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Flip to reveal answersWhat does the gradient of a displacement–time graph give?
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All 11 Flashcards — Motion graphs: s–t, v–t and a–t
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Question
What does the gradient of a displacement–time graph give?
Answer
The **velocity** — the rate of change of displacement.
Question
What does the gradient of a velocity–time graph give?
Answer
The **acceleration** — the rate of change of velocity.
Question
What does the area under a velocity–time graph give?
Answer
The **displacement** travelled in that time.
Question
What does the area under an acceleration–time graph give?
Answer
The **change in velocity** over that time.
Question
Is there a useful area under a displacement–time graph?
Answer
**No** — it has no physical meaning.
Question
What does a horizontal line on a displacement–time graph mean?
Answer
The object is **at rest** — the displacement is not changing, so the velocity is zero.
Question
What does a horizontal line on a velocity–time graph mean?
Answer
**Constant velocity** — the velocity is not changing, so the acceleration is zero.
Question
What does a straight sloping line on a displacement–time graph mean?
Answer
**Constant velocity** — equal displacement in equal times. The steeper the line, the faster.
Question
What does a curved displacement–time graph mean?
Answer
The velocity is **changing** (accelerating). Getting steeper = speeding up; flattening off = slowing down.
Question
How do you find the velocity at one instant from a curved s–t graph?
Answer
Draw a **tangent** at that point and find its gradient.
Question
Which way do gradient and area take you between the three motion graphs?
Answer
**Gradient goes down** (s → v → a); **area comes back up** (a → v → s).
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Full study notes for Motion graphs: s–t, v–t and a–t
Topic 1.1 hub
Kinematics
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