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MOTION
Definition of Terms
Distance (s) The length of the pathway followed by an object between two points. SI units
are metres.
Displacement (s) Distance in a specified direction. SI units are metres.
Average Speed: The total distance travelled in a given period of time.

Average speed =

Velocity (u-initial velocity and v-final velocity): Speed in a stated direction or the rate at
which displacement changes with time. The SI units are metres per second
Acceleration (a): The rate at which velocity changes with time.

acceleration =

If the acceleration is negative it is called deceleration or retardation.

Uniform and Non-Uniform Motion

Uniform Velocity: This refers to constant or steady velocity.
t (s) 0 1 2 3 4
v (m/s) 8 8 8 8 8

Non Uniform Velocity: This refers to velocity which is not constant

t (s) 0 1 2 3 4
v (m/s) 3 4 5 8 10

Uniform Acceleration: This refers to constant or steady acceleration. It means that the
increase or decrease in velocity is the same per unit time.
t (s) 0 1 2 3 4
v (m/s) 0 4 8 12 16
a (m/s) 4 4 4 4

Non-Uniform Acceleration: This refers to acceleration which is not constant.

t (s) 0 1 2 3 4 5
v (m/s) 0 2 6 7 16 19
a (m/s) 2 4 1 9 3

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Motion Graphs
Distance-Time Graphs
 Slope or gradient of a distance-time graph gives velocity.
t (s) 0 1 2 3 4 5
s (m) 0 2 4 6 8 10

= 2 m/s

 If the distance-time graph is a diagonal line then the velocity is constant.

 If the distance-time graph is a horizontal line then the object is at rest.
Velocity-Time Graphs
 Velocity-time graph for uniform velocity is a horizontal line.
t (s) 0 1 2 3 4
v (m/s) 8 8 8 8 8

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 Velocity-time graph for uniform acceleration and uniform deceleration is a diagonal

line
Uniform Acceleration Uniform Deceleration
t (s) 0 1 2 3 4 5 t (s) 0 1 2 3 4 5
v (m/s) 0 4 8 12 16 20 v (m/s) 20 16 12 8 4 0
a (m/s) 4 4 4 4 4 a (m/s) 4 4 4 4 4

 Slope/gradient of a velocity-time graph gives acceleration.

= 2 m/s2

 Area under a velocity-time graph gives distance covered.

Area = 1
/2 x b x h = 1
/2 x 5s x 10m/s = 25 m/s

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Classwork
1. The diagram below shows the velocity-time graph for a motor vehicle

(a) Describe the motion of the vehicle between

(i) PQ
(ii) QR
(iii) RS
(b) Using the graph, calculate
(i) the acceleration of the vehicle during the first 2 seconds.
(ii) the acceleration of the vehicle during the last 2 seconds.
(c) Calculate the total distance travelled
2. Use the distance-time graph below to answer questions which follow

(a) Describe the motion between

(i) 0A
(ii) AB
(ii) BC
(b) Calculate speed in the last 1 second

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Equations of Motion
eqn 1

eqn 2

eqn 3

eqn 4

It is important to note that

 Eqn 1 does not have s
 Eqn 2 does not have a
 Eqn 3 does not have v
 Eqn 4 does not have t
 All the equations have u.

NB: This equations only apply to objects travelling with uniform motion.
M,
Classwork
(On answering these questions assume that there is no air resistance)
3. A bus starts off from rest and reaches a velocity of 25 m/s in 10 seconds. Calculate
(i) acceleration of the bus
(ii) the distance travelled in the first 10 seconds.
4. A car travelling with a constant speed of 20 m/s accelerates at 2 m/s 2 for 5 seconds.
Calculate
(i) the velocity of the car after 5 seconds
(ii) distance travelled in that time.
5. A train travelling at 36 m/s decelerates at 4 m/s2 for 9 seconds. Calculate
(i) the velocity of the car after 9 seconds
(ii) distance travelled in that time.
6 An aircraft accelerates at 0.8 m/s2. It’s take off speed is 48 m/s.
(i) What length of runway does the aircraft need to take off.
(ii) How long does it take to reach its take off speed?
7. Usain Bolt, a Jamaican athlete, is the world record holder after completing the 100
metre race in 9.58 seconds recently. Calculate
(i) His final velocity as he crossed the finish line
(ii) His acceleration

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Vertical Motion without Air Resistance

(Acceleration due to gravity, g)
Assuming that there is no air resistance, all bodies undergoing vertical motion accelerate
uniformly at g or –g depending on whether they are ascending or descending.

Descending objects
u = 0 m/s
a = g = 10 m/s2

Ascending objects
v = 0 m/s
a = -g = -10 m/s2.

Classwork
(On answering these questions assume that there is no air resistance)
8. A cannon ball is shot vertically upwards with an initial velocity of 40 m/s.
Calculate
(i) the maximum height reached by the cannon ball
(ii) the time taken to reach that height.

9. A ball is dropped from cliff. If the ball reaches the ground after 4 seconds, calculate
(i) the height of the cliff
(ii) the velocity of the ball just before hitting the ground

10 A ball is thrown upwards with a velocity of 8 m/s. Calculate

(i) the maximum height reached by the ball
(ii) the time taken to reach that height
(iii) on falling back, the ball lands on the roof of a house 0.4 seconds after reaching
the maximum height.

11. A motor car travelling at a constant speed of 20 m/s drives over a cliff and hits the
ground after 4 seconds.
Calculate
(i) The height of the cliff
(ii) The distance from the foot of the cliff to the point where the car hits the ground
(iii) The vertical velocity of the car as it hits the ground
(vi) The horizontal velocity of the car as it hits the ground

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Vertical Motion with Air Resistance

(Terminal Velocity)
When a body falls through a fluid, its acceleration is reduced as it encounters friction. The
acceleration is reduced because the fluid friction increases.

The diagram below shows the movement of a ball as it falls through air, from the moment it
is released.

Stage 1
Initially as the ball is dropped the only force acting on it is its weight. At this point the ball
accelerates uniformly at g.

Stage 2
The ball has started experiencing fluid friction but its weight is greater than the fluid friction.
Thus the acceleration of the ball is reduced but it is still greater than zero. As such the
velocity keeps on increasing which results in an increase in fluid friction and as such the
resultant force decreases.

Stage 3
The fluid friction increases until it becomes equal to the weight. At this point the resultant
force is zero and the acceleration is also zero. Thus the velocity stops increasing and remains
constant for the remainder of the flight of the ball. This constant velocity is called terminal
velocity.

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The diagram below shows the velocity-time graph for an object falling through a fluid until it
reaches terminal velocity.

Classwork
11. The diagram below shows the forces acting on a raindrop which is falling to the
ground.

(i) A is the force that causes the raindrop to fall. What is the force called?
(ii) B is the total force opposing the motion of the drop. State one possible cause
of this force.
(iii) What happens to the raindrop when force A = force B?

leemok productions 2011© notes: MOTION