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What is speed?
Speed is a measure of how far an object moves in a
given time.

This car is travelling at 60

mph. This means the car
travels 60 miles every hour.

This jet is travelling at

350 m/s. This means the jet
travels 350 metres every
second.

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How is velocity different to speed?
The speed of an object does not depend on the direction in
which it is travelling. The velocity of an object is the speed
and direction in which it is moving.

The car is travelling

north with a velocity of
10 m/s.

As the car goes round

the corner, the speed
of the car remains
constant but the
velocity changes.

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How is speed calculated?
The speed of an object can be calculated using this equation:

distance travelled
speed =
time taken

 Distance travelled is measured in metres (m).

 Time taken is measured in seconds (s).

 Speed is measured in metres per second (m/s).

The standard unit for speed in physics is m/s, but other units
such as kilometres per hour (km/h) are more convenient
when measuring the speed of vehicles. Why is this?

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Calculating speed question
A train takes 100 seconds to travel 1,500 m.
What is the speed of the train?

distance
speed =
time

= 1,500
100

= 15 m/s

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Using a formula triangle
A formula triangle helps you to rearrange a formula. The
formula triangle for speed (s), distance (d) and time (t) is
shown below.
Cover the quantity that you are trying to work out, which
gives the rearranged formula needed for the calculation.

So to find speed (s), …which gives

cover up s… the formula…

  s =
d
t
x
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Calculating speed question
A car travels at 25 m/s for
3 minutes. How far does
it travel?

distance
speed =
time

distance = speed x time

= 25 x 180

= 4,500 m = 4.5 km

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Speed, distance, time calculations

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Representing speed

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Analyzing distance–time graphs

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Calculating speed from the gradient
The slope of a graph is called the gradient.

The gradient of the line in a

distance–time graph equals the speed.

It is difficult to calculate the Simple graphs use straight

gradient of ‘realistic’ graphs lines only, making it easy to
because the line is curved. calculate the gradient.
distance

distance

time time
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 What’s the speed?
What is the speed of the object between points A and B?

B
70
 the object has moved
60 60 m (70 - 10 )
distance (m)

50
40  it took 3 s to move this
30 distance (6 - 3)
20  speed = distance/time
A
10
= 60/3
0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 = 20 m/s
time (s)

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Calculating speed from graphs

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DIY distance–time graph

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What is acceleration?
The acceleration of an object is a measure of how quickly
its velocity changes.

A train accelerates in a
straight line from rest. As it
does, its velocity increases.

The brakes on this

motorcycle are causing it
to slow down. This is
negative acceleration or
deceleration.

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How is acceleration calculated?
The acceleration of an object can be calculated using this
equation:

change in speed
acceleration =
time taken

 Change in speed is measured in metres per second

(m/s).

 Time taken is measured in seconds (s).

 Acceleration is measured in metres per second per

second (m/s2).

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Acceleration problem
A racing car accelerates from rest to a speed of 60 m/s in a
time of 4 seconds. What is the acceleration of the car?

change in speed
acceleration =
time taken

60
= 4

= 15 m/s2

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Using a formula triangle
A formula triangle helps you to rearrange a formula. The
formula triangle for acceleration (a), speed (s) and time (t)
is shown below.
Cover the quantity that you are trying to work out, which
gives the rearranged formula needed for the calculation.

So to find acceleration …which gives

(a), cover up a… the formula…

  a =
s
t
x
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Acceleration problem
A hungry cheetah spots a gazelle and decides to chase it.
The cheetah accelerates at 10 m/s2 from rest until it reaches
20 m/s. How long did this take?
change in speed
acceleration =
time taken

change in speed
time taken =
acceleration

= 20
10

= 2s

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Acceleration problems calculations

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Analyzing speed–time graphs

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Calculating acceleration from the gradient
How can the acceleration of an object be calculated from a
speed–time graph?
This gradient of the line in a speed–time
graph represents acceleration
speed

time speed time

 If the gradient goes
up, the object has a
positive acceleration.
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 If the gradient goes
down, the object has a
negative acceleration,
or deceleration.
© Boardworks Ltd 2007
 What’s the acceleration?
What is the acceleration of the object between points
A and B?

35
 the object’s speed has
30 increased by 20 m/s
B
speed (m/s)

25 (25 - 5)
20
15  it took 4 s to change
speed (6 - 2)
10
A
5  acceleration = speed/time
0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 = 20/4
time (s) = 5 m/s2

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Calculating acceleration from graphs

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The area under a speed–time graph

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DIY speed–time graph

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Speed and safety
Why are speed limits important?

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Why have speed limits?
Speed limits are an important
part of road safety. They aim
to prevent drivers from driving
at speeds that are unsuitable
and unsafe.

The speed limit of a particular

road depends on a range of
factors, such as how straight or curved it is, and its location.

The faster a vehicle is driving, the longer it will take to stop –

the overall distance this takes is the stopping distance.

stopping distance = thinking distance + braking distance

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Stopping distances

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What affects thinking distance?
The thinking distance is the distance a vehicle travels in the
time it takes for a driver to react to a situation and apply the
brakes.

What factors will affect thinking distance?

other drugs and

some medicines
alcohol

distractions, tiredness
such as
mobile phones
speed
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What affects braking distance?
The braking distance is the distance a vehicle takes to stop
once the driver has applied the brakes.

What factors will affect braking distance?

weather

condition of
tyres/brakes

condition of road
speed
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Factors affecting stopping distances

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How do speed cameras work?
There are several types of speed camera.,
They use different methods to calculate the
speed of a vehicle.

Gatso speed cameras use radar to detect the

speed of a vehicle, then take two photos (half a
second apart) to provide visual evidence. Lines
marked on the road indicate how far the vehicle
has travelled in that time.

Truvelo speed cameras are activated by pressure detector

cables in the road. The cables are 10 cm apart and a
computer calculates how long it takes the vehicle to pass
from one to another, and therefore the speed of the vehicle.

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Speeding and speed cameras

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 Glossary (1/2)

 acceleration – A measure of how an object’s velocity

changes over time. It usually refers to an object that is
speeding up.

 braking distance – The distance it takes for a vehicle to

stop once its brakes have been applied.

 deceleration – Negative acceleration, i.e. slowing down.

 non-uniform – Speed or acceleration that is constantly
changing.

 speed – A measure of how far an object moves in a given

time.

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 Glossary (2/2)

 stopping distance – The total distance it takes for a

vehicle to stop, i.e. thinking distance plus braking distance.

 thinking distance – The distance it takes for a driver to

react to a situation and apply the brakes.

 uniform – Speed or acceleration that is constant and

unchanging.

 velocity – A measure of the speed and direction of a moving

object.

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Anagrams

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What does the graph show?

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What does the graph show?

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Multiple-choice quiz

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