Describing motion

 https://www.youtube.com/w
atch?v=9lD1Mj5I0c8&gl=SG
&hl=en-GB

 His record for 100m race is

9.58s
 So how fast is that?
 Activity: Compare the
average speed at which the
fastest person in class to
complete 2.4 km run and
that of a marathon record
holder.
2.1.1 Define displacement, velocity, speed and
acceleration.
2.1.2 Explain the difference between instantaneous
and average values of speed, velocity and acceleration.
2.1.6 Describe the effects of air resistance on falling
objects.
2.1.7 Draw and analyse distance–time graphs,
displacement–time graphs, velocity–time graphs and
acceleration–time graphs.
2.1.8 Calculate and interpret the gradients of
displacement–time graphs and velocity–time graphs,
and the areas under velocity–time graphs and
acceleration–time graphs.
 Scalar Vector
Distance (d) Displacement (s)
How far an object has Distance travelled from the
travelled from the starting starting point in a specified
point direction

Speed (v) Velocity (v)

Distance travelled per unit Rate of change of displacement
time
Acceleration (a)
Rate of change of velocity
 Let’s study the motion of a paper helicopter
using Video Tracker
 Download Video Tracker at
https://www.cabrillo.edu/~dbrown/tracker/
 Create a paper helicopter using the template
given and record its falling motion as a video.
 Use the Tracker software to create the
displacement-time graph of your helicopter.
 In your small group, share
the displacement-time
graph obtained through
Tracker software.
 Describe the trend shown
on the graph.
 Can you obtain other
graphs depicting the
motion of the paper
helicopter as well?
 Challenge: Do you know
why the helicopter spins?
 As the helicopter falls through the air, its displacement
increases at an increasing rate for the first few
seconds. This happens as the weight is greater than
the air resistance bringing about an increase in velocity
(i.e. helicopter accelerates)
 The air resistance becomes greater when velocity
increases, so that the net force becomes zero.
 This causes the helicopter to move at terminal velocity.
 Whenever a body moves through a fluid (gas
or liquid), it experiences a fluid resistance
fore.
 This force is directed opposite to its velocity
and increases with increasing velocity.
 For low speeds, F = kv
 For high speeds, F = kv2 where k is a
constant.
 The velocity, v of the body
at any time, t is obtained
by the gradient of the
tangent to the s-t graph at
that particular time.

 Whenever there is a
stationary turning point on
the curve, there is a
change of direction in the
motion.

 Displacement and the Displacement-time

velocity can be both graph
positive and negative.
 The acceleration, a of the
body at any time, t can
be obtained by
determining the gradient
of the tangent to the v-t
graph at that particular
time.

 The change in
displacement, s by the
body during a time
interval is the
corresponding area
under the v-t graph
Velocity-time graph
 Velocity is a vector, it can
take negative values.
 When the enclosed area is
above the x-axis, its change
in displacement is positive;
and vice versa.
 What is implied by the last
statement about the position
of the body with respect to
the origin? Velocity-time graph
 Between time t1 to t4, its
total change in displacement
is s = s1 – s2 + s3
 The change in velocity of
the body during time
interval t1 to t2 is the
corresponding area under
the a-t graph.

 Since acceleration is a
vector, it can take on
negative values.

 When the enclosed area is

above the x-axis, its
change in velocity is acceleration-time graph
positive; and vice versa.
 Can you describe the
velocity of the body from
t1 to t3?
 Is it possible for a body to
continue moving in the
same direction from t1 to
t3?

acceleration-time graph
 A skier skied down a slope and its speed time
graph for a journey lasting 80 s is shown.
a) Determine
(i) speed of skier 20 s after
the start.
(ii) acceleration in section (1).
(ii) acceleration in section (5)
(iii) distance travelled in
section (4).

(i) 40 m s-1
(ii)1.5 m s-2
(iii)-4.0 m s-2
(iv) 750 m
 A skier skied down a slope and its speed time
graph for a journey lasting 80s is shown.

 (b) Sketch the shape of the corresponding

distance time graph.
 A car accelerates from rest at 3.0 m s-2 for
the first 5.0 s. Then, it travels at a constant
speed for the next 4.0 s, before decelerating
uniformly to a stop in 3.0 s.
 Draw the s-t graph, v-t graph and a-t graph
for the motion of the car. Label all critical
values.
V/ms-1 V/ms-1

t/s t/s

s/m a/ms-2

t/s
t/s
 Access
https://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/mo
ving-man
 Download the Moving Man applet
 Have fun exploring the motion using the d-t,
v-t, a-t graph!
In your various groups, adopt 1
of the 3 types of graphs we have
discussed.
On a fresh sheet of paper, design
a trend to depict the motion of a
person.
State the original displacement
and velocity of the person. (Make
sure you make up a reasonable
trend!)
Submit the graph to the teacher
who will identify another group to
try to act out the motion depicted
by the trend.