DESCRIBING MOTION WITH

POSITION VS. TIME GRAPHS,

VELOCITY VS. TIME GRAPHS
ACCELERATION VS.TIME GRAPH

GROUP 1
OBJECTIVES AND GOALS
• Interpret displacement and velocity,
respectively, as areas under velocity
vs. time and acceleration vs. time
curves
• Interpret velocity and acceleration,
respectively, as slopes of position
vs. time and velocity vs. time
curves
 MOTION GRAPH
• A motion graph is a visual representation of an object's
position, velocity, or acceleration over time.

• Typically, these graphs plot one variable on the y-axis (such

as position, velocity, or acceleration) against time on the x-
axis.
 TYPES OF MOTION GRAPH
• Position vs. Time Graphs
• Velocity vs. Time Graphs
• Acceleration vs. Time Graphs
 CONCEPTS
OF
POSITION-
TIME GRAPH
 • KEEPING THE SAME
POSITION IN THE COURE
OF TIME
• CAN BE REPRESENTED BY
HORIZONTAL LINES
 • KEEPING THE SAME
POSITION IN THE COURE
OF TIME
• CAN BE REPRESENTED BY
HORIZONTAL LINES
 • KEEPING THE SAME
POSITION IN THE COURE
OF TIME
• CAN BE REPRESENTED BY
HORIZONTAL LINES

• MOVING
• CAN BE REPRESENTED
BY STRAIGHT DIAGONAL
LINES/CURVE LINES
POSITION-TIME GRAPH
CONCEPTS
POSITION-TIME GRAPH
CONCEPTS
 CONTRASTING A
CONSTANT AND A
CHANGING VELOCITY
 CONTRASTING A CONSTANT AND A
CHANGING VELOCITY

Consider a car moving with a constant, rightward (+) velocity - say of +10
m/s.
CONTRASTING A CONSTANT AND A
CHANGING VELOCITY

Note that a motion

described as a constant,
positive velocity results in a
line of constant and
positive slope when plotted
as a position-time graph.
 CONTRASTING A CONSTANT AND
A CHANGING VELOCITY

Now consider a car moving with a rightward (+), changing velocity - that is, a
car that is moving rightward but speeding up or accelerating.
CONTRASTING A CONSTANT
AND A CHANGING VELOCITY
Note that a motion
described as a
changing, positive
velocity results in a
line of changing and
positive slope when
plotted as a position-
time graph.
 THE IMPORTANCE OF SLOPE
• The shapes of the position versus time graphs for these two basic types of
motion - constant velocity motion and accelerated motion (i.e., changing
velocity) - reveal an important principle. The principle is that the slope of the
line on a position-time graph reveals useful information about the velocity of
the object. It is often said, "As the slope goes, so goes the velocity."
Whatever characteristics the velocity has, the slope will exhibit the same (and
vice versa). If the velocity is constant, then the slope is constant (i.e., a
straight line). If the velocity is changing, then the slope is changing (i.e., a
curved line). If the velocity is positive, then the slope is positive (i.e., moving
upwards and to the right). This very principle can be extended to any motion
conceivable.
CONTRASTING A CONSTANT AND
A CHANGING VELOCITY

POSITIVE VELOCITY
CONSTANT VELOCITY
Changing Velocity (acceleration)
(POSITIVE VELOCITY)
 CONTRASTING A
SLOW AND A FAST
MOTION
Consider the graphs in the next slide as examples of the
principle concerning the slope of a line on a position
versus time graph. The graph on the left shows an
object moving with a small, constant, positive velocity
(as indicated by the small, constant positive slope). The
graph on the right also represents constant positive
velocity, but the steeper slope indicates a faster speed.
This demonstrates how the slope of a position vs. time
graph relates to the object’s velocity.
SLOW, RIGHTWARD(+) FAST, LEFTWARD(-)
Constant Velocity Constant Velocity
Consider the graphs in the next slide as another application of
this principle of slope. The graph on the left is representative
of an object that is moving with a negative velocity (as denoted
by the negative slope), a constant velocity (as denoted by the
constant slope) and a small velocity (as denoted by the small
slope). The graph on the right has similar features - there is a
constant, negative velocity (as denoted by the constant,
negative slope). However, the slope of the graph on the right is
larger than that on the left. Once more, this larger slope is
indicative of a larger velocity. The object represented by the
graph on the right is traveling faster than the object
represented by the graph on the left.
SLOW, LEFTWARD(-) FAST, LEFTWARD(-)
Constant Velocity Constant Velocity
 Example:.

The slope of a position vs. time graph

represents the velocity of the object.

To see why, consider the graph below,

which represents the position, x, of an
object moving in one dimension as a
function of time, t:
 Example:.

The slope of a position vs. time graph

represents the change in the object's
position divided by the time taken for
that change. That's average velocity!

Try sliding the dot horizontally on the

graph to see the slope of the tangent
line at different times. At what time(s)
did the object have an instantaneous
velocity of v=0?
 Example:.
On a position vs. time graph, the average velocity
for an interval is equal to the slope of the line
connecting the endpoints of the interval.

Consider the position vs. time graph below.

• What was the average velocity of the object from

t=0s to t=9s?
• What was the average velocity of the object from
t=4s to t=9s?
• What was the average velocity of the object from
t=6s to t=9s?
DESCRIBING MOTION WITH ACCELERATION VS
TIME GRAPHS
• An acceleration vs. time graph represents the
acceleration of an object as a function of
time.
• For example, if you read the y-value of the
graph below at a particular time (in seconds),
you will get the acceleration of the object (in
meters per second squared) at that instant.
 DESCRIBING MOTION WITH ACCELERATION VS
TIME GRAPHS
Example:
The graph shows an object maintaining
a constant acceleration of 9 s.
 DESCRIBING MOTION WITH ACCELERATION VS
TIME GRAPHS
Example:
An object is moving with an initial velocity of 20 m/s at time t=0s. The object
accelerates. The acceleration of the object as a function of time is shown on
the graph below. What is the object's velocity at t=8s?
 DESCRIBING MOTION WITH ACCELERATION VS
TIME GRAPHS
Example:
A sailboat is moving with an initial velocity of 10m/s at time t=0s. The blowing
wind causes the sailboat to accelerate over time, as shown on the graph below.
What is the sailboat's velocity at t=9s?
DESCRIBING MOTION
WITH VELOCITY VS
TIME GRAPHS
The line is sloping upwards to the right. But mathematically, by
how much does it slope upwards for every 1 second along the
horizontal (time) axis?

The slope of the line on a velocity

versus time graph is equal to the
acceleration of the object.
 USING THE SLOPE EQUATION
The slope equation says that the slope of a line is found by determining the amount of
rise of the line between any two points divided by the amount of runof the line
between the same two points. A method for carrying out the calculation is

1.Pick two points on the line and determine their coordinates.

2.Determine the difference in y-coordinates for these two points
(rise).
3.Determine the difference in x-coordinates for these two points
(run).
4.Divide the difference in y-coordinates by the difference in x-
coordinates (rise/run or slope).
The calculations below shows how this method can be applied to
determine the slope of the line. Note that three different
calculations are performed for three different sets of two points on
the line. In each case, the result is the same: the slope is 10 m/s/s.
 DETERMINING THE AREA ON A
VELOCITY-TIME GRAPH
For velocity versus time graphs, the area bound by the line
and the axes represents the displacement. The diagram below
shows three different velocity-time graphs; the shaded
regions between the line and the time-axis represent the
displacement during the stated time interval.
• The shaded area is representative
of the displacement during from 0
seconds to 6 seconds. This area
takes on the shape of a rectangle
can be calculated using the
appropriate equation.
• The shaded area is representative
of the displacement during from 0
seconds to 4 seconds. This area
takes on the shape of a triangle can
be calculated using the appropriate
equation.
The shaded area is representative
of the displacement during from 2
seconds to 5 seconds. This area
takes on the shape of a trapezoid
can be calculated using the
appropriate equation.
The method used to find the area under a line on a
velocity-time graph depends upon whether the section
bound by the line and the axes is a rectangle, a triangle
or a trapezoid. Area formulas for each shape are given
below.
ACCELERATION VS
TIME GRAPHS
 ACCELERATION VS TIME GRAPHS

• The Acceleration-Time graph tells us about an

object’s velocity the same way the Velocity
Time graph tells us about an object’s
displacement
WHAT IS ACCELERATION-
TIME GRAPH?
• Acceleration-Time Graph shows the
acceleration plotted against time for a particle
moving in a straight line. The acceleration-time
plots acceleration values on the y-axis and time
values on the x-axis.
ACCELERATION-TIME GRAPH EXPLANATION
• The vertical axis in the
acceleration-time graph
represents the acceleration of
the object. In the given graph
below, reading the value of the
graph at a particular time will
fetch you the acceleration of
VERTICAL AXIS the object in meters per
second squared for that
 SLOPE OF THE ACCELERATION GRAPH
• The slope of the acceleration graph represents a quantity known as a
jerk. Jerk is the rate of change of acceleration. In the given
acceleration graph as shown below, the slope can be calculated as
follows:

REPRESENTATION OF JERK IN GRAPH

 AREA UNDER THE ACCELERATION GRAPH
• The area under the acceleration graph represents the
change in velocity. In other words, the area under the graph
for a certain time interval is equal to the change in velocity
during that time interval.
 AREA UNDER THE ACCELERATION GRAPH
Let us consider the below example to understand better:
The graph below shows a constant acceleration of 4 m/s2 for a
time of 9 s.
 AREA UNDER THE ACCELERATION GRAPH

• Acceleration is defined as,

• By multiplying both sides of the equation by the change in

time Δt, we get
 AREA UNDER THE ACCELERATION GRAPH

• Substituting the values in the above equation, we get

 AREA UNDER THE ACCELERATION GRAPH

Multiplying the acceleration by the time interval is equivalent to

finding the area under the curve.

The area under the curve is a rectangle. This area can be found
by multiplying height and width.

The height, in this case, is 4 m/s2 and the width is 9 s.

ACCELERATION GRAPH EXAMPLE

• A race car driver is cruising at a constant velocity of 20 m/s.

As she nears the finish line, the race car driver starts to
accelerate. The graph shown below gives the acceleration of
the race car as it starts to speed up. Assume the race car had
a velocity of 20 m/s at time t=0 s. Find the final velocity of the
driver when she reaches the finish line.
ACCELERATION GRAPH SOLVED EXAMPLE
 ACCELERATION GRAPH SOLVED EXAMPLE

We can find the change in velocity by finding the area

under the acceleration graph.
Substituting the values, we get

This calculation gave us the change in velocity during the

given time interval. To calculate the final velocity, we need
to use the definition of change in velocity.
 GRAPH SLOPE AREA

Position vs. Time Δ

v
x
Δt
=
Velocity vs. Time Δv
a Δx (Δt)(v)
Δt
= =
Acceleration vs.
Δv (Δt)(a)
Time
=
 QUIZ TIME

1.Find the velocity on the graph below.

 QUIZ TIME

2. Dean is slowing down on his skateboards. He starts

at a speed of 5.5 m/s and slows to 1.0 m/s over a time
of 3.0 seconds. What is Dean's acceleration?

3. How long would it take Jesse with an acceleration of

-2.50 m/s² to bring his bicycle with an initial velocity of
13.5 m/s to a complete stop?