Displacement-Time Graph

• If an object is moving, the position of that object should vary with time, relative
to a fixed point on Earth.
• If the person is NOT moving, the distance from the fixed point on Earth remains
the same with time.
• A displacement-time graph shows us how the distance changes with time. In a
displacement time graph, y-axis represents the displacement and x axis
represents time.
• Say that the boy shown in the figure,
stayed at the same place without
moving.
• The reference point is the wall of his
house. 4m
• If you measure the distance between
the house and the boy, it will be same all the time. So below data table can be
obtained.

Time (s) 0 1 2 3 4 5
Distance (m) 4 4 4 4 4 4

• When you plot the

position of the person with time,
Displacement (m)

the graph shown below is

obtained.

• For an object at rest (not

moving relative to earth), the
displacement-time graph is a
horizontal straight line parallel
to the time axis.
Time (s)
• If an object is moving, the position of the object changes with time, relative to
a fixed position on Earth.
• Say that a boy walks along a straight path with a speed of 1 m/s. (This means
that the boy travels 1 m in every second)

Position that we start

to measure time

t=0 t=1 t=2 t=3 t=4 t=5

4m

5m

6m

7m

8m

9m

• If you measure the distance between boy’s house and the boy with time,
below data table can be obtained.

Time (s) 0 1 2 3 4 5
Distance (m) 4 5 6 7 8 9

• When you plot the displacement-time graph for the boy’s motion, below graph
can be obtained.
• The intercept of the graph represents the position where we start to measure
the time.
 Displacement (m)
10

0 1 2 3 4 5
Time (s)
• The slope of the graph represents the speed of the boy. If the boy moves faster
the slope of the graph will be steeper.

Inclination of the slope is low. Inclination of the slope is high.

Moving slow. Moving fast.
Speed is low. Speed is high.
Distance (m)
Distance (m)

Time (s) Time (s)

• Say that the boy walks along a straight path towards the house, with a speed
of 1 m/s.
Position that we start
to measure time

t=5 t=4 t=3 t=2 t=1 t=0

9m

8m
7m
6m

5m

4m

• Below is the data table obtained.

Time (s) 0 1 2 3 4 5
Distance (m) 9 8 7 5 5 4
Displacement (m)

10

0 1 2 3 4 5
Time (s)
• When the boy moves towards the reference point, the graph has a negative
gradient.
• The slope of the graph is steeper downwards when the speed of the boy is high.

Downwards inclination of the Downwards inclination of the

slope is low. slope is high.
Moving slow. Moving fast.
Speed is low. Speed is high.

Distance (m)
Distance (m)

Time (s) Time (s)

Calculating the speed using Gradient

• The gradient of the displacement-time graph represents velocity.
• So by calculating the gradient of the graph, we can calculate the velocity (or
speed).

How to calculate the gradient…