Discover PHYSICS

for GCE ‘O’ Level Science

Unit 2: Kinematics
2.1 Distance, Time and Speed

In this section, you’ll be able to:

• state what speed is

• calculate average speed
• plot and interpret a distance-time graph
2.1 Distance, Time and Speed

What is Speed?

Speed is the distance moved per unit time i.e.

distance moved
Speed =
time taken

d
In symbols, v =
t
where d = distance moved (m)
t = time taken (s)
v = speed (m s-1)
2.1 Distance, Time and Speed

The ‘Triangle’ Method

To find the value of a quantity, cover up

the symbol to give the related formula:

• d=vt
d
• v= t
d
• t= v
2.1 Distance, Time and Speed

What is Average Speed?

Can you calculate the speed of each athlete in the
table below?

Location, Athlete Event Time Speed/m s–1

year
Atlanta,
1996 Bailey, Canada 100 m 9.84 s 10.2
Atlanta,
1996 Johnson, USA 200 m 19.32 s 10.4
Atlanta,
1996 Johnson, USA 400 m 43.49 s 9.2
Atlanta,
1996 Rodal, Norway 800 m 1:42.59 min 7.8
2.1 Distance, Time and Speed

What is Average Speed?

• The speed that you have calculated for each athlete is
actually the average speed.

• Each athlete did not run at the same speed throughout

the race.

• In short, average speed assumes that the object travels

at the same speed throughout the entire distance.
2.1 Distance, Time and Speed

What is 1 m s-1 in km h-1?

1 m s-1 means that the object moves 1 m in 1 s.

In 1 h, there are 60 × 60 = 3600 s. Hence, the
distance travelled in 3600 s is 3600 m = 3.6 km.

Therefore, 1 m s-1 = 3.6 km h-1.

Or you can use conversion of units as follows:

1 m  1 km  60 s  60 min  3.6 km  3.6 km h1

1 s 1000 m 1 min 1h 1h
 2.1 Distance, Time and Speed
Distance-time graphs
For an object moving with constant or uniform speed, the
distance-time graph is a straight line. What is the speed of
this object?
Distance/
m

10
080 The total
60 distance moved
after 10 s is 80
40
m. Therefore, the
20 speed
80 is:
0 2 4 6 8 10 12
v = 10 = 8 m s-1
Time/s
 2.1 Distance, Time and Speed

Distance-time graphs for increasing speed

After 10 s, distance moved is

20 m. Average speed after 10
s is 20
:
Distance/
10
m v= = 2 m s–1

10
0
80
6
0
4 After 20 s, distance
moved is 80 m. The
0
20 average speed
0 after
2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 20 s80is:
18 20 Time/s 20
v= = 4 m s–1
 2.1 Distance, Time and Speed

Distance-time graphs for decreasing speed

During the first 18 s, the

Distance/m
speed of the object
decreases.

10
080

6
0 After 18 s, distance
4 moved remains 100 m.
0
20 There is no change in
the distance from 10 s
0
2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 to 15 s. Therefore, the
20 speed is zero. The
Time/s
object is stationary or at
rest.
2.1 Distance, Time and Speed
Instantaneous Speed
The instantaneous speed of an object is the speed at a
particular instant. It can be found from the gradient of the
tangent at a point on the distance-time graph.

Distance/ At t = 5 s, the instantaneous

m s is 90
speed
t 14
10 v= = = 6.4 m s-1
080

60
40 s
20
t
0
2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 Time/s
18 20
2.1 Distance, Time and Speed

Key Ideas
• Speed is the change in distance per unit time, v = s
Its SI unit is m s-1. t

• Average speed is the total distance travelled, divided by

the total time taken.

• A distance-time graph shows how distance changes

with time.
(a) If speed is uniform, the graph is a straight line.
(b) If speed is non-uniform, the graph is a curve.

• The gradient of the tangent at a point on the s-t graph

gives the instantaneous speed.
2.1 Distance, Time and Speed

Test Yourself 2.1

At the start of a journey, the odometer (a meter which
clocks the total distance of a car has travelled) has an
initial reading of 50780 km. At the end of the journey,
the odometer reading was 50924 km. The journey took
two hours.

What was the average speed

of the journey in
(a) km h-1 ?
(b) m s-1 ?
Speedometer

Odometer
2.2 Speed, Velocity and Acceleration

In this section, you’ll be able to:

• state what velocity and uniform acceleration are

change in velocity
• calculate acceleration using
Time taken
• interpret given examples of non-uniform acceleration
2.2 Speed, Velocity and Acceleration
Speed and Velocity
Velocity is the change in distance in a specified direction
(i.e. displacement) per unit time. It can be positive or
negative.

For example, when you perform a 200 m sprint, your

distance is 200 m, whereas your displacement is generally
less, as shown in the figure below. Distance
travelled
200 m
What would your speed
and velocity be when you
run the 200 metres in Displacement 50
m
25 seconds?
2.2 Speed, Velocity and Acceleration
Acceleration
Acceleration is the change in
velocity with time. In symbols:

a =  v (in m s-2)
t
3 seconds after take off, a shuttle
has a speed of 45 m s-1. What is
its acceleration?
2.2 Speed, Velocity and Acceleration
Key Ideas
• Velocity is the change in displacement per unit time.
It is speed in a specified direction. Its SI unit is m s-1,
which is the same for speed.

• Acceleration is the change in velocity per unit time.

Its SI unit is m s-2.
2.2 Speed, Velocity and Acceleration
Test Yourself: Inside Scoop
Ever heard of the Vertical Marathon?
Since 1987, this race takes place
annually at the tallest hotel in
Southeast Asia: the 226 metres
high Stamford hotel in Singapore.
Balvinder Singh set the record in
1989 by climbing the 1336 steps in
6 minutes and 55 seconds.

Calculate his velocity in steps and in

kilometres per hour. Is his velocity
positive or negative?
2.3 Speed-Time Graphs

In this section, you’ll be able to:

• plot and interpret speed-time graphs

• determine the distance travelled by calculating the area
under the speed-time graph
2.3 Speed-Time Graphs
Uniform acceleration
In a speed-time graph, a straight line denotes uniform
acceleration. How can you achieve uniform acceleration
when playing a racing game in an arcade?

Answer: by stepping on the

pedal all the way!

On the next slide we can see

the corresponding speed-time
graph.
 2.3 Speed-Time Graphs

Uniform acceleration
Speed/m s-1
3
5
3
0
2
5
2
0
1
5
1
05

0 Time/s
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 13 14

The gradient of the line is 2 m s-2

Or: a = (v – u)/t = (20 – 10)/(10 – 0)
= 2 m s-2
2.3 Speed-Time Graphs
Non-uniform acceleration
In a speed-time graph, a curved line denotes non-uniform
acceleration. How can you achieve non-uniform
acceleration when playing a racing game in an arcade?

Answer: by stepping on the

pedal slowly to its maximum
(increasing acceleration) or
by slowly releasing the pedal
from its maximum position
(decreasing acceleration).
 2.3 Speed-Time Graphs
Non-uniform acceleration

Speed/m s-1
3
0
2
0
1
0
0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
12 Time/s
The gradient of the speed-time graph is not
constant during the first 10 seconds i.e.
acceleration is non-uniform.
2.3 Speed-Time Graphs

Types of acceleration
Can you tell the difference between the following types of
acceleration? Can you sketch the v-t graphs and give an
example of each type of acceleration?

Positive acceleration Negative acceleration

Retardation Deceleration
Increasing acceleration Decreasing acceleration
Increasing deceleration Decreasing deceleration
2.3 Speed-Time Graphs

Area under speed-time graph

Distance is normally given by speed  time. The area
under a speed-time graph is also equal to speed  time.
Hence, the area under a speed-time graph gives
the distance travelled.

The next slide shows you how to find the distance

travelled by using the area under the speed-time graph.
 2.3 Speed-Time Graphs
Speed/m s-1
50

40

30

20

10

Time/s
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
From12
t = 7.5 to t = 12,
Speed decreases uniformly, acceleration = (0 - 45)/(12 - 7.5) = -1 m s-2

Distance moved = area of green triangle = 0.5  45  (12 - 7.5) = 101.25 m

Can you find the total distance moved (from t = 0 to t = 12)?
2.3 Speed-Time Graphs

Key Ideas
• A speed-time graph shows how speed changes with
time.

• The gradient of the tangent at a point on the

speed-time graph gives the instantaneous
acceleration.

• The area under the speed-time graph is the total

distance travelled.
2.3 Speed-Time Graphs

Test Yourself 2.3

1. The figure below shows 2. The figure below shows

the speed-time graph the distance-time graph
of a car. Describe the of a car. Describe the
motions of the car at motions of the car at
regions A, B, C and D. regions A, B, C and D.
Speed Distance

D D

B C B C

A A

Time Time
2.4 Acceleration of Free Fall

In this section, you’ll be able to:

• state that the acceleration of free fall near to Earth is

approximately 10 m s-2
• describe motion of bodies in free fall with and without
air resistance
• understand what terminal velocity is
2.4 Acceleration of Free Fall

Galileo’s Discovery
Galileo Galilei, an Italian, was one
of the first modern scientists to
verify experimentally the
acceleration due to free fall.

Supposedly experimenting from

the Leaning Tower of Pisa, he
found out that this ‘falling’
acceleration was about 10 m s-2
and the same for all objects!
2.4 Acceleration of Free Fall

Falling without air resistance

Take a coin from your wallet and hold it
in one hand. Hold your wallet in the other
hand and stand on your chair. Drop both
items from the same height at the same
time. What happens?

a) The light coin hits the ground first

b) The heavy wallet hits the ground first
c) Both hit the ground at the same time
2.4 Acceleration of Free Fall

Key Ideas

• All objects fall under gravity with constant acceleration,

g, the acceleration of free fall (about 10 m s-2)
 2.4 Acceleration of Free Fall

Test Yourself 2.4

A parachutist jumps from an aircraft and falls through

the air. After some time the parachute opens. Describe
the motion of the parachutist at points A, B, C and D.

D
50
40
C
Speed/m s–1 30
20
B
10
A
0 Time/s
2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18