Lesson 2

Motion with Constant

Acceleration
 Focus Question

How are position, velocity, acceleration,

and time related?
 Review Vocabulary

displacement: a change in position having both

magnitude and direction; is equal to the final
position minus the initial position
 Position with Constant Acceleration
• The graph shows that the car’s motion is not uniform:
The displacements for equal time intervals on the
graph get larger and larger.
• The slope of a
position-time graph of
a car moving with a
constant acceleration
gets steeper as time
goes on.
 Position with Constant Acceleration
• For an object with constant acceleration, the
position-time graph is a parabola.
• The slopes from the
position time graph
can be used to
create a velocity-
time graph.
 Position with Constant Acceleration

• A unique position-time
graph cannot be created
using a velocity-time graph
because it does not
contain any information
about the object’s
position. However, the
area under the v-t graph is
equal to the object’s
displacement.
 Velocity with Average Acceleration
• If an object’s average acceleration during a
time interval is known, then it can be used to
determine how much the velocity changed
during that time.

Final Velocity with Average Acceleration

• The final velocity is equal to the initial velocity
plus the product of the average acceleration
and the time interval.
 Velocity with Average Acceleration
• In cases in which the acceleration is constant,
the average acceleration (ā) is the same as the
instantaneous acceleration (a).
• The equation for final velocity can be rewritten
to find the time at which an object with
constant acceleration has a given velocity.
• It also can be used to calculate the initial
velocity of an object when both the velocity
and the time at which it occurred are given.
Velocity with Average Acceleration
Response
Use with Example Problem 3. ANALYZE THE PROBLEM
• List the knowns and unknowns.
Problem KNOWN UNKNOWN
The v-t graph below represents the
motion of a car backing out of a Δt = 4.0 s v=? Δx = ?
driveway. What is the car’s displacement
at t = 4.0 s? SOLVE FOR THE UNKNOWN
• Use the graph to determine the velocity.
v = −1.5 m/s
• Use the relationship among displacement, velocity,
and time.
Δx = vΔt
= (−1.5 m/s)(4.0 s) = −6.0 m

EVALUATE THE ANSWER

• 6.0 m is a reasonable length for a driveway.
• The negative sign indicates that the car was backing up.
 Velocity with Average Acceleration

• The graph describes

constant acceleration
that started with an
initial nonzero
velocity.
• To determine the
displacement, you
can divide the area
under the graph
into a rectangle
and a triangle.
 Velocity with Average Acceleration
• The total area is then:
Δx  Δx   Δ x Δ
 v i Δt  21 ΔvΔt
 v i Δt  21aΔt 
2

• If ti = 0, the equation then becomes the

following:

Position with Average Acceleration

 An Alternative Equation

• Often, it is useful to relate position, velocity, and

constant acceleration without including time.
• Rearrange the equation vf = vi + atf to solve for time:

tf = (vf − vi)/a.

• Substitute into the equation for position with

average acceleration equation and rearrange.

Velocity with Constant Acceleration

v f 2  v i2  2axf  xi 
An Alternate Equation vi

Use with Example Problem 4. a

Problem
Joni jogs at a velocity of 2.50 m/s.
If she then accelerates at a constant −0.10
m/s2, how fast will she be jogging when she
has moved 10.0 m?
+x
SOLVE FOR THE UNKNOWN
• Use the relationship among final velocity, initial
velocity, acceleration, and displacement.

Response   v f 2  v i2  2ax

SKETCH AND ANALYZE THE PROBLEM
• Sketch the situation. 
 2.50 m/s  2 0.10 m/s2 10.0 m
2

• List the knowns and unknowns.
 4.25 m2 /s2  
KNOWN UNKNOWN
v f  2.1 m/s
vi = 2.50 m/s vf = ?
a = − 0.10 m/s2 EVALUATE THE ANSWER
• 2.1 m/s is a reasonable speed for jogging.
Δx = 10.0 m
An Alternate Equation
Part 1 Part 2
a
Use with Example Problem 5. vi vi
Problem
A cat runs at 2.0 m/s for 3.0 s, then slows to +x +x
a stop with an acceleration of −0.80 m/s2.
What is the cat’s displacement during this SOLVE FOR THE UNKNOWN
movement? • For the first interval, use the relationship among
Response velocity, time, and displacement.
SKETCH AND ANALYZE THE PROBLEM x1  v i t1  2.0 m/s3.0 s  6.0 m 
• Sketch the situation.
• For the second interval, use the relationship
• List the knowns and unknowns.
among distance, initial and final velocity, and
KNOWN UNKNOWN acceleration.
vi = 2.0 m/s Δx1 = ?
 x2 
v f
2
 v i2 
Δt1 = 3.0 s Δx2 = ? 2a
a = − 0.80 m/s2 Δx = ?
0.0 m/s  2.0 m/s
2 2

vf = 0   2.5 m  

2 0.80 m/s 2

An Alternate Equation (continued)
Part 1 Part 2
a
Use with Example Problem 5. vi vi
Problem
A cat runs at 2.0 m/s for 3.0 s, then slows to +x +x
a stop with an acceleration of −0.80 m/s2.
What is the cat’s displacement during this
movement? SOLVE FOR THE UNKNOWN
• Add the two displacements together.
Response
x  x1  x2  6.0 m  2.5 m  8.5 m
SKETCH AND ANALYZE THE PROBLEM
• Sketch the situation. EVALUATE THE ANSWER
• List the knowns and unknowns. • 8.5 meters is a reasonable distance for a cat to run.
.
KNOWN UNKNOWN
vi = 2.0 m/s Δx1 = 6.0 m
Δt1 = 3.0 s Δx2 = 2.5 m
a = − 0.80 m/s2 Δx = ?
vf = 0
 Quiz

1. For an object with constant acceleration, what

does its position-time graph look like?

A straight line sloping C horizontal line

upward

B straight line sloping D parabola

downward CORRECT
 Quiz

2. The velocity-time graph of

an object is shown. What
is the displacement of the
object after 5.00 s?

A 5m C 62.5 m CORRECT

B 25 m D 125.0 m
 Quiz

3. A velocity-time graph for the motion of two people are

shown. Which formula would you use to calculate the
displacement of person C?

A Δx = (5.0 s)/(2.0 m/s)

B Δx =(1/2)(5.0 s)(2.0 m/s)

C Δx = (5.0 s)(2.0 m/s)

CORRECT
D Δx = (1/2)(5.0 s)(2.0 m/s)2
 Quiz

4. What factor does the slope of a velocity-time graph give

you regarding an object’s motion?

A velocity

B acceleration CORRECT

C time

D displacement
 Quiz

5. What is the shape of a position-time graph of an

object traveling with constant acceleration?

A parabola CORRECT C trapezoid

B straight line D zig-zag line