Motion

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Distance time graphs

  • Avg. speed= Distance / Time
  • A straight line means that the object travels at constant speed
  • The steeper the gradient, the faster the speed
  • A horizontal line means that the object has stopped moving
  • If the gradient of the line curves up, it means that the object is getting increasingly faster
  • A car and a motorbike are accelerating from standstill. If the motorbike has greater acceleration that the car, the car's distance- time curve will stay below the motorbike's
  • A line of decreasing gradient means that the object is slowing
  • If the motorbike breaks harder that the car, the motorbike's distance- time curve will stay above the car's
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Velocity, Speed & Acceleration

  • Velocity is speed in a particular direction, eg.
  • 10 m/ph, due north
  • Speed is how fast something is travelling, eg.
  • 10 m/ph

Acceleration:

  • How quickly the velocity/ speed is changing, eg.
  • Start: 5 m/ph , End: 25 m/ph , Time Taken: 4 secs
  • The velocity changes by 5 m/ph each second, so we show this by: 5 m/s
  • This means that the velocity increases by 5 m/s each time

Acceleration (m/s ) = Change in velocity / time taken (s)

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Velocity time graphs

  • A straight diagonal line means that the object travels with constant acceleration
  • The steeper the slope, the faster the acceleration
  • Straight lines with a negative gradient mean that the object is slowing
  • A flat line means that the object is moving at a constant velocity
  • While the object is at rest, the line will be a straight line along the x axis
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