KINEMATICS
BEST ‘O’ LEVEL PHYSICS NOTES
DISTANCE-TIME GRAPH
Taruvinga G
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PHYSICS MADE SIMPLE compiled by TARUVINGA G 0772 980 253 Page 1
KINEMATICS
KINEMATICS
Kinematics is the study of motion with reference to forces that cause the motion.
Kinematics studies distance and displacement, speed and velocity, acceleration and
Newton’s laws of motion.
What is distance? What is displacement?
Distance (scalar): How much ground an object has covered during its motion
Displacement (vector): The overall change in position of an object.
Displacement is also defined as the shortest straight line distance between two points.
Distance-Time Graph
Displacement-time graph
You need to be able to interpret the shape of a distance-time graph and displacement-time graph.
A distance-time graph and displacement-time graph only has one rule which says:
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KINEMATICS
The gradient of a distance-time graph (or displacement-time graph) gives us speed (or
velocity).
i.e. To calculate the speed from a distance time graph, work out the gradient of the line.
Also to calculate velocity from a displacement time graph, work out the gradient of the line.
That is:
Gradient of distance-time graph = speed
Gradient of displacement-time graph = velocity
Now how do we calculate gradient:
Gradient =
Worked example
1. The following graph shows the distance (d) – time (t) graph of a car.
(a) Describe the motion of the car from:
(i) 0 to A.
(ii) A to B.
(iii) B to C.
(b) Calculate the speed of the car from:
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KINEMATICS
(i) 0 to A.
(ii) A to B.
(iii) B to C. What is the meaning of the negative sign in your answer?
SOLUTION
a) Describe the motion of the car from:
(i) 0 to A.
Constant speed.
(ii) A to B.
Car is stationary/not moving
(iii)B to C.
Car reversing/moving in opposite direction at a constant speed or velocity.
b) Calculate the speed of the car from:
NB: I’ve included diagrams to just to help you identify d1 and d2 as well as t1 and t2.
Once you are used to the formula the graphs are not really necessary.
I’ve highlighted the section of graph we are working with in red.
(i) 0 to A.
Speed = gradient
–
=
–
–
=
–
= 20m/s
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KINEMATICS
(ii) A to B.
Speed = gradient
–
=
–
–
=
–
= 0m/s
(iii) B to C. What is the meaning of the negative sign in your answer?
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KINEMATICS
Speed = gradient
–
=
–
–
=
–
–
=
= – 40m/s
Negative sign means constant speed in opposite direction (or car is reversing at constant speed
or car is returning to starting point at a constant speed).
TODAY’S EXERCISE
1. The following graph shows the distance (d) – time (t) graph of a car.
a) What are the similarities and differences between distance and displacement?
Similarities: _____________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________ [2]
Differences:
______________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________ [2]
b) Describe the motion of the car from:
(i) 0 to A.
________________________________________________________________ [1]
(ii) A to B.
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KINEMATICS
________________________________________________________________ [1]
(iii)B to C.
________________________________________________________________ [1]
c) Calculate the speed of the car from:
(i) 0 to A.
Speed from 0 to A = ______________ [3]
(ii) A to B.
Speed from A to B = ______________ [3]
(iii) B to C. What is the meaning of the negative sign in your answer?
Speed from B to C = ______________ [3]
Meaning of negative sign: _______________________________________________ [1]
We have looked at a distance-time graph and a displacement-time graph.
In our next lesson we will learn about a speed-time graph and a velocity-time graph.
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