Worksheet 5.

Graphing Motion

Purpose
a) Construct distance-time graphs from given tabulated data.
b) Describe motion in words, using the graph as point of reference.
c) Calculate and interpret the slopes of the graph.

Materials

Ruler, pencil and calculator

Data

Part A – Data for a Bicycle’s Motion

Distance Time
d (m) t (s)
0 0
20 2
38 4
60 6
79 8
100 10
120 12
138 14

1. Plot the above tabulated data (distance, d vs t)

2. Describe the graph. What does it show regarding the motion of the
bicycle?
3. Find the slope of the graph. What does the slope d-t graph represent?

Unit 5 – Energy in Transportation Worksheet 5.4 –Graphing Motion V-7

Part B – Data for the Motion of a Passenger Jeepney

Distance Time
d (km) t (h)
0 0
50 1
100 2
100 3
100 4
150 5
100 6
50 7
0 8

1. Plot the given tabulated data (d vs t)

2. Define the slope of the graph
a. at t = 0 h to t = 2 h
b. at t = 2 h to t = 4 h
c. at t = 4 h to t = 5 h
d. at t = 5 h to t = 8 h
3. What do the slopes show? What does a positive slope show? A negative
slope? A zero slope?
4. Describe the motion of the jeepney based on the slopes you calculated in
(2).

Part C – Data for the Motion of a Car

Distance Time
d (m) t (s)
0 0
15.5 4.8
46.5 8.7
75.0 11.1
105.2 13.0
150.0 15.3
200.1 17.7

1. Plot the distance against time (d-t graph)

2. Describe the graph.
3. Describe the motion of the car. Is the speed constant? How do you know?
4. Draw a line tangent to the curve at t = 75. Get the slope of the straight line
drawn tangent to the curve. What does this slope represent?

Generalization

Unit 5 – Energy in Transportation Worksheet 5.4 –Graphing Motion V-8

 1. Based on the graph, compare the motion of the 3 vehicles in the sample
data.
2. How do you determine the speed of the object from its distance vs. time
graph?
3. What does a straight line in distance vs. time graph indicate regarding the
object’s motion?

Unit 5 – Energy in Transportation Worksheet 5.4 –Graphing Motion V-9