MechYr1 Chapter 9 :: Constant

Acceleration
jfrost@tiffin.kingston.sch.uk
www.drfrostmaths.com
@DrFrostMaths

Last modified: 5th August 2018

www.drfrostmaths.com Register now to interactively practise questions on this topic, including
past paper questions and extension questions (including MAT + UKMT).
Everything is completely free. Teachers: you can create student accounts (or students can register
Why not register? themselves), to set work, monitor progress and even create worksheets.

With questions by:

Dashboard with points,

trophies, notifications
and student progress.

Questions organised by topic,

difficulty and past paper.
Teaching videos with topic
tests to check understanding.
RECAP :: Displacement-Time Graphs
Describe the motion of each object:

𝑠(𝑚)
  𝑠(𝑚)
  𝑠(𝑚)
 

𝑡  (𝑠) 𝑡  (𝑠) 𝑡  (𝑠)

Object is stationary. Object is moving with
? ?
constant velocity. ?
Object is accelerating.

Velocity is the rate of change of displacement

?
(i.e. gradient of displacement-time graph)

Displacement from starting point

 Average Velocity Time ?taken The distinction is important. If
you went out then some time
later travelled back home, your
Total distance travelled average velocity is 0 because
 Average Speed Time ?
your eventual displacement is 0!
taken
Example (Exercise 9A Question 2)

a  . In the first hours, Khalid travels

One vertical square = ?

Total displacement = squares so

b   𝑇𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 187.5 𝑘𝑚 −1

𝐴𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦= ? = =50 𝑘𝑚 h
𝑇𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒 3.75h
Exercise 9A
Pearson Stats/Mechanics Year 1
Pages 132-133
 RECAP :: Velocity-Time Graphs
Describe the motion of each object:
−1 −1
𝑣(𝑚
  𝑠 ) 𝑣(𝑚 −1
  𝑠 ) 𝑣(𝑚
  𝑠 )

𝑡  (𝑠) 𝑡  (𝑠) 𝑡  (𝑠)

Object is moving with Object has constant
?
Object is stationary. ?
constant velocity (as
change in velocity is 0).
?
acceleration (as velocity is
increasing at constant rate).

Acceleration is the rate of change of velocity

?
(i.e. gradient of velocity-time graph)

?
The area under a velocity-time graph gives the distance travelled.

Note: We’ll see later in Chapter 11 that when we

differentiate displacement we get velocity, and
therefore integrating velocity gives displacement.
But we know that integrating finds the area under
the graph.
 Examples
The velocity-time graph shown is for a body which starts from rest,
accelerates uniformly to a velocity of 8ms-1 in 2 seconds, maintains
that velocity for a further 5 seconds then decelerates uniformly to
rest. The entire journey takes 11 seconds. Find:
a) The acceleration of the body during the initial part of the motion
b) The deceleration of the body during the final part of the motion
c) The total distance travelled by the body

 
a ?
But deceleration (slowing down) is negative acceleration, so deceleration = 2ms-2
b
?
Distance travelled = area under graph

c
? In
  case you’ve forgotten:
Area of trapezium
= average of parallel sides
NB! If the graph includes negative velocities, you must calculate the areas under the height between them
graph separately to find the total distance (as negative velocities will give negative
displacements) You’re welcome.
Algebraic Example
[Textbook]
  A particle moves along a straight line. The particle
accelerates uniformly from rest to a velocity of 8 ms-1 in seconds. The
particle then travels at a constant velocity of 8 ms-1 for seconds. The
particle then decelerates uniformly to rest in a further 40 s.
(a) Sketch a velocity-time graph to illustrate the motion of the particle.
Give then the total displacement of the particle is 600m.
(b) find the value of .

a b  Using area:
−1
𝑣(𝑚
  𝑠 )
 𝐴  𝐵
8

 𝑂  𝐶
? 𝑡  (𝑠) ?
 𝑇 5𝑇
  40
 

Tip: Sometimes it’s easier to indicate

the period of time that has passed
(using arrows) rather than the time
at the end of the interval.
Test Your Understanding
Edexcel M1 May 2013

You won’t likely have the

knowledge for (d) yet…

?
Exercise 9B
Pearson Stats/Mechanics Year 1
Pages 135-136

Edexcel M1 May 2012 Q4

For
  (b), it may be helpful to know that:
final velocity = initial velocity
+ (time acceleration) ?
Constant Acceleration Formulae (SUVAT equations)
When there is constant acceleration, there are a variety of It’s important you recognise these
 equations are for a specific interval of
formulae which relate the following 5 quantities: time. So the time is the duration of
the period we’re considering, not
necessarily the time since the object
was moving.
:  displacement Velocity
:
:
initial (starting) velocity
final velocity
𝑣 
:
:
acceleration
time
𝑢 
Time
 𝑡
These formulae are used to solve problems where the object is moving in a
straight line with constant acceleration.
You are expected to be
 Using the gradient of the graph (which we able to prove each
know is acceleration): “suvat” question using
! (1) ? the above graph.

Memorisation
  Tip: This
 Using the area under the graph (which we know gives distance): formula is effectively
! (2) “distance = average
? speed time” which you
knew from GCSE.
 SUVAT Equations
The other SUVAT equations can be derived from the first two:

 Eliminating - sub from (1) into (2):  Eliminating – sub from (1) into (2):

? ?
 ! (3)  ! (4)

Fro
  Note: Because this is quadratic in , we
typically end up with two different possible times.
 Eliminating – sub from (1) into (2):

? Fro
  Note: I have never seen an exam
question that uses this formula.

! 
 Examples
A stone slides in a straight line across a horizontal sheet of ice. It passes a point, A with
velocity 14ms-1 and a point, B 2.5 seconds later. Assuming the deceleration is uniform and that
AB = 30m, find:
a) The deceleration
b) The velocity at B
c) How long after passing A the stone comes to rest
a  Diagram: b We
  can choose which c We
  can use displacement
equation to use for . AC or BC.
𝑢= 14 𝑚 𝑠− 1 𝑣 1 =? 𝑣 2 =0
      AC:
A B C
Safer to use
𝑡 2 =? given values
   
?
? Always write each ?
letter of suvat,
putting a “?” for
any quantities you
need to find.

The deceleration is 1.6ms-2.

 Examples – Deceleration Leading to a Change of Direction
A particle travels with uniform deceleration 2ms-2 in a horizontal line. The points A and B lie
on the line and AB = 32m. At time t = 0, the particle passes through A with velocity 12ms -1 in
the direction AB. Find:
a) The values of t when the particle is at B
b) The velocity of the particle for each of these values of t.
a  Diagram: b  
−2
𝑎=2 𝑚 𝑠
 
𝑢= 12𝑚 𝑠 −1
 
 
A B
𝐴𝐵=32 𝑚 We can choose which equation to use.
 
Be careful with positive
and negative directions At :
?
?
At :

Rearrange and solve the quadratic:

Test Your Understanding
Edexcel M1 May 2013 Q4

?
Exercise 9C and Exercise 9D
Pearson Stats/Mechanics Year 1
Pages 140-141 and pages 145 - 146
Vertical Motion Under Gravity
 
Famously, when the Apollo
15 landed on the moon,
astronaut David Scott
conducted a famous
demonstration in which a
hammer and feather were
released at the same time.
As anticipated, they hit the
ground at the same time!

If there is no air resistance,

then the acceleration of
objects under gravity,
regardless of mass, is
constant.

The downwards
acceleration under gravity is Important
  Note: It’s important you use 9.8 and not 10
or 9.81, which is often used in other exam
ms-2. boards/Physics. Also note that given we’re using the
value of to 2 significant figures, any subject value
calculated should also be given to 2 significant figures.
Example
A ball is thrown vertically upwards with a velocity of 14.7ms-1 from a platform 19.6m above
the ground. Find:
a) The time taken for the ball to reach the ground
b) The velocity of the ball when it hits the ground

At this stage, it’s hugely important you consider what

a  
direction is considered as ‘positive’, and mark it next to
your suvat values. If ‘up’ was positive, then . If ‘down’ is
  positive, then . The direction does not matter provided
that you are consistent with each letter of suvat, but
convention is that we make as many values positive as
possible.

  ? 𝑢=14.7 𝑚 𝑠− 1
 

𝑔=9.8 𝑚 𝑠− 2
 
Invalid as s=19.6 𝑚
   
b The
  ball reaches the ground at .

?
As per previous slide, quote only to 2
(2 sf) significant figures. You may be penalised if
you quote more!
A common type of question…
A ball is projected vertically upwards from ground level at a speed of 20 ms -1.
Determine the amount of time the ball is at least 10m above ground level.

a ?  𝑠=?10 ,𝑢=20
? , 𝑎=−
? 9.8 ,𝑡 = ?
10m
𝑔   
Therefore time above 10m:
s (2sf)
?

Calculator Tip: Be sure to use

the quadratic solver on your
calculator (within ‘Equation’
mode on the ClassWiz).
 When Two Particles are in Motion
Two stones are thrown from the same point at the same time - one vertically upwards with
speed 30ms-1 and one vertically downwards at 30ms-1. Find how far apart the stones are after
3 seconds.

A:

𝑢  𝐴 =30 𝑚 𝑠 −1 ?  𝑠= ? , 𝑢=30

? , 𝑎= −9.8
? , 𝑡 =3
?
 
𝑔=9.8
  𝑚 𝑠− 2 B
A ?
𝑢  𝐵 =30 𝑚 𝑠 −1
B:

?  𝑠= ? , 𝑢=30
? , 𝑎=? 9.8 , 𝑡 =3
?
 

? + 134.1 = 180m
Total distance = 45.9
Test Your Understanding
Edexcel M1 May 2013(R) Q4

?
Exercise 9E
Pearson Stats/Mechanics Year 1
Pages 151-152