Tuesday 12 February 2013

1.2 plot and interpret distance-time graphs

A distance time graph is a graph showing the relationship between distance travelled and time taken.

Drawing a distance time graph
The Y axis should be the distance travelled from the start, meaning the bottom is time.
To plot simply mark the distance travelled at every chosen point of time: e.g every second.

Interpreting distance time graphs
A horizontal line is a stationary object: because time is still going forward but the object is not moving up or down the distance axis.
A line upwards is a object moving away from the start; a downward line is a object moving towards the start.
The steeper the line the faster the object: its doing more distance for time- more up for across.
To get a speed see how much up it goes for across. (the graph on the link below goes two up for one across  that's two meters per second (2m/s))

The video on this page is insanely helpful: http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/science/add_ocr_pre_2011/explaining_motion/describingmotionrev2.shtml

10 comments:

  1. I think it should be a horizontal line is a stationary object?

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  2. you are so smart and clever please

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  3. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  4. I think You are talking about displacement time graphs.Distance time cannot be negative.however in displacement time graphs a negative gradient means that the object is moving to the opposite direction.reply if i am wrong.

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  5. I think it can be negative, it just means it has a negative velocity

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