Motion

Part 1: Motion and Speed

Speed

Speed is the distance an object travels

per unit of time.

To calculate speed:

Speed = Distance ÷ Time

Distance is in meters (m)

Time is in seconds (s)
Speed is in meters per second (m/s)
Example 1
A snail takes 5.0 s to crawl across the ruler.

Speed
Speed
Speed
==Distance
0.07
= 2.0
m m/s
÷÷5.0
Time
s
Example 2
A car drives 250 m in one minute.

Speed
Speed
Speed
==
Distance
=
250
4.17
m ÷m/s
÷60
Time
s
Use the Formula Triangle!

d
s t
To calculate To calculate To calculate
speed: time: distance:

s=d/t t=d/s d=sxt

Distance vs. Displacement
Distance and displacement are different.

Distance Displacement
How far an object The distance and
moves in total. direction an object
moves from a starting
position.
Distance vs. Displacement

Jeffrey, my
distance was
176 meters!
BE N

But Billy, your

G

displacement was
I

1 meter!

D
EN
Distance vs. Displacement

90 ft.

Distance = 90 ft. Displacement = 90 ft.

Distance vs. Displacement

90 ft.

90 ft.

Distance = 180 ft. Displacement =127 ft.

Distance vs. Displacement

90 ft. 90 ft.

90 ft.

Distance = 270 ft. Displacement = 90 ft.

Distance vs. Displacement

90 ft. 90 ft.

90 ft. 90 ft.

Distance = 360 ft. Displacement = 0 ft.

Any Questions?
Motion
Part 2: Distance-Time Graphs
Graphing Speed
The motion of an object can be graphed.

A distance-time graph shows the motion

of a certain object in line graph form.

Time is plotted on the horizontal (X) axis

Distance is plotted on the vertical (Y) axis
Distance-Time Graphs

Time (s) Distance (m) The slope of a

0 0 distance-time
1 2 graph is the
2 4 speed
3 6
4 8
5 8
6 8
7 8
8 8
9 12
10 16
Distance-Time Graphs
S=D÷T
=0÷4
= 0 m/s

S=D÷T
=8÷4 S=D÷T
= 2 m/s =8÷2
= 4 m/s
Distance-Time Graphs

Constant Constant speed No

speed speed
(moving away) (moving closer) (standing still)
(and faster!)
Interpreting a D-T Graph (1)
Analysis:
• The distance (m)
stays the same as
Distance (m)

the time (s)

increases

• Therefore, the
object is at rest (not
Time (s)
moving)
Interpreting a D-T Graph (2)
Analysis:
• The object is
moving away from
Distance (m)

the reference point

• The object is
moving at a
constant speed
• The object is
Time (s) moving quickly
Interpreting a D-T Graph (3)
Analysis:
• The object is
moving towards the
Distance (m)

reference point
• The object is
moving at a
constant speed
• The object is
Time (s) moving slowly
Interpreting a D-T Graph (4)
Analysis:
• In Part A, the object
is moving away at a
Distance (m)

constant speed
• In Part B, the object
B
is at rest
A C
• In Part C, it is
moving towards at
Time (s) constant speed
Any Questions?
Motion
Part 3: Velocity and Acceleration
Review: Speed

Speed is the distance an object travels

in a specific amount of time.

To calculate speed:

Speed = Distance ÷ Time

Distance is in meters (m)
Time is in seconds (s)
Speed is in meters per second (m/s)
Velocity
Sometimes, knowing the speed isn’t enough.

For example, sailors must know the speed and

direction their boat is travelling in.

Velocity is a description of
both speed and direction.

e.g. a sailboat travelling at

20 kph in a SE direction
Velocity
Sometimes, knowing the speed isn’t enough.

For example, sailors must know the speed and

direction their boat is travelling in.

Velocity is an example
of a vector, a quantity
that has both magnitude and
direction.
Acceleration
Objects can speed up, slow down or change direction.

Acceleration measures how much an object’s

speed changes over a certain time.

Acceleration can be:

A change in speed

A change in direction

A change in speed & direction

Acceleration
Acceleration can be positive, negative or zero.

Positive Acceleration Object speeds up

Negative Acceleration Object slows down

Zero Acceleration Constant or no speed

Acceleration
Formula for acceleration:

acceleration = change in velocity

time

a = Vfinal - Vinitial
t

Velocity: meters per seconds (m/s)

Time: seconds (s)
Acceleration: meters per second squared (m/s2)
Example 1
A motorcycle’s velocity at the top of the hill is 11.0
m/s. 4.0 seconds later it reaches the bottom of the hill
with a velocity of 20.0 m/s. What is the acceleration of
the motorcycle?

a = Vfinal - Vinitial
t
a = 20.0 m/s - 11.0 m/s
4.0
a = 9.0 m/s
4.0
a = 2.25 m/s2
Example 2
A speed skater just finished a race. After she crossed the
finish line, she coasted to a complete stop. If her initial
speed was 13.0 m/s and her acceleration was -2.9 m/s 2, how
long did it take her to stop?

a = Vfinal - Vinitial
t
- 2.9 m/s2 = 0.0 m/s - 13.0 m/s
t
t (- 2.9) = - 13.0 m/s
t = - 13.0 m/s / - 2.9
t = 4.5 s
Any Questions?
Motion
Part 4: Speed-Time Graphs
Interpreting a D-T Graph (1)
Analysis:
• The distance (m)
increasing as time
Distance (m)

(s) passes
• The distance gets
larger and larger
with each second
• This shows (+)
Time (s)
acceleration
Interpreting a D-T Graph (1)
Analysis:
• The distance (m)
decreasing as time
Distance (m)

(s) passes
• The distance gets
smaller & smaller
with each second
• This shows (-)
Time (s)
acceleration
Interpreting a D-T Graph (3)
Analysis:
• The distance (m)
from a reference
Distance (m)

point is increasing
• It is increasing at a
regular rate
• This shows (0)
acceleration
Time (s)
Interpreting a D-T Graph (3)
Analysis:
• The object is
moving towards the
Distance (m)

reference point
• The object is
moving at a
constant speed
• The object is
Time (s) moving slowly
Interpreting a S-T Graph (4)
Analysis:
• The speed (m/s) is
constant as time (s)
Speed (m/s)

passes
• The object’s speed
is not changing
• This shows (0)
acceleration
Time (s)
Interpreting a S-T Graph (5)
Analysis:
• The speed (m/s) is
increasing as time
Speed (m/s)

(s) passes
• The object speed is
changing
• This shows (+)
acceleration
Time (s)
Any Questions?
 FUN FACTS

The speed of light is 186,282 miles

per second.
The speed of sound is 343.2 meters
per second.