The big idea: A car speeds up steadily — how fast, and how far, after 5 s? The suvat formulas solve questions like this.
Anything speeding up or slowing at a steady rate is a bread-and-butter exam problem. First, the five things the formulas connect:
The five suvat letters
s — displacement
how far it goes (m)
u — start speed
the velocity at the start (m s⁻¹)
v — end speed
the velocity at the end (m s⁻¹)
a — acceleration
how fast the velocity changes (m s⁻²)
t — time
how long it takes (s)
s · u · v · a · t
Animated graph
Watch the graph build step by step in study mode.
Spot it: Suvat only works while the acceleration stays constant (a straight v–t line). If the acceleration changes, split the motion into constant-a stages and do each one separately.
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All four are given in the data booklet — you don't memorise them, you choose one. Tap any to see its booklet badge:
- displacement (m)
- initial velocity (m s⁻¹)
- final velocity (m s⁻¹)
- acceleration (m s⁻²)
- time (s)
How to choose the right one: List your three knowns and the one unknown you want.
Then pick the equation that contains those four letters and leaves out the fifth.
Example: you know u, a, t and want s → the equation missing v is s = ut + ½at².
A sled starts at 4.0 m s⁻¹ and accelerates uniformly at 2.0 m s⁻² for 5.0 s. (a) Find its final speed. (b) Find how far it travels in those 5.0 s.
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How this is tested — suvat is the go-to for motion calculations: pick the right equation and plug in.
Paper 1A
- A quick one-marker.
- Often a stopping distance.
Paper 2
- A longer, multi-step problem.
- e.g. find a time or a final speed.
Read the exam signals: No time given → use v² = u² + 2as.
'Comes to rest' / 'stops' → v = 0.
'Deceleration' → a is negative (e.g. −5 m s⁻²).
Animated graph
Watch the graph build step by step in study mode.
A car travelling at 20 m s⁻¹ brakes with a constant deceleration of 5.0 m s⁻². Find the distance it travels before stopping.
Model answer plan
See the answer broken into clear points, with guidance on how each point earns marks.
Shortcuts the multiple-choice questions use: From rest, s = ½at², so the distance grows as t²: in equal seconds it goes 1 : 3 : 5 : 7.
From rest, v² = 2as, so v² grows with s: four times the distance gives twice the speed.
A cyclist brakes uniformly. She slows from 12 m s⁻¹ to 6.0 m s⁻¹ over a distance of 18 m. Calculate how much further she travels before she stops.
Model answer plan
See the answer broken into clear points, with guidance on how each point earns marks.