Graphs Representing Motion

Distance/Time
D
Distance Distance-Time graph
gradient = velocity
t

Distance
D

Distance
D

Gradient = speed
 Graphs Representing Motion
Velocity/Time
V
velocity Distance-Time graph
gradient = velocity
t

Velocity
V

t Velocity-time
graph
Velocity
V Gradient =
acceleration
Area = Distance
t t
travelled

Gradient = Acceleration
 The figure shows a falling parachutist
V
(m/s)
Velocity Time Graph for
parachutist.
A. What was his acceleration from 0 to 15
150 sec ?

15 T (s)

15 50 100

B. What was happening at 50 seconds?

C. Approximately how far did he fall

altogether?
Distance-time graphs
The slope/gradient of a distance-time graph
represents speed.
Steeper line = higher speed

distance

st
fa
w
slo

time
 Question 1
Sketch on the same lorry

distance
set of axes distance-
time graphs for:

s
bu
(a) a car moving at a
steady speed,
(b) a bus moving at car
a steady speed
greater than the car,
(c) a lorry increasing
in speed from rest.
time
TP Describe common types of motion graphs
 Velocity-time graphs

onti
ra
The slope of a velocity-

velocity

ele
t i on
ra

cc
e le

ha
time graph represents acc
w

hig
lo
acceleration.
constant velocity
or zero acceleration
Area = displacement decel
eratio
n

time
The area under a velocity-time graph represents
distance travelled.

velocity
area equals
distance
travelled

time
 Graph of a bouncing Ball.

C F AB – ball travelling down

velocity
(ms-1) BC – bounce (in contact)
CD – travelling up to maximum
A D height
t(s)
DE – travelling downwards and
speeding up

B E EF – second bounce

velocity-time graph for the bouncing ball, Up is

positive.
Taking downward motion as positive, and upward motion as negative.

hits ground
velocity /
ng

ms-1

ng
l li

l li
fa

fa time / s

g
g

in
in

s
s

ri
ri

downwards (falling): + ve
max height upwards (rising): - ve
 Bouncing Ball (With Energy Loss)

A ball is dropped from a height to the ground.

Kinetic energy is lost with each bounce.
The velocity - time and acceleration - time graphs are as follows:

velocity /
ms-1

time / s
Graph of a bouncing ball
 Graphs for Objects Thrown Up

20 acceleration
Speed (ms-2)
(ms-1) 0
t(s)
2 3 4
0
2 3 4 t(s)
-10
20
velocity 1. What distance does the ball travel
(ms-1) during the 4 s? Area = 40 m
2. What is the displacement of the ball
0 after 4 s? Area = 20 - 20 = 0 m
2 3 4 t(s)
3. What is the speed of the ball at 4 s?
20 m/s
4. What is the velocity of the ball at
4s? -20 ms
-20 -1
Graphs of freefall
Object thrown upwards and falls back.
Without resistance
Object thrown from a building and falls to the ground
Air resistance negligible
The maximum height, the range and the velocity are all reduced.

Time downwards is longer than

time upwards.
 Velocity-time graph for the sky diver
Velocity Parachute opens –
diver slows down

V/ms-1

Moon
Terminal he
On t
velocity
reached…

New, lower terminal Time

Diver hits
velocity reached
Speed increases… the ground
 Question 1
Sketch the velocity time velocity (m/s)
graph of a car
accelerating from rest to 15
15m/s in 3 seconds and
then remaining at a 10
constant speed for one
more second. 5

1 2 3 4
time (s)
 Question 2
Calculate the acceleration and the velocity (m/s)
distance travelled after 4 seconds
from using the graph opposite.
12
acceleration = gradient
= y-step ÷ x-step
= (12 - 0)m/s ÷ (4 – 0)s 8
= 12 / 4
acceleration = 3 m/s2 4
area
distance = area under the graph
= area of triangle
= ½ x base x height 1 2 3 4
= ½ x 4s x 12m/s
distance travelled = 24m time (s)
 Question 3
Calculate the acceleration and distance travelled
using the graph shown below.
Acceleration:
Acceleration equals the slope of the graph
= y-step ÷ x-step
= (16 - 4)m/s ÷ (10s)
= 12 / 10
Acceleration = 1.2 m/s2

Distance travelled:
This equals the area below the graph
= area of rectangle + area of triangle
= (10s x 4m/s) + (½ x 10s x (12 – 4)m/s)
= 40m + 40m
Distance travelled = 80m
 Question 4
Calculate the distance travelled over 15 seconds
and the deceleration during the final five seconds
using the graph below.