CSEC Physics Graph Summary Table
This document contains a summary table of all the key graphs you may encounter in the
CSEC Physics syllabus. It includes the topic, type of graph, axes labels, and the purpose of
the graph.
Topic Graph Type X-Axis Y-Axis What It
Shows / Use
Motion Velocity–Time Time (s) Velocity (m/s) Acceleration
(Kinematics) (slope),
displacement
(area under
graph)
Displacement– Time (s) Displacement Type of motion:
Time (m) uniform or
accelerated
Acceleration– Time (s) Acceleration Describes
Time (m/s²) changes in
acceleration
Forces Force– Extension (m or Force (N) Slope = spring
Extension cm) constant (k),
(Hooke’s Law) elastic limit
shown
Work, Energy, Power–Time Time (s) Power (W) How power
Power changes over
time
Waves Displacement– Position Displacement Shows
Position (cm/m) (cm/m) wavelength and
amplitude
Displacement– Time (s) Displacement Shows period
Time (cm/m) and frequency
Electricity Voltage– Current (A) Voltage (V) Slope =
Current (Ohm’s resistance (R);
Law) straight line =
obeys Ohm’s
law
Resistance– Temperature Resistance (Ω) NTC
Temperature (°C) thermistor:
(thermistor) resistance ↓ as
temperature ↑
Transformers V_s vs V_p Primary Secondary Slope shows
Voltage (V) Voltage (V) turns ratio
Turns vs Turns on coil Voltage (V) More turns =
Voltage higher voltage
(step-up)
Density Mass–Volume Volume (cm³) Mass (g) Slope = Density
(ρ = m/V)
Lenses & Optics 1/v vs 1/u 1/u (1/cm) 1/v (1/cm) Straight line;
used to find
focal length (f)
Radioactivity Count Rate– Time (s/mins) Count Rate Shows
Time exponential
decay
Pressure Pressure– Volume (cm³) Pressure (Pa) Inversely
Volume proportional; P
(Boyle’s Law) × V = constant
Pressure– Temperature Pressure (Pa) Straight line
Temperature (°C/K) (Charles' Law)
Simple Period²–Length Length (m) Period² (s²) Straight line;
Pendulum slope = 4π²/g
Heating Curve Temperature– Time (s/mins) Temperature Plateaus during
Time (°C) phase changes
Magnetism / Voltage–Time Time (s) Voltage (V) Sine wave of
EM Ind. (AC) alternating
current