5.4.9 Instantaneous Speed

• What is instantaneous speed in GCSE Physics?

  The speed of an object at a specific moment in time
• Why is instantaneous speed important in understanding motion?

  It helps analyze how an object's speed changes over time
• What is the definition of instantaneous speed?

  • The speed of an object at a particular instant
  • Measured at a single moment rather than over a period
• How can instantaneous speed be measured using a speedometer?


  A speedometer measures the speed of a vehicle at any given moment
• How can instantaneous speed be determined from a distance-time graph?

  By determining the slope of the tangent to the curve at a specific point
• What is the formula to calculate instantaneous speed using a stopwatch and measuring tape?

  Instantaneous Speed = Distance / Time
• Why should the distance be small when measuring instantaneous speed?

  To closely approximate the speed at a particular instant
• What are the steps to calculate instantaneous speed from a distance-time graph?

  Identify the point, draw a tangent, calculate the slope
• What does the slope of the tangent line represent on a distance-time graph?

  The instantaneous speed of the object at that point
• How do you calculate the slope of the tangent line?

  By using the formula: Instantaneous Speed = Change in Distance / Change in Time
• What is an example of using a speedometer to find instantaneous speed?

  A car's speedometer shows 60 km/h at a particular moment
• How do you find instantaneous speed at 5 seconds on a distance-time graph?

  Draw a tangent to the curve at 5 seconds and measure its gradient
• What is the instantaneous speed if an athlete runs 2 meters in 0.5 seconds?

  The instantaneous speed is 4 m/s
• What are the key points about instantaneous speed?

  • Instantaneous speed is the speed at a specific point in time.
  • Measured using a speedometer, slope of a tangent on a distance-time graph, or time over a small distance.
  • Important for analyzing motion, especially with varying speeds and acceleration.