Graphs of Motion Lesson #2

KUI WAMP NGA SECONDARY SCHOOL DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE UPPER SECONDARY

UNIT 11. 2: MOTION (KINEMATICS) Grade 11 Physics Handout # 2 Term 2, 2023.
SUB UNIT 11.2.2. GRAPHS OF MOTION
INTRODUCTION
• Describing the motion of an object is occasionally hard to do with words. Sometimes graphs help make
motion easier to picture, and therefore understand.
• Graphs of motion can show very clearly how an object moves but we need to understand how to read and
interpret them.
• We must take care to notice weather velocity or distance is plotted on the vertical axis.
• Graphs with any of distance, displacement, speed, velocity or acceleration can be made as a function of
time.
(a) Displacement/Distance - time graphs
A diplacement- time graph or distance - time graph provides motion of objects. The shape of the distance - time
graph indicates whether or not the object is travelling at constant speed or if it is accelerating.

The linear motion of a cyclist is shown on the following displacement-time graph.

Description of the motion above:

A. There is no movement. Stationary (at rest) some distance away from origin.
B. Positive constant velocity (no acceleration)
C. Negative constant velocity (no acceleration)
D. Increasing positive velocity (constant positive acceleration)
E. Decreasing negative velocity (constant deceleration)

Interpretation of displacement – time graphs features.

• Graphs going up indicates that the object is moving in positive (+) direction and coming down is in negative
(-) direction.
• Straight line parallel to time axis means the object is not moving. It is at rest or stationery. Take some time
but no distance gained.
• Straight line running diagonally up indicates that the object is moving away from the origin (starting point)
with constant (uniform) positive velocity with no acceleration at all.
• Straight line running diagonally down indicates that the object is moving towards the origin (starting point)
with constant negative velocity with no acceleration at all.
• The steepness of the straight-line graphs tells us how big or small the velocity of an object is. In other words,
high speed or low speed.
• Curve of the graph implies that the velocity is changing (increasing or decreasing). Therefore, it shows object
is accelerating or decelerating.

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Graphs of Motion Lesson #2
The slope or gradient of a distance – time graph represents the velocity of the body.
𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒆 𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒆 𝒔₂ −𝒔₁
Since gradient m = , velocity = , v=
𝒓𝒖𝒏 𝒓𝒖𝒏 𝒕₂ −𝒕₁

Note: Area under displacement - time graph does not represent any quantities.

Example:
The displacement – time graph below shows a moving object in a time interval of 20s.

(d) For how many seconds was the object

Do the following for the motion of the objects
(a) Find the velocity for the first 4 seconds.
(b) Find the velocity at t = 13 seconds
(c) Between which time intervals the object is
travelling at a lower speed in positive
direction?
travelling in a direction opposite to that of its
initial speed until it is at t = 16s?
(e) What is its displacement after 16 second?
(f) How many distance gained at t = 8 seconds?
(g) What happened to the object at between t =
10s and t = 12s?
(h) Describe the motion of the object for the final
4 seconds.

Solutions:
8−0 8
(a) V = = = 2 ms-1
4−0 4 Since object is coming back to the origin so its velocity is - 2. 75 ms-1.
You can also say 2. 75 ms-1 in opposite direction.
0−11 −11
(b) V = = = -2. 75 ms-1
16−12 4

(c) The object is travelling at lower speed in opposite direction between t = 4s and t = 10s, since the graph is less steep. Its speed is;
11−8 3
V= = = 0.5 ms-1
10−4 6

(d) The direction opposite to its initial speed is the motion between t = 12s and t = 16 s. hence total time taken is;
16s – 12s = 4s

(e) At zero second the object is at origin and moving away, covering some distance in opposite direction. After 16 seconds he is coming back
to the origin, covering same size of distance in opposite direction as he was going away from origin. Hence the displacement is;
s=0

(f) Distance gained at t = 8s is;

S = 10m

(g) Between t = 10s and t = 12s the object stopped. It took 2s to stop. Velocity is zero (0) since gradient is zero.

(h) For the final 4 seconds between t = 16s and t = 20s, the object is moving away from the origin in opposite direction, having a negative
constant velocity (zero acceleration)

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Graphs of Motion Lesson #2
Types of Displacement or Distance - time graph.

➢ The object is not moving.

➢ It is at rest or stationery.
➢ Its velocity is zero (0)

➢ The object is travelling at

constant positive speed
away from the origin.
➢ Acceleration is zero.

➢ The object is travelling towards the origin with

constant negative velocity.
➢ No acceleration.

➢ The velocity of the object is changing (increasing) with time

and moving with constant acceleration in positive direction.

➢ The velocity of the object is changing (decreasing) as time

increases and decelerating (negative acceleration and velocity)

➢ The speed of light object is changing (increasing) with

constant acceleration in opposite direction towards the origin.

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Graphs of Motion Lesson #2
Exercise 1.
1: The distance – time graph below shows the journey of a car.

(a) How far did it travel?

(b) How long did it take to travel the distance?
(c) What was the cars average speed in meters per
second?
(d) How many stops did it make?
(e) How long did it take to stop for altogether?
(f) What was its average speed excluding stops?
(g) How can you tell from the shape of the graph when
it travelled faster? Between which time interval did
this happen?

2. examine the following position – time graph for a student.

(a) determine the velocity for each of the interval shown.

(b) At what section does he travel at greatest constant velocity?
For how long he took to travelled with this velocity?
(c) At what time interval did he move away from the origin?
(d) Which section is his acceleration constant?

3. The position – time graph pictured below represent the motions of two objects, A and B. which of the following
statements concerning the objects motions is true?

(a) object A is travelling for a longer period of time.

(B) Object B travels the greatest distance
(c) Both objects have the same speed at the points where the line cross
(d) Object A leaves the reference (starting) point at an earlier time

4. The graph below shows a distance-time graph for a girl on a cycle ride.
a) How far did she travel?
b) How long did she take to travel?
c) What was her average speed in km/h?
d) How many stops did she make?
e) How long did she stop for altogether?
f) What was her average speed, excluding stops?
g) How can you tell from the shape of the graph,
when she travelled fastest? Over which stage did this
happen?

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