Velocity-Time graphs

Stationary object
 Velocity-time graphs represent how the speed of an object moving in a straight line
varies with time.
 If an object is NOT moving, the velocity of it is zero.
 The velocity-time graph of that object will be a straight line which goes along the time
axis.

Velocity (m/s)

0 1 2 3 4 5 Time (s)

Constant velocity
 If a car is moving with a constant velocity, the indicator of the
speedometer of the car will remain at a fixed value.
 If you measure the velocity of the car with time, below data table can
be obtained.

Time (s) 0 1 2 3 4 5
Velocity (m/s) 40 40 40 40 40 40

 The velocity-time graph of that object will be a straight line which goes parallel to the
time axis.
Velocity (m/s)

40
30
20

10

0 1 2 3 4 5 Time (s)
Acceleration

 If a car is accelerating, the position of the indicator of the t=2 s

t=3 s
speedometer will increase with time. That is the velocity of t=1 s
t=4 s
the car is increasing. t=0

 If you measure the velocity of the car with time, below data
table can be obtained.
Time (s) 0 1 2 3 4
Velocity (m/s) 20 40 60 80 100
Velocity (m/s)

100
80
60
40

20

0 1 2 3 4 5 Time (s)
 The slope of the velocity-time graph is constant and it is positive.

 If the velocity of the car changes by an equal amount during equal time periods, the
acceleration is constant.

 Acceleration is the rate of change of velocity. That is the change in velocity within a unit
time.
𝐹𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦 − 𝐼𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑙 𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦
𝐴𝑐𝑐𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 =
𝑇𝑖𝑚𝑒
𝑣−𝑢
𝑎=
𝑡

The gradient of the velocity –time graph represents the

acceleration
Deceleration
 If a car is decelerating, the position of the indicator of the t=2 s
t=1 s
speedometer will decrease with time. That is the velocity t=3 s
t=0
of the car is decreasing. t=4 s

 If you measure the velocity of the car with time, below data
table can be obtained.
Time (s) 0 1 2 3 4
Velocity (m/s) 100 80 60 40 20
Velocity (m/s)

100
80
60
40

20

0 1 2 3 4 5 Time (s)
 The slope of the velocity-time graph is constant and it is negative.
 As the gradient of the velocity-time graph represents acceleration, it is a negative acceleration.

Deceleration=Negative Acceleration