Tips and tricks

What does velocity-time graph represent?

What does velocity-time graph represent?

Velocity-time graphs are used to describe the motion of objects which are moving in a straight line. They can be used to show acceleration and to work out displacement.

What does the slope represents?

Slope means that a unit change in x, the independent variable will result in a change in y by the amount of b. slope = change in y/change in x = rise/run. Slope shows both steepness and direction. With positive slope the line moves upward when going from left to right.

What does the area under a velocity time graph represent?

Velocity-time graphs – higher. You should be able to calculate gradients of velocity-time graphs and the areas under the graphs. The gradient of a line on a velocity-time graph represents the acceleration of the object.

How can you determine acceleration from a velocity time graph?

Acceleration is determined by the slope of time-velocity graph. If the time velocity graph is a straight line, acceleration remains constant. If the slope of the straight line is positive, positive acceleration occurs. If the slope of the straight line is negative, negative acceleration or retardation occurs.

How to calculate acceleration?

Work out the change in velocity for you given time.

  • Calculate the change in time for the period you are considering.
  • Divide the change in velocity by the change in time.
  • The result is the average acceleration for that period.

    • What is the difference between velocity and acceleration?

    The key factor of differentiation between velocity and acceleration is that velocity defines the rate with which an object varies its position.

  • Velocity is given as the ratio of change in position with time.
  • Velocity is measured in m/s while the measuring unit of acceleration is m/s2.
  • The product of mass and velocity of a moving object is momentum.