Velocity and distance-time graphs Flashcards
What is the difference between speed and velocity?
Speed is just HOW FAST you’re going with no regard to direction (e.g. 30 m/s) Velocity is HOW FAST and in WHAT DIRECTION you are travelling (e.g. 30 m/s north or 060 degrees)
What do time- distance graphs describe?
How something travels/ed through time and space. (so it would be TAS instead of TARDIS)
What does the gradient of a d-t graph show you?
How fast your object is travelling aka its SPEED
Why does the gradient show you how fast the object is travelling?
Because it is the change in the distance (vertical/y axis) divided by the change in time (horizontal/ x axis).
What is the all-important formula that explains d-t graphs?
speed = distance / time distance speed X time
What do flat sections of a d-t graph mean?
That the object is stationary.
What do straight gradients in a d-t graph mean?
That the object is travelling at a constant/ steady speed
What is the correlation between the steepness of the gradient and the object’s speed? (in a d-t graph)
The STEEPER the gradient, the FASTER the speed.
What do downhill gradients in d-t graphs mean?
That the object is going back towards its starting point.
What do curves in d-t graphs mean?
That the object is accelerating or decelerating. (remember steeper= faster)
What does a steepening curve (increased gradient) mean in a d-t graph?
That the object is accelerating.
What does a leveling-off curve (decreased gradient) mean in a d-t graph?
That the object is slowing down (decelerating)
What is important to remember when measuring the gradient?
Not to use cm squared- you must use the scales of the axis instead i.e. m/s
What is the velocity and speed of the object between points E and F?
Velocity: -2 km/h Speed: 2 km/h
