Displacement-time graph
- Velocity
o Calculate the gradient of the graph
𝑦 −𝑦
o Formula: 𝑥2 −𝑥1
2 1
o Unit: ms-1
- Distance / displacement
▪ From the graph
o Distance: Add all without negative symbol
o Displacement: Add all with negative symbol
o Unit: m
- Average speed:
𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒
o Formula:
𝑡𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒
o Unit: ms-1
- Average velocity:
𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡
o Formula: 𝑡𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒
o Unit: ms-2
A: B: C:
3−0 3−0 0−3
Velocity: 5−0 = 0.6 ms-1 Velocity: 7−5 = 1.5 ms-1 Velocity: 10−7 = -1 ms-1
Distance: 3 m Distance: 0 m Distance: -3 m
Total distance: 3 + 0 + 3 = 9 m
Total displacement: 3 + 0 + (-3) =0 m
9
Average speed: 10 = 0.9 ms-2
0
Average velocity: = 0 ms-2
10
Velocity-time graph
- Acceleration
o Calculate the gradient of the graph
𝑦 −𝑦
o Formula: 𝑥2 −𝑥1
2 1
o Unit: ms-2
- Distance / displacement
o Calculate the area under the graph
o Formula:
1
▪ Triangle: 2 (𝑏 × ℎ)
▪ Square: ℎ × 𝑤
o Distance: Add all without negative symbol
o Displacement: Add all with negative symbol
o Unit: m
A: B: C:
8−0 Velocity = 0 ms-2 0−8
Acceleration: 4−0 = 2 ms-2 Acceleration: 20−14 = -1.33 ms-2
Distance: 3 m Distance: 0 m Distance: -3 m
A: B: C:
1 Distance: 4 × 10 = 40 m 1
Distance: (4 × 8) = 16m Distance: (8 × 6) = 24 m
2 2
Total distance: 16 + 40 + 24 = 80 m
Total displacement: 16 + 40 + (-24) = 32 m
80
Average speed: 20 = 4 ms-2
32
Average velocity: 20 = 1.6 ms-2
