Thursday 21 February 2013

1.6 plot and interpret velocity-time graphs

Plotting

On the Y axis of a distance time graph is velocity- speed travelled in a give direction. On the X axis is time taken from start. Note that negative velocities mean something is travelling in the opposite direction to that of the positive velocity.

Interpreting
A line going diagonally upwards shows an acceleration, if it is straight it is a constant acceleration. This is because acceleration is change in velocity over time.
A line going diagonally down wards shows a deceleration. A straight downwards line shows constant deceleration. Again deceleration is change velocity over time but the velocity is decreasing.
The steeper the line the more rapid the acceleration because the velocity us changing over less time.
A straight line is a constant velocity: you are travelling at one speed in one direction.



(maths revision.net)

9 comments:

  1. I love (x 10000000000000000000000000000) your blog! I hope you do well in all your exams in the future.

    You have such a big heart to write all of this, so thankyou!

    What did you get for Physics, anyways?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you very much :) its no problem ;) I got an A*, I hope you get what you want!

      Delete
  2. Hi Hannah. Love your blog but I just wanted to point out that a straight line isn't constant acceleration because acceleration is the rate of change of velocity, which means a straight line is a constant speed, not acceleration. This blog is amazing for exams. Thanks (: x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. your statement is correct for distance-time graphs, however on a VELOCITY-time graph, a straight, diagonal line going up means constant acceleration

      Delete
  3. Intellectual Daughter Of An Intellectual father!

    ReplyDelete
  4. This blog is fantastic! Thanks a lot. Just one thing to say: under 'plotting', you referred to a distance-time graph rather than a velocity-time graph. It may also be worth saying that the area underneath a velocity-time graph is the distance travelled.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Although I just noticed that the area thing is a seperate point in the spec, 1.8

      Delete
  5. http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/science/add_ocr_pre_2011/explaining_motion/describingmotionrev3.shtml

    this helps swell

    ReplyDelete