Acceleration

Forces

Motion Graphs

9U
Acceleration
 Acceleration Engage

Put the following scenarios in order of increasing speed (i.e.

slowest to fastest);
A. a beetle flying,
B. a person walking,
C. a person riding a bicycle,
D. a double-decker London bus,
E. a bird flying,
F. a cheetah
G. a missile.
 Acceleration Engage

SLOWEST FASTEST

Walking Beetle London Cycling Bird Cheetah Missile

1.5 m/s 1.8 m/s Bus 6 m/s 11.5 m/s 15 m/s 3430 m/s
3.8 m/s

Mean values for all scenarios

Acceleration Challenge & Develop

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

This jet is travelling at

This car is travelling at 60 mph. 350 m/s. This means the jet
This means the car travels 60 travels 350 metres every
miles every hour. second.

What is the SI unit for speed?

 Acceleration Challenge & Develop

The standard unit for speed in physics is m/s,

which arises from the formula for calculating speed;

distance travelled
speed =
time taken
 If distance travelled is measured in metres (m).

 & time taken is measured in seconds (s).

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

Other units such as kilometres per hour (km/h) are more convenient when
measuring the speed of vehicles. Why is this?
 Acceleration
You are going to generate some data that
describes the motion of a ball.
Apparatus
• Stopclocks
• Guttering or Ramp 1.5-2m long
• Tennis ball
Analysis & Evaluation
1. Plot the data from the experiment as a
distance–time graph.
2. Calculate the speed of the ball from the
gradient of the graph.
3. You could repeat with different balls or
different angles of ramp
Challenge & Develop
Method
1. Station group members with a stopwatch at
metre intervals along a corridor or across the
room.
2. One student should roll a tennis ball down a
1.5–2.0 m long piece of guttering held at 45°.
3. The students should all start their
stopwatches at the same time and should each
stop the stopwatches when the ball passes
them.
4. The data should then be collected in a shared
data table consisting of two columns:
distance (m) and time (s).
Acceleration Challenge & Develop

Turn this table into a multi-line line graph

Distance Hockey Ball Yellow Ball Car
(m) Time (s) Time (s) Time (s)
0 0 0.00 0.00
1 0.96 0.97 0.30
2 1.31 1.57 1.63
3 2.35 2.27 1.66
4 2.58 3.19 2.10
5 2.88 3.65 2.80
6 No result 3.92 2.93

From your graph which ball was the fastest? How can you tell?
 Acceleration Explain

The slope of a graph is called the gradient.

The gradient of the line in a
distance–time graph equals the speed.
distance

distance
time time
It is difficult to calculate the gradient Simple graphs use straight lines
of ‘realistic’ graphs because the line is only, making it easy to
curved. calculate the gradient.
 Acceleration Explain

So the slope or gradient of a distance-time

graph increases with speed.

distance

t s
The steeper the line is, the faster the object is

fa
moving
w
slo

How would you calculate the speed using

the graph?
time
 Acceleration Explain

Speed is calculated by dividing distance by time.

In a distance-time graph this is given by the gradient of the graph.

change in distance
gradient =
change in time
distance

= speed
change in
distance Remember, the steeper the line, the faster the
object is moving.
change in time
A zero gradient means that the object is not
time moving.
 Acceleration Explain

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

B
70
60  the object has moved 60 m (70 – 10 )
50
distance (m)

40  it took 3 s to move this distance (6 – 3)

30
20
A  speed = distance/time
10
0 = 60/3
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
= 20 m/s
time (s)
Acceleration Explain

Complete the questions from the sheet

in your books
Acceleration Consolidate & Apply

Complete the task from the sheet

(do the calculations in your books)
Acceleration Extend

How will the speed of the

racing car change as it
drives towards the finish
line?

How will the velocity of the

racing car change as it
drives towards the finish
line?
Acceleration
Forces

Acceleration

9U
Acceleration
Acceleration Engage

Which will hit the ground first?

Acceleration Engage

Which will hit the ground first in each pair, why?

 Acceleration Challenge & Develop

When these two ‘balls’ were falling towards the

floor, was the acceleration acting upon them
the same?

As we’ve seen before, weight is due to the pull of gravity acting upon the mass of an
object. This is sometimes described as ‘acceleration due to gravity’.

What is meant by acceleration?

Acceleration Challenge & Develop

The acceleration of an object is a measure of how quickly its

velocity changes.

A train accelerates in a straight The brakes on this motorcycle are causing

line from rest. As it does, its it to slow down. This is negative
velocity increases. acceleration and is often called
deceleration.
How would you calculate acceleration?
 Acceleration Explain

The acceleration of an object can be calculated using this

equation:
change in velocity
acceleration =
time taken

 Change in velocity 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)

 Questions often use the phrase ‘from rest’ to mean that the object was stationary (not
moving – velocity of 0 m/s) at the start of the question.
Acceleration Explain

A
A racing
racing car
car accelerates
accelerates
from
from rest
rest to
to aa velocity
velocityofof27
m/s
27 m/s
in 2inseconds.
2 seconds.
What
What is
is its
its acceleration?
acceleration?

change in speed
acceleration =
time taken

= 27
2

= 13.5 m/s2
Acceleration Explain

A hungry cheetah spots a

A hungry
gazelle and cheetah
decidesspots
to a
gazelle
chase it. and
Thedecides
cheetahto
chase it. Theatcheetah
accelerates 10 m/s22
accelerates
from rest until at 10 m/s from
it reaches
rest
20 until
m/s. Howit reaches
long did20this
m/s.
How long did this take?
take?

change in speed
acceleration =
time taken

10 = 20
?
10 x ? = 20

time taken = 20 = 2s
10
Acceleration change in velocity Explain
acceleration =
time taken

A Boeing 747 has a take-off speed of 80 m/s.

If it takes 40 s to travel down the runway, calculate the
acceleration of the plane.

At the start of a race, a MotoGP motorbike reaches

a speed of 27.7 m/s in a time of 2.7 s. Calculate the
acceleration of the motorbike.

A cheetah looks up and sees a gazelle in the distance.

The cheetah starts running towards the gazelle; when it
catches the gazelle, it is running at a speed of 29 m/s.
The cheetah reaches the gazelle in 7 s.
Calculate the acceleration of the cheetah.
Acceleration Consolidate & Apply

The formula to calculate acceleration can also be written as:

(v–u)
a =
t
 a is acceleration, measured in m/s2.
 v is the final velocity in m/s.
 u is the initial velocity in m/s.
 t is the time taken, measured in seconds (s).

Is this formula the same as: acceleration = change in velocity

?
time taken
Acceleration Consolidate & Apply

A race
A race horse
horse accelerates
accelerates from
from 66
m/s to
m/s to aa speed
speedofof12
12m/s
m/sininaatime
of 4 seconds.
time of 4 seconds.
What is
What is the
the horse’s
horse’s acceleration?
acceleration?

acceleration = final velocity – initial velocity

time taken

= 12 - 6
4
= 6
4
= 1.5 m/s2
Acceleration (final velocity – initial velocity) Consolidate & Apply
acceleration = time taken

A ball thrown down from a high window has an

initial velocity of 2 m/s, and after 2 seconds its
velocity is 18 m/s. Calculate the acceleration of
the ball.

A ball thrown upwards has an initial velocity of

8 m/s, and after 2 seconds its velocity is 6 m/s.
Calculate the acceleration of the ball.

A car changes its velocity from 4 m/s to 12 m/s

over a time of 8 s.
What is the acceleration of the car?
Acceleration Consolidate & Apply

Complete the questions from the sheet

in your books
 Acceleration Extend

Like velocity, force and displacement, acceleration is a vector quantity.

This means that it has a direction as well as a magnitude (size).

This means acceleration can involve a change in:

 speed
 direction
 speed and direction.

As a person goes down this water

slide, how does their direction
affect their velocity in the direction
of the arrow?
Acceleration
Forces

Velocity/Time Graphs

9U
Acceleration
Acceleration Engage

Does constant acceleration mean constant velocity?

 Acceleration Challenge & Develop

You are going to generate and analyse some Analysis

data to calculate acceleration and 1. For the first ticker-tape strip, count along the dots and
mark every fifth dot. Cut the tape at each mark you have
displacement. made. Each five-dot strip represents one-tenth of a
Apparatus second.
2. Glue the strips of five dots side by side. Finally, draw on
• Ticker-timer & suitable • Glue
a pair of axes: time on the x-axis and velocity on the y-
power supply • scissors
axis.
• Ticker-time tape 3. Repeat this for each of the other two ticker-tape strips so
Method that you have three velocity–time graphs.
4. Calculate the gradients of your graphs. This represents
1. Pull a strip of ticker tape through the ticker timer, the acceleration of the strip through the ticker timer.
trying to pull it through at a constant velocity. 5. Finally, calculate the area under the line you have drawn
2. Take a second strip; this time, make the tape for the gradient (in other words, the area occupied by the
accelerate as you pull it through. strips of paper). This represents the displacement (how
far the tape travelled).
3. Finally, take a third strip; this time, make the tape
decelerate as you pull it through.
Acceleration Challenge & Develop

How can the acceleration of an object be calculated from a

velocity–time graph?
The gradient of the line in a velocity–time graph represents
acceleration
velocity

velocity
time time
If the gradient goes up, the If the gradient goes down, the object
object has a positive has a negative acceleration, or
acceleration. deceleration.
 Acceleration Challenge & Develop

What is the acceleration of the object between points A

and B?
 the object’s velocity has increased by
35 20 m/s (25 - 5)
30
B
25
velocity (m/s)

 it took 4 s to change speed (6 - 2)

20
15
10  acceleration = change in velocity/time
A
5 = 20/4
0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 = 5 m/s2
time (s)
Acceleration Challenge & Develop

How can you tell how far you have travelled from a
velocity-time graph?

velocity
The area under a velocity-time graph
represents displacement.
area equals
displacement

time

Why is it displacement and not

distance travelled?
 Acceleration Explain

Velocity-Time graphs show change in velocity over time.

For example, this graph shows a car accelerating steadily from rest to
a speed of 20 m/s.
It then continues at a constant speed for 15
seconds. 20

Velocity (m/s)
15
The brakes are then applied and it decelerates
steadily to a stop. 10

5
The car is moving in the same direction
throughout. 0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40

time (s)
How far did the car travel?
 Acceleration Explain

Calculate the displacement for these two velocity time/graphs;

15

velocity (m/s)
20 20
velocity (m/s)

15 15

10 10

5 5

0 0
0 15 30 45 60 75 90 105 120 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40
time (s) time (s)

Area under graph = 20 × 120 Area = ½(15 + 40) × 20

= 240 m = ½ × 55 × 20
= 550 m
 Acceleration Explain

Another way to have solved this would’ve 15

velocity (m/s)
been to cut up the shape into two triangles and 20
a rectangle; 15

10
Total Area = Area of Red Triangle
5
+ Area of Green Rectangle
+ Area of Blue Triangle 0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40
time (s)
= ½bh + bh + ½bh
= (½×10×20) + (15×20) + (½×15×20)
= 100 + 300 + 150
= 550

 So displacement = 550 m
Acceleration Consolidate & Apply

Complete the questions from the sheet

in your books
Acceleration Consolidate & Apply

Accelerations;
1. 1.25 m/s2
2. −0.5 m/s2
3. 1 m/s2
4. 2 m/s2
5. −1.5 m/s2
6. 0 m/s2
7. −5 m/s2
Acceleration Consolidate & Apply

Complete the questions from the sheet

in your books
Acceleration Extend

What might this be a graph of?

Acceleration
Forces

Equations of Motion

9U
Acceleration
Acceleration Engage

What information & values can we extract from this graph?

 Acceleration Challenge & Develop

Calculating vector quantities such as velocity or displacement can

be complicated, but when acceleration is constant, four equations
always apply.

v = u + at s = ½(u + v)t

v2 = u2 + 2as s = ut + ½at2
These are sometimes known as the constant acceleration equations, or the ‘uvast’
or ‘suvat’ equations.

What do the symbols u, v, a, s and t represent?

 Acceleration Challenge & Develop

The symbol a represents acceleration.

The symbol t represents time.
Displacement, s is always measured relative to a starting position,
so it is always true that when t = 0, s = 0.
Velocity at time t is represented by v, and u represents the value of v
when t = 0. This is the initial velocity.

 a = acceleration
 t = time
 s = displacement
 v = velocity
 u = initial velocity
Acceleration Challenge & Develop

Can we get these 4 equations from this graph?

v = u + at
v2 = u2 + 2as
s = ½(u + v)t
s = ut + ½at2
 The SUVAT Equations Rearrange equation (1) to make u the subject and then

Acceleration
Using u, v, a and t write an Equation for the Gradient of the
substitute into equation (3). Simplify
Engage
line – representing the acceleration

Imagining the area under the graph as the sum of the area of a
triangle added to the area of a rectangle, write an equation for
the displacement (distance travelled) using u, v, s and t

(1)
(4)

Using the equation for a trapezium [area = ½(a+b)h], write an

equation for the displacement (distance travelled) using u, v, s Rearrange equation (1) to make t the subject and then
and t substitute into equation (2). Simplify

(3a)

Equation (1) can be rearranged to show that

(v-u) = at. Substitute at for (v-u) in Equation 3a. Simplify.

(2)

Guide to Symbols
(3) (5)
u = initial velocity | v = final velocity | a = acceleration
t = time taken | s = displacement (distance travelled)
 The SUVAT Equations Rearrange equation (1) to make u the subject and then

Acceleration
Using u, v, a and t write an Equation for the Gradient of the
substitute into equation (3). Simplify
𝑣 −𝑢
Engage
line – representing the acceleration 𝑎=
𝑡 → 𝑎𝑡= 𝑣 −𝑢
𝑐h𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒𝑖𝑛 𝑦 → 𝑎𝑡+𝑢=𝑣
𝐺𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑡=𝑎= →𝑢=𝑣 − 𝑎𝑡
𝑐h𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒𝑖𝑛 𝑥

O D O 𝑠=𝑢𝑡 +
1
2
2 1
𝑎𝑡 =( 𝑣 − 𝑎𝑡 ) 𝑡 + 𝑎 𝑡
2
2

T
𝑣 −𝑢

D
¿

E
𝑡

A S K ORT H 2 1
𝑠=𝑣𝑡 −𝑎 𝑡 + 𝑎 𝑡
2
2

E
Imagining the area under the graph as the sum of the area of a

T B S W
triangle added to the area of a rectangle, write an equation for

’
1

N Y
the displacement (distance travelled) using u, v, s and t

A 1 AME
2
𝑠=𝑣𝑡 − 𝑎 𝑡

U W O A LW
2

𝑎𝑡C
𝐴𝑟𝑒𝑎=𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑎 𝑜𝑓 𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑙𝑒+ 𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑎 𝑜𝑓 𝑟𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑙𝑒
𝑎=
𝑣 −𝑢
– YO IT I S 𝑠=𝑣𝑡 − S
O N
(1)
1
𝐴𝑟𝑒𝑎= (𝑏𝑎𝑠𝑒 × h𝑒𝑖𝑔h𝑡 )+(𝑏𝑎𝑠𝑒 × h𝑒𝑖𝑔h𝑡 ) 2
𝑡
C T I
2

I T
(4)

P A N – B U Q U A
2 1
𝑠= (𝑡 ×(𝑣 − 𝑢))+(𝑡 ×𝑢)

T M E
2

’ A E
Using the equation for a trapezium [area = ½(a+b)h], write an

ON X H
equation for the displacement (distance travelled) using u, v, s Rearrange equation (1) to make t the subject and then

D E T
and t substitute into equation (2). Simplify & make v 2 the subject

I N A N E
1

R E !
1 𝑣 −𝑢

H
𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 =𝑠= × ( 𝑠𝑖𝑑𝑒 1+ 𝑠𝑖𝑑𝑒 2 ) ×h𝑒𝑖𝑔h𝑡 𝑠=𝑢𝑡 + 𝑡 ( 𝑣 − 𝑢) (3a) 𝑣 −𝑢

S M
2 𝑎= → 𝑎𝑡=𝑣 −𝑢 →𝑡 = 𝑎

THI
2

W O
𝑡

I N G F R ¿
1
× ( 𝑢+𝑣 ) ×𝑡 Equation (1) can be rearranged to show that
1 1
𝑠= (𝑢+ 𝑣 ) 𝑡 = (𝑢+𝑣)(
𝑣 −𝑢
)

W
2 2 2 𝑎

O
(v-u) = at. Substitute at for (v-u) in Equation 3a. Simplify.

K N 1
𝑠=𝑢𝑡 + 𝑡 ( 𝑣 −𝑢)
2
1
𝑎𝑡 =(𝑣 −𝑢) 𝑠=
(𝑢+𝑣)(𝑣 −𝑢)
2𝑎
¿
− 𝑢2 +𝑣 2+ 𝑢𝑣 −𝑢𝑣
2𝑎

¿ 𝑢𝑡 + 𝑡 (𝑎𝑡 ) 𝑣 2 −𝑢2
2 𝑠=
2𝑎
1 1
𝑎𝑡 2
𝑠= (𝑢+ 𝑣 ) 𝑡
¿ 𝑢𝑡 + 2 𝑎𝑠= 𝑣 2 −𝑢 2
2
(2)
2
1 2
Guide to Symbols
u = initial velocity | v = final velocity | a = acceleration
𝑠=𝑢𝑡 +
2
𝑎𝑡 (3) 𝑣 2=𝑢 2+ 2𝑎𝑠 (5)
t = time taken | s = displacement (distance travelled)
 Acceleration Challenge & Develop

Two of the constant acceleration equations are velocity equations.

v = u + at v2 = u2 + 2as
The first of these can be used to find the velocity at a particular time t. The second can be
used to find the velocity at a particular displacement s.

When deciding which equation to use, it is good u=?

practice to write down what you know about the v=?
values of u, v, a, s and t before you start any a=?
calculations. s=?
t=?
 Acceleration Challenge & Develop

A cyclist accelerates towards the end of the race in order to

m/s then
win. If he is moving at 6 m/s then accelerates
accelerates by
by 1.5
1.5 m/s
m/s22 for
for
the final five seconds
seconds of
of the
the race,
race, calculate
calculate his
his speed
speed as
as he
he
crosses the line.

First write down what you know about

u, v, a, s and t:
u=6 The question gives a value for t. What
v=? is the relevant equation?
a = 1.5 m/s2 v = u + at
s = not needed
t=5s v = 6 + (1.5 × 5)

v = 13.5 m/s
 Acceleration Challenge & Develop

droppedfrom
A coin is dropped fromaawindow.
window.IfIfitithits
hitsthe
theground
groundatat10
10m/s,
m/s,
height of
work out the height of the
the window.
window.
accelerationdue
Use acceleration duetotogravity
gravityofof 10m/s
10m/s 2 2

First write down what you know about u, v, a, s and t:

u = 0 m/s The question involves the variables u, v, a

v = 10 m/s and s, so the relevant equation is v2 = u2 +
a = 10 m/s2 2as.
s=?
t = not needed v2 = u2 + 2as
102 = 02 + (2 x 10 x s)
102 – 02
s=
2 x 10
s = 100 s=5m
20
Acceleration Challenge & Develop

Answer the following questions in your books;

v = u + at
1. A car accelerates from rest at 3 m/s2. What is the final velocity of the car after 5
s?
2. A car accelerates from 10 m/s at 2 m/s2 for 15 s. What is the final velocity of the
car?
3. A motorbike accelerates from rest at 8 m/s2. What is the final velocity of the
bike after 3 s?
v2 = u2 + 2as
4. A train accelerates at 2 m/s2 from 8 m/s in 50 m. What will be the final velocity
of the train?
5. A motorbike accelerates at 3 m/s2 from rest over 500 m. What will be the final
velocity of the bike?
6. A double-decker bus pulls away from a bus stop at 2 m/s2. After 100 m, what
will be the final velocity of the bus?
 Acceleration Explain

Two of the constant acceleration equations are displacement

equations.

s = ½(u + v)t s = ut + ½at2

The first of these gives the displacement as a function of the initial velocity and
velocity at time t. The second gives it as a function of initial velocity,
acceleration and time.

u=?
As with the velocity equations, it is good practice
v=?
to write down what you know about the values of
a=?
u, v, a, s and t before you attempt any calculations.
s=?
t=?
 Acceleration Explain

A car travelling
travellingatat20
20m/s
m/stakes
takesfive
fiveseconds
secondstoto
stop.
stop.
What is the stopping distance
distanceof
ofthe
thecar?
car?

First write down what you know about u, v, a, s and t:

u = 20 m/s The question gives u, v and t and asks for a
v = 0 m/s value for s, so the relevant equation is s = ½(u
a = not needed + v)t:
s=?
t=5s s = ½(u + v)t

s = ½ × (20 + 0) × 5

s = ½ × 20 × 5
s = 50 m
 Acceleration Explain

Calculate the acceleration

acceleration ofofananambulance
ambulanceififititstarts
startsatatrest
rest and takes
and takes six seconds
six seconds to travel
to travel 50 m.50 m.
First write down what you know about u, v, a, s and t:
u = 0 m/s The question involves the variables u, a, s
v = not needed and t, so the relevant equation is s = ut +
a=? ½at2.
s = 50 m
t=6s s = ut + ½at2
50 = (0 × 6) + (½ × a × 62)
50 = 0 + (½ × a × 62)

50 50
a= a=  a = 2.8 m/s2
½ × a × 62 18
Acceleration Explain

Answer the following questions in your books;

S = ut + ½at2
1. A cheetah accelerates from rest at 15 m/s2. After 4 s, how far will the cheetah
have travelled?
2. A train accelerates out of a station at 5 m/s2. After 10 s, how far has the train
travelled?
3. A cat sees a mouse to chase and accelerates, from rest, at 4 m/s2. The mouse is
3 m away. Will the cat have travelled far enough in 1.5 s to catch the mouse?
Acceleration Consolidate & Apply

Complete the questions from the sheet

in your books
Acceleration Consolidate & Apply

Complete the questions from the sheet

in your books