MODULE 3: Let’s Accelerate

At the end of this chapter, you are expected to:

1. Study one dimensional kinematics;
2. Define acceleration and deceleration;
1. Acceleration
3. Learn acceleration’s path with respect to the
2. Velocity-Time Graph
velocity’s direction and magnitude;
4. Compute velocity from displacement vs. time graph;
5. Compute acceleration from velocity vs. time graph;
6. Provide and create an equation for constant
acceleration with velocity and position at any time;
7. From the velocity vs. time graph, calculate the
displacement for any value of acceleration; and
8. Compute change in velocity from acceleration vs.
time graph for any value of acceleration.

Explore:

Acceleration
- It is a variation of velocity over the interval of time. It also means an increase in velocity. Acceleration
is expressed as:
variation ∈velocity
acceleration =
change∈time

∆v v 2−v 1
a= or a = , where a is the acceleration, v1 is the starting velocity, v2 is the
∆t ∆t
ending
velocity, and Δt is the change in time. Note: the unit of measurement of acceleration is meters over the
square of the second or m/s2.

Sample Problem
1. A sports car accelerates with a constant rate of 40 km/h to 90 km/h East [E] in 5.0 seconds.
Determine the acceleration.
90 km/h−40 km/h
v 2−v 1 50 km/h
a= = 1h =
∆t 5.0 s( ) 0.00139 h
3,600
a = 35,971 km/h2 East or 2.78 m/s2 East
2. A horse rider starting from rest gas a final velocity of 9.6 meters per second in 2.0 seconds. What is
the horse rider’s average acceleration?
v 2−v 1 9.6 m/s−0
a= =
∆t 2.0 s
a = 4.8 m/s2 in the positive direction
3. A softball player sprinting at 8.0 m/s West slides into the third base and coming to rest in 1.6
seconds. What is the player’s average acceleration?

v 2−v 1 0−8 m/ s −8 m/s

a= = =
∆t 1.6 s 1.6 s
 a = -5.0 m/s2 West
Note: acceleration is negative or in opposite direction so it means it is decelerating and it is called
deceleration.

LET’S APPRAISE
1. What is the acceleration of a motorcycle that accelerates from 5.0 m/s to 15 m/s South in 4.0
seconds?
2. What is the average acceleration of an airplane in a runway that accelerates from rest to 750 km/h in
2.2 minutes?
3. What is the acceleration of a sprinter who accelerates from 0.52 m/s to 0.78 m/s in 0.50 seconds?
4. What is the average acceleration of a car entering a city that decelerates from 90 km/h to 50 km/h in
10 seconds?

Velocity-Time Graph
- Best represents the motion of objects whose velocity is constantly changing. Consider the table below:

Time (s) Velocity (km/h)

0 0
5 10
10 20
15 30
20 40
25 50
30 60

∆v
Using the equation a = for the time interval from 0 to 30 seconds:
∆t
km
∆v 60 −0
a= = h
∆t
30 s
a = 2.0 (km/h)/s or 0.56 m/s2
To determine the acceleration of the velocity versus time graph, simply calculate the slope where Δv
is the rise and Δt is the run.

LET’S APPRAISE
The graph shows the motion of a motorcycle accelerating from rest.
 a. How fast was the motorcycle moving at the following times: 2.0, 4.0, and 15.0 seconds?
b. Solve the acceleration through the following time intervals: 0 to 4.0, 4.0 to 10.0, and 10.0 to
15.0 seconds.

Velocity-Time Graph to Determine Displacement

Displacement can also be solve using the velocity versus time graph. Consider the examples below:
Sample Problem
1. The graph below illustrates the motion of an automobile with a time of 10 seconds. Determine the
displacement of the automobile.

The graph shows a uniform velocity of 20 m/s for 10 s. The displacement can be solved by using the
equation Δd = vΔt.
In this case Δd = vΔt
Δd = (20 m/s) (10 s)
Δd = 200 m

The answer can be done in another way. Examine that v and Δt are the length and width of a rectangle.
The product of these two quantities gives the area of the rectangle.
2. The graph illustrates the velocity of a ball that starts from rest and rolls down an inclined plane. What is
the ball’s displacement after 10 s?
 The graph does not involve uniform motion, hence the equation Δd = vΔt cannot be used. In this case,
the shape is a triangle whose area is equal to (1/2) x base x height. Using the expression to calculate the ball’s
displacement:
Δd = area of triangle = (1/2) x bh = (1/2)(10 s)(20 m/s) = 100 m
3. The graph shows the motion of a jogger running for 16 s starting from rest. What is his displacement for
the time interval?

The displacement can be solved by determining the area under the graph. The graph can be divided into
three figures. To find the total displacement, the total of the three areas are added:
Δd = area of + area of + area of
Δd = (1/2)(4 s)(12 m/s)+(6 s)(12 m/s)+(1/2)(6 s)(12 m/s)
Δd = 24 m + 72 m + 36 m
Δd = 132 m

LET’S APPRAISE
Consider the following velocity-time graphs and solve the displacement.
a.

b.

c.
 d.

e.

f.

Illuminate
The graph describes the motion of an object that is uniformly accelerating. It starts with a velocity
of v1 and reaches velocity of v2 after a time interval Δt. The acceleration can be found as follows:
∆v
a= , since Δv = v2 – v1 , then
∆t
V 2−V 1
a= , this equation can be rearranged
∆t
algebraically as:

aΔt = v2 – v1 or v2 = v1 + aΔt
As the displacement is the area under the graph:
Δd = area of + area of
Δd = v1Δt + (1/2)(v2 – v1)Δt

Since:
 v2 – v1 = aΔt
Then:

Δd = v1Δt + (1/2)( aΔt)Δt or Δd = v1Δt + (1/2)a(Δt)2

An alternate expression for displacement is:
Δd = v1Δt + (1/2)(v2 – v1)Δt
2V 1 Δ t+V 2 Δ t−V 1 Δ t V 1 Δ t +V 2 Δ t (V 1+V 2) Δt
Δd =
2
= 2
=
2

Sample Problem
1. What is the final velocity of a ball rolling down an inclined plane with a velocity of 4.0 m/s and
acceleration at 2.0 m/s2 in 5.0 seconds?
Since v1 = 4.0 m/s, a = 2.0 m/s2, and Δt = 5.0 s, then we can use the equation v2 – v1 = aΔt. Substitute the
given values to the equation
v2 – v1 = aΔt or v2 = v1 + aΔt
v2 = 4.0 m/s + (2.0 m/s2)(5.0 s) = 4.0 m/s + 10 m/s
v2 = 14 m/s
2. What is the displacement of a sports car traveling at 10 m/s and accelerates at 4.0 m/s2 for 8.0 seconds?
Since v1 = 10 m/s, a = 4.0 m/s2, and Δt = 8.0 s, then we can use the equation Δd = v1Δt + (1/2)a(Δt)2.
Substitute the given values to the equation
Δd = v1Δt + (1/2)a(Δt)2
Δd = (10 m/s)(8.0 s) + (1/2)(4.0 m/s2)(8.0 s)2 = 80 m + 128 m
Δd = 208 m
3. What is the initial velocity of an automobile that accelerates at 5.0 m/s2 and has a displacement of 114 m
in 6.0 seconds?
Since a = 5.0 m/s2, Δd = 114 m, and Δt = 6.0 s, then we can use the equation Δd = v1Δt + (1/2)a(Δt)2.
Substitute the given values to the equation
Δd = v1Δt + (1/2)a(Δt)2
114 m = v1 (6.0 s) + (1/2)(5.0 m/s2)(6.0 s)2
114 m = (6.0 s) v1 + 90 m
114 m – 90 m = (6.0 s) v1
24 m = (6.0 s) v1
v1 = (24 m)/(6.0 s) = 4.0 m/s
4. A ball climbs up the hill with an initial velocity of 4.0 m/s and rolls down the hill at 6.0 m/s in 5
seconds. Determine the following: (a) acceleration, and (b) displacement
a. Assume “up the hill” as positive and “down the hill” as negative: Given with,
V 2−V 1
v1 = 4.0 m/s, v2 = -6.0 m/s, and Δt = 5.0 s, then we can use the equation a = , to
∆t
solve for acceleration.
m m
−6.0 −4.0
a= s s , = (-10 m/s) ÷ (5.0 s)
5.0 s
a = -2.0 m/s2 or 2.0 m/s2 [down the hill]
(V 1+V 2) Δt
b. Using the same given, we can use the equation Δd = to solve for the displacement.
2
m m m
Δd = (
[ 4.0
s )(
+ −6.0
s )
](5.0 s) (−2.0 )(5.0 s)
= s
2 2

Δd = (-10 m) ÷ 2 = -5.0 m or 5.0 [down the hill]

LET’S APPRAISE
1. What is the displacement of the horse rider with initial velocity of 4.0 m/s and accelerates
uniformly with a velocity of 18 m/s in 4.0 seconds?
2. What is the initial velocity of an automobile acquiring a final velocity of 32 m/s with an
acceleration of 4.0 m/s2 for 5.0 seconds?
3. The brakes are applied on a car traveling at 30 m/s and stops in 3.0 seconds. Determine the
car’s: (a) displacement, and (b) average acceleration.
4. Determine the time travelled by a truck that travels at 35 m/s and accelerated at -5.0 m/s2
before coming to a stop.