MOTION GRAPHS

(synthesis)
What is the importance of graphs in general?

- They allow us to see trends (direction of change).

- They give a quick glance of what’s happening in
a set of data points.
- They help us analyze a seemingly overwhelming
set of data.
What is happening to the object
whose data points are as follows?
LINE SEGMENTS VS.
CURVED LINES
MOTION GRAPHS

•What does the first line

segment indicate about
the motion of the object?

• For the first part of the

journey shown by the
graph below, the object
moved at a constant,
slower speed.
MOTION GRAPHS
•What does the SECOND
line segment indicate
about the motion of the
object?

• Then the object suddenly

increased its speed,
covering a much larger
distance per unit time.
• The speed increased in the
second part of the journey.
MOTION GRAPHS

• This graph shows an

alternative way of
representing an object
that speeds up (curve
line instead of distinct
line segments).
CAUTION:

- “Position vs time” and ”distance vs. time” graph are just

the same thing.
- Graphs in science are named as “dependent vs.
independent variable graph” (e.g. velocity vs. time
graph)
- When interpreting motion graphs, be sure you’re aware
of the type of graph you’re looking at.
☺