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Flip to reveal answersWhat does the gradient of a displacement–time graph give?
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All 11 Flashcards — Velocity and displacement
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Question
What does the gradient of a displacement–time graph give?
Answer
The **velocity** (rate of change of displacement).
Question
What does the gradient of a velocity–time graph give?
Answer
The **acceleration** (rate of change of velocity).
Question
What does the area under a velocity–time graph give?
Answer
The **displacement**.
Question
What does the area under an acceleration–time graph give?
Answer
The **change in velocity**, Δv.
Question
Define displacement.
Answer
The **straight-line distance and direction** from start to finish — a vector (m).
Question
Difference between distance and displacement?
Answer
Distance = total path length (scalar); displacement = straight-line start→end with direction (vector).
Question
Difference between speed and velocity?
Answer
Speed = rate of distance (scalar); velocity = rate of displacement, with direction (vector).
Question
SI units of velocity and acceleration?
Answer
Velocity: **m s⁻¹**. Acceleration: **m s⁻²**.
Question
On a v–t graph, what does a horizontal line mean?
Answer
Constant velocity (zero acceleration → zero gradient).
Question
On a v–t graph, area below the time-axis means…
Answer
Motion in the **negative** direction → negative (subtracted) displacement.
Question
Displacement from a straight v–t line (formula)?
Answer
$s = \tfrac{1}{2}(u+v)t$ — the area of the trapezium under the line.
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Full study notes for Velocity and displacement
Topic 1.1 hub
Kinematics
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