Motion And Graphs Flashcards
How do you calculate the gradient of a line on a motion graph?
Choose two points on the line, then divide the change in the y-axis by the change in the x-axis.
How do you calculate the area under a straight-line section of a motion graph?
Break the area into rectangles (base × height) and triangles (½ base × height).
What does a horizontal line on a displacement-time graph indicate?
The object is stationary (no change in displacement).
What does a straight, sloped line on a displacement-time graph mean?
The object is moving with constant velocity.
What does a curve on a displacement-time graph indicate?
The object is accelerating.
What does the gradient of a displacement-time graph represent?
Velocity (velocity = gradient).
What does a horizontal line on a velocity-time graph indicate?
The object is moving at a constant velocity.
What does a straight, sloped line on a velocity-time graph mean?
The object is accelerating at a constant rate.
What does a curve on a velocity-time graph indicate?
The object’s acceleration is increasing (non-uniform acceleration).
What does the gradient of a velocity-time graph represent?
Acceleration (acceleration = gradient).
What does the area under a velocity-time graph represent?
Displacement (area = time × velocity).
If an object’s velocity decreases to zero and then reverses direction, how does it appear on a velocity-time graph?
The graph slopes downward to zero, then slopes upward in the negative direction.
