SPEED-TIME GRAPHS

speed
In a speed-time graph:

gradient = acceleration
time
and

area under graph = distance travelled

1 speed (m/s)

30

20

10

0 time (s)
0 10 20 30 40 50

The speed-time graph shows the speed of a car over the first 50 seconds
of a journey.
1 speed (m/s)

30

20

25
10

0 time (s)
0 10 10 20 30 40 50

a Calculate the acceleration between 0 and 10 seconds.

acceleration = gradient
25

10
 2.5 m/s2
1 speed (m/s)

30
5
40
20

10

0 time (s)
0 10 20 30 40 50

b Calculate the acceleration between 10 and 50 seconds.

acceleration = gradient
5

40
 0.125 m/s2
1 speed (m/s)

30

20

25 30
10

10 40
0 time (s)
0 10 20 30 40 50

c Calculate the the total distance travelled in the first 50 seconds.

distance travelled = area under graph
1  1
   10  25     25  30   40
2  2
 1225 m
1 speed (m/s)

30

20

10

0 time (s)
0 10 20 30 40 50

d Calculate the average speed over the first 50 seconds.

total distance travelled
average speed =
total time taken
1225

50
 24.5 m/s
2 speed (m/s)

30

20

10

0 time (s)
0 10 20 30 40 50

The speed-time graph shows the speed of a car over 45 seconds.

2 speed (m/s)

30

20
35
10

20
0 time (s)
0 10 20 30 40 50

a Calculate the acceleration between 0 and 20 seconds.

acceleration = gradient
35

20
 1.75 m/s2
2 speed (m/s)

30

20
35
10
25
0 time (s)
0 10 20 30 40 50

a Calculate the acceleration between 20 and 45 seconds.

acceleration = gradient
35

25
 1.4 m/s2
2 speed (m/s)

30

20
35
10

0 time (s)
0 10 20 30 40 50
45

c Calculate the the total distance travelled by the car.

distance travelled = area under graph
1
  45  35
2
 787.5 m
2 speed (m/s)

30

20

10

0 time (s)
0 10 20 30 40 50

d Calculate the average speed over the 45 seconds.

total distance travelled
average speed =
total time taken
787.5

45
 17.5 m/s