P2.5 Velocity-Time graphs

• What do distance time graphs show?

  How distance varies over time
• What do velocity time graphs show?

  How velocity changes over time
• Why is it easy to confuse distance time graphs and velocity time graphs?

  They look very similar
• What is on the y-axis of a velocity time graph?

  Velocity
• What is on the x-axis of a velocity time graph?

  Time
• How do you find the gradient of the curve on a velocity time graph?

  Change in velocity over change in time
• What does the gradient of a velocity time graph represent?

  Acceleration
• What does a constant positive gradient indicate on a velocity time graph?

  Constant acceleration
• What does a constant negative gradient indicate on a velocity time graph?

  Constant deceleration
• How do you calculate acceleration from a velocity time graph?

  Use change in velocity and time
• What does a flat section of the curve on a velocity time graph indicate?

  Constant velocity
• How do you find the velocity during flat sections of the curve?

  Look at the y-axis
• What does a steeper curve in a velocity time graph indicate?

  Increasing rate of acceleration
• How do you find the distance traveled from a velocity time graph?

  Calculate the area under the curve
• How can you simplify calculating the area under the curve?

  Split it into shapes like triangles and rectangles
• What is the formula for the area of a rectangle?

  1/2 (Base x height)
• Why do we leave the distance traveled in meters instead of meters squared?

  Because it's the total distance
• How can you estimate the area under curved parts of the graph?

  Count the number of squares under the curve
• What is the main difference between distance time graphs and velocity time graphs?

  Distance time graphs show distance, velocity time graphs show velocity
• What does a zero gradient indicate on a velocity time graph?

  No acceleration, constant velocity
• How does the area under a velocity time graph relate to distance traveled?

  It represents the total distance traveled
• What does a velocity-time graph show?


  How the velocity of an object changes over time.
• What is on the y-axis and x-axis of a velocity-time graph?


  Y-axis : Velocity

  X-axis : time
• The object is accelerating.

  
• How do you find the exact acceleration of an object from a velocity-time graph?


  Find the gradient of the line at a particular point.
• How do you find the total distance travelled by an object from a velocity-time graph?


  Find the area under the curve.
• It is travelling at a constant velocity.

  
• The object is decelerating.