Distance-time graphs
What the line tells you
Time goes along the bottom, distance goes up the side.
Every point is "at this time, it had gone this far".
- O to A: steep line, moving fast.
- A to B: flat line, distance not changing, so stationary.
- B to C: shallower line, moving more slowly.
Gradient is speed
The gradient of a distance-time graph is the speed.
Pick two points on a straight section:
- gradient = change in distance ÷ change in time
- O to A: 40 m ÷ 20 s = 2 m/s
- B to C: (60 − 40) m ÷ (60 − 35) s = 20 ÷ 25 = 0.8 m/s
A curved line means the speed is changing. Getting steeper: speeding up. Getting flatter: slowing down. For the speed at one moment on a curve, draw a tangent (a straight line that just touches the curve) and find its gradient. That is in the Plus questions for this lesson.
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This question is in Brainlag Plus