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2 MOTION GRAPHS
Part 1: Displacement vs. Time Graph Part 2: Velocity vs. Time Graph
Displacement-Time Graph
We can analyse the velocity of an object by plotting a graph of The of the displacementtime graph represent the of the object.
Axis
Distance (position) on Time on Slope is the velocity Steeper slope = No slope (horizontal line) =
There is no change in the displacement over time. The straight line graph is parallel to the time axis. Velocity= =
The rate of change of displacement is The straight line graph has a constant gradient.
Acceleration =
The rate of change of displacement is . The gradient of the curve is showing that the velocity is . The object experiences . The instantaneous velocity= gradient at that instant.
Velocity-Time Graph
The acceleration or deceleration of an object is represented by the gradient of the velocity-time graph. The displacement travelled by the object is represented by
(displacement travelled= )
Example:
v 12 m s Slope 6 m s 2 t 2s
The velocity vs. time graphs for the two types of motion:
Positive Velocity Zero Acceleration
Velocity
Velocity changes when an object
The velocity-time graph for a two-stage rocket is shown below. Use the graph and your understanding of slope calculations to determine the acceleration of the rocket during the listed time intervals. a. t = 0 - 1 second b. t = 1 - 4 second c. t = 4 - 12 second
For velocity vs. time graphs, the area bounded by the line and the axes represents the distance travelled.