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Describing the motion of
an object is easier
understood through
graphical presentations
or use of diagrams.
Herein, the relationship of
distance and time, speed
or velocity and time are
interpreted easily when
presented through graphs
and diagrams.
 Distance-Time Graph
(d-t graph)
One way of describing motion
is by plotting distance against
time in a Cartesian plane. Like
in your mathematics class,
this presentation will make
use of X and Y axis.
Distance-Time Graph
(d-t graph)
Time is plotted on the
X-axis. The further to
the right on the axis,
the longer the time
from the start.
Distance is plotted on
the Y-axis. The higher
up the graph, the
further from the start.
Objects is at Rest
An object is NOT
MOVING when a
horizontal line is shown
on a distance-time
graph. In this case,
time is increasing to
the right, but the
distance remains the
same. The object is not
moving hence, the
object is At Rest.
Object Moving at
Constant Speed
An object is moving
at a constant speed
when the distance
covered increases
constantly with
time.
Constant speed is
shown by straight
lines on a graph.
Suppose we have two moving
objects:
Both of the lines in the
graph show that each object
moved the same distance,
but the steeper dashed line
got there before the other
one:
Steeper Line The steeper dashed
line indicates that the
object has moved a
greater distance at a
given time. In other
words, it has higher
speed than the object
which is represented
by the solid line. Both
lines are straight, so
both speeds are
constant.
 Below is a graph that
show acceleration. It looks
different from those that The line on this
show constant speed. graph is curving
upwards. This
shows an increase
in speed since
the line is getting
steeper. In other
words, the object
is accelerating.
Speed-Time or Velocity-
time Graph (V-T Graph)
Another type of motion graph is
the velocity-time graph. The
velocity of the object is plotted
against time. Although it looks
much like distance-time graphs, the
slope of the graph describes the
acceleration of the object.
Object Moving at Constant
Speed The figure shows an
object moving at
a constant speed. A
straight horizontal
line means that speed
is constant. It is not
changing over time. A
straight line, in this
case, does not mean
that the object is at
rest. Remember, this
is a v-t graph.
Object is Accelerating
(Speeding Up)
The moving object
is said to be
ACCELERATING
when its speed is
increasing as
shown in the
graph.
Object is Decelerating
(Slowing Down)
the moving object
is decreasing its
speed or slowing
down. Thus, the
moving object is
DECELERATING.
 DIAGRAMS
Another method of describing
motion is through the use of
diagrams. A ticker-tape diagram
is an example of motion diagram.
This is sometimes called as dot
diagram which makes use of a
stationary "ticker" that marks the
tape at regular time intervals.
 A dot diagram reveals
if the object is moving
with a constant velocity
or accelerating.
 A changing distance
between dots indicates
a changing velocity and
thus accelerating.
A constant distance between
dots represents a constant
velocity and therefore no
acceleration. Dot diagrams
for objects moving with a
constant velocity and with an
accelerated motion are
shown below.
 Imagine a car with an engine
leak that drips oil at a regular
rate. As the car travels
through town, it would leave a
trace of oil on the street.
That trace would reveal
information about the motion
of the car.
 Glen owns such a car and it
leaves a signature of Glen’s
motion wherever he goes.
Analyze the three traces of
Glen’s ventures as shown below.
Assume Glen is traveling from
left to right. Describe his car’s
motion characteristics during
each section of the diagram
a. What happens to the car’s
speed in section A?
b. Infer the car’s motion at
section B.
c. Describe the car’s motion in
section C.
Glen decelerates from a high
speed to low speed until he
is finally stopped. He
remains at rest for a while
and then gradually
accelerates until the trace
ends.
Describe the car’s motion
for Sections:

A?
B?
 Glen travels at a constant
speed during the first time
interval and then gradually
accelerates until the trace
ends.
Describe the car’s motion
for Sections:
A?
B?
C?
D?
 Glen moves with a constant
speed in the first time interval.
He then abruptly decelerates to
a stop. He remains at rest for
some time and then moves with
a constant speed, slower than
the first speed.