graph, the v−t graph and the a−t graph are related by:

slope
⎯⎯⎯→ slope
⎯⎯⎯→
s − t graph v − t graph a − t graph
⎯⎯⎯
area

Checkpoint 7
The v−t graphs of two different objects are given below. Sketch their s−t graphs and a−t
graphs. Assume that both objects start at s = 0 when t = 0.

(a) s

v
0 t/s

20
0 t/s
15 a

0 t/s

(b) s

v
0 t/s

0 t/s
10 15 20 a

0 t/s

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Checkpoint 8
The motion graphs of different objects are shown below. Identify in which of the cases the
object changes its moving direction and state when this occurs.
(a) (b)

v v

20
0 t/s 0 t/s
5 20 10

(c) (d)

s a

5 20
0 t/s 0 t/s
3

Checkpoint 9
Cars A, B and C travel along a straight road that passes through town P. The displacement s
is measured from town P. Match each car to the graph describing its motion.

Graph W Graph X Graph Y Graph Z

s v s v

t t t t
0 0 0 0

(a) Car A travels towards town P at a constant speed. After arriving at town P, it makes a
U-turn and travels back at the same speed.
(b) Car B leaves town P with a uniform deceleration. When its velocity becomes zero, it
accelerates uniformly without changing its direction of motion.
(c) Car C travels towards town P and goes straight on at a constant speed.

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D Motion analyzing tools
1 The following tools are used in laboratories to study the motion of an object.
• A ____________________ (connected
to a data-logger) emits ultrasound
signals and detects the echoes from an
object to determine the ____________
of the object at different times.

• A ___________________ (connected timer-scaler

to a timer-scaler or a data-logger)
produces a light beam in-between. It
starts timing when the beam is
light-gate
blocked by an object and stops timing
when the beam is unblocked.
The instantaneous _________ of the
object can therefore be estimated.

Experiment: Using a motion sensor

 Set up the apparatus as shown above. Connect the motion sensor to a computer via a
____________________________.
 Use the data-logging program to display the motion graphs (e.g. s−t and v−t graphs).
 Start recording data. Walk along a straight line that passes through the
____________________. When the motion finishes, stop recording data.

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 2.2 Equations of uniformly accelerated motion
A Equations of motion
1 The equations of motion can be applied to motion with ____________________ only:

v = u + at (s omitted)
(a omitted)
(v omitted)
(t omitted)
* u: initial velocity, v: final velocity, s: displacement, a: acceleration, t: time

Checkpoint 10
A boat accelerates uniformly along a straight line from rest to 43.2 km h−1 in 5 s.
(a) Find the acceleration of the boat.
(b) The boat then decelerates to 36 km h−1 in 1.5 s. Find the distance travelled by the boat
when it decelerates.

Solution
Take the forward direction as positive.
(a) u =
v=
t=
a=?
By v = u + at,
v−u
a= =
t
 The acceleration of the boat is _____________.
(b) u =
v=
t=
s=?

 The distance travelled is _____________.

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Checkpoint 11
A particle travels as shown below with uniform acceleration −2 m s−2 along a straight line.
If its initial velocity is 8 m s−1, what is the total distance travelled by the particle in 10 s?
+

Solution
First find the distance travelled s1 until the particle changes its moving direction.

u = __________, v = __________, a = __________, s1 = ? u v=0

s1

Then find the total displacement s2 in 10 s.

u = __________, a = __________, t = __________, s2 = ?

u

s2 s1

Total distance travelled =

Checkpoint 12
A straight line graph of y against x can be represented by y = mx + c where m is the slope of
the graph. Some graphs of uniformly accelerated motion are shown below. By choosing an
equation of motion that fits the graph, complete the table and find the acceleration a in each
case.
(a) (b) (c)
v / m s−1 s/m v 2 / m2 s−2
5 24 25

2 9
0 t/s 0 t 2 / s2 0 s/m
6 16 4
(a) (b) (c)
Equation 1
v = u + at s = at 2 (for u = 0)
of motion 2
Slope in 1
a
terms of a 2
Value of a 1 24
a=  a = 3 m s−2
2 16

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 2.3 Free fall motion
A Acceleration due to gravity
1 When a ball is released from rest, it drops vertically with an acceleration of ____ m s−2
(without air resistance). This is the acceleration due to ____________, denoted by ___.
Motion graphs of a ball released from rest (taking downwards as positive):

s−t graph v−t graph a−t graph

s/m v / m s−1 a / m s−2

20 20
9.81
10 10

0 t/s 0 t/s 0 t/s

1 2 1 2 1 2

2 When a ball is projected upwards, its motion is as shown below (taking upwards as
positive).


+
 

 v is positive and a = −9.81 m s−2. The ball is slowing down.

 At the maximum height, v = 0 and a = ____________. The ball is momentarily at
rest.
 v is ____________ and a = ____________. The ball is speeding up.
 When the ball drops back to the same level as its initial position, s = __________.
Motion graphs of a ball projected upwards (taking upwards as positive):
s−t graph v−t graph a−t graph

v / m s−1 a / m s−2
s/m

0 t/s
0 t/s
−9.81
0 t/s

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Checkpoint 13
At t = 0, a ball is thrown vertically upwards from a height of 0.8 m above the ground. The
initial speed of the ball is 5 m s−1.
(a) Find the maximum height that the ball reaches (measured from the ground).
(b) When does the ball return to the initial position?
(c) When does the ball hit the ground?

Solution
Take upwards as positive.
(a) Consider the upward journey of the ball.

u = __________, v = __________, a = __________, s = ?

Maximum height above the ground =

(b) Consider the journey until the ball returns to the initial position.

u = __________, a = __________, s = __________, t = ?

 The ball returns to the initial position after __________.

(c) Consider the journey before the ball hits the ground.

u = __________, a = __________, s = __________, t = ?

 The ball hits the ground after __________.

Checkpoint 14
A ball is released from rest on the earth. Its s−t and v−t graphs are shown below. On the
same graphs, draw the v−t of the same ball released from rest on the moon where gM  gE.
s v

0 t 0 t

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