9.3.
1 Distance-time graphs
• The gradient of a distance-time graph tells us the speed of the object.
• If the graph is a straight line graph, then the gradient is constant. The object is moving with constant
speed.
• If the graph is curved, then the tangent to any point on the curve gives the instantaneous speed of the
object at that instant of time.
[Link] The graph shows how the displacement of 52
a toy train changes with time. 48
£ 44
40 /
(a) How far did the train travel in the first 10 s? -o /
a;
36
> 32 /
.... 28
Q) 24 L
u
c 20
(b) What total distance did it travel? ....!1l 16
/
0"' 12
/
8
/
4 /
./
0
(c) When was the train stationary? 4 8 12 16 20 24 28
Time (s)
(d) Calculate the speed of the train between time 0 and 6 s.
(e) Calculate the speed of the train at time 20 s. ..... ....... ........ .... .... ... .. ... .... ... ... ... .. .... .... .. ... ........ . .... . .
(f) What was the average speed of the train for the journey? .. .................. .. .. ......... ..... .
[Link] The graph shows how the distance travelled by a bus changes with time.
54
(a) How far did the bus travel in the first 30 s?
]: 42
48
"'
"""
(b) What total distance did it travel?
] 36
30 , _/
"""
....
Q)
24
...,.,. "'
18
...,.,. """
,.,.
!1l
12
(c) When was the bus stationary? 6
0
,.,. 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60
Time (s)
(d) When did the bus change speed?
(e) By how much did its speed change? .
(f) What was the average speed of the bus for the 60 s it travelled? ..... ...... ... .
(g) Calculate the speed of the bus at time 15 s.