Motion in One Dimension Name:
Describing Motion with Position-Time Graphs
Read from Lesson 3 of the 1-D Kinematics chapter at The Physics Classroom:
http://www.physicsclassroom.com/Class/1DKin/U1L3a.cfm
http://www.physicsclassroom.com/Class/1DKin/U1L3b.cfm
http://www.physicsclassroom.com/Class/1DKin/U1L3c.cfm
MOP Connection: Kinematic Graphing: sublevels 1-4 (and some of sublevels 9-11)
Motion can be described using words, diagrams, numerical information, equations, and graphs. Describing
motion with graphs involves representing how a quantity such as the object's position can change with respect to
the time. The key to using position-time graphs is knowing that the slope of a position-time graph reveals
information about the object's velocity. By detecting the slope, one can infer about an object's velocity. "As the
slope goes, so goes the velocity."
Review:
1. Categorize the following motions as being either examples of + or - acceleration.
a. Moving in the + direction and speeding up (getting faster) positive
b. Moving in the + direction and slowing down (getting slower) negative
c. Moving in the - direction and speeding up (getting faster) negative
d. Moving in the - direction and slowing down (getting slower) positive
Interpreting Position-Graphs
2. On the graphs below, draw two lines/curves to represent the given verbal descriptions; label the
lines/curves as A or B.
A Remaining at rest A Moving slow A Moving in + direction
B Moving B Moving fast B Moving in - direction
B
B B (more
(sloped) sloped) A
A
A (horizontal)
A Moving at constant speed A Move in + dirn; speed up A Move in - dirn; speed up
B Accelerating B Move in + dirn; slow dn B Move in - dirn; slow dn
B B A
A
A B
3. For each type of accelerated motion, construct the appropriate shape of a position-time graph.
Moving with a + velocity and a + acceleration Moving with a + velocity and a - acceleration
positive
slope
(getting positive slope
steeper) (getting flatter)
© The Physics Classroom, 2009 Page 1
Moving with a - velocity and a + acceleration Moving with a - velocity and a - acceleration
Negative slope
(getting flatter) Negativ
e slope
(getting
steeper)
4. Use your understanding of the meaning of slope and shape of position-time graphs to describe the motion
depicted by each of the following graphs.
The object moves with a constant velocity in The object moves slowly with a constant
the positive direction; then the object suddenly velocity in the positive direction; then the
stops and maintains a rest position. object moves fast with a constant velocity.
The object moves in the positive direction from The object moves in the positive direction from
slow to fast. Then the object maintains a fast to slow; once the object slows to a stop, it
constant velocity in the positive direction. maintains the rest position.
5. Use the position-time graphs below to determine the velocity. PSYW
v = slope = rise/run = (20 m)/(5.0 s) v = slope = rise/run = (20 m)/(5.0 s)
v = 4 m/s v = 4 m/s
v = slope = rise/run = (-25 m)/(5.0 s) v = slope = rise/run = (-20 m)/(5.0 s)
v = -5 m/s v = -4 m/s
© The Physics Classroom, 2009 Page 2
