motion graphs

• Distance-Time Graphs

  • Show how far an object travels as time progresses
  • Time is always placed on the horizontal x axis
  • Flat lines indicate motion has stopped
  • Steep sloped lines indicate faster movement than lesser sloped lines
  • Slope is better referred to as the GRADIENT
  • Gradient on a distance-time graph = the average speed of the object over a time interval
• Interpreting Graphs

  • fast
  • slow
  • Not moving
• Interpreting Distance-Time Graphs

  1. Often used in maths questions

  2. Mitsu walks 400m to Lachlan's house in two hours. She stays at his house for two hours. The return trip takes one hour

  3. This graph indicates that the object has returned to its starting point
• Speed-Time Graphs

  • Show how an object's speed changes over time
  • An object's speed may be constant - shown by a flat line
  • Increase - accelerate - shown by rising line
  • Decrease - decelerate - shown by falling line
  • The slope (gradient) shows the acceleration
  • Steeper gradient = greater acceleration
  • Negative slope = deceleration