Motion

Lerne es beim Spielen

Beantworte diese Fragen für Energie, dann angle und erkunde. Kein Konto nötig.

Für Lehrer: sofort einsetzbare Lektionsfolien, Lernnotizen, Diagramme für Motion (Physics, CIE) — nutze sie in deiner Lektion oder starte das Thema als interaktive Klassenaktivität, die deine Schüler als Live-Spiel spielen.

Lektionsnotizen

Speed & Velocity

Speed = distance travelled per unit time; a scalar quantity (magnitude only).
Equation: v = \frac{s}{t}, where v in m/s, s in m, t in s.
Average speed = total distance / total time; useful when speed varies.
Velocity = speed in a given direction; a vector quantity (magnitude and direction).
Velocity uses displacement (vector) instead of distance.
Same speed but different directions → different velocities.

A person walking at 2.0 m/s and a bee flying at 4.5 m/s, illustrating speed.

Acceleration (Extended)

Acceleration = rate of change of velocity; a = \frac{\Delta v}{\Delta t}, units m/s².
Change in velocity: \Delta v = v - u (final minus initial).
Positive acceleration = speeding up; negative acceleration (deceleration) = slowing down.
Any change in velocity (speed up, slow down, change direction) is acceleration.
Formula triangle: cover the quantity to find; a = \frac{\Delta v}{\Delta t}, \Delta v = a \times \Delta t, \Delta t = \frac{\Delta v}{a}.

Examples of positive and negative acceleration

Distance-Time Graphs

Distance-time graph: straight line = constant speed; horizontal line = stationary.
Gradient = speed; steeper slope = faster speed.
Curved line = changing speed (acceleration/deceleration); increasing gradient = speeding up, decreasing = slowing down.
To calculate speed: draw a large gradient triangle, find \frac{\Delta y}{\Delta x}.
Always check units (e.g., km → m, min → s).

The gradient of a distance-time graph, found from the change in distance (Δy) over the change in time (Δx), gives the speed.

Speed-Time Graphs

Speed-time graph: straight line = constant acceleration; horizontal line = constant speed (zero acceleration).
Gradient = acceleration; positive gradient = acceleration, negative = deceleration.
Area under graph = distance travelled.
Split area into triangles and rectangles: triangle area = \frac{1}{2}bh, rectangle area = bh.
Total distance = sum of all areas under the line.

The area under a speed-time graph, split into a triangle and a rectangle (base × height), gives the distance travelled.

Calculating Acceleration from Speed-Time Graphs (Extended)

For constant acceleration: gradient = \frac{\Delta v}{\Delta t} using a straight line.
For changing acceleration: draw a tangent at the point; gradient of tangent = instantaneous acceleration.
A tangent is a straight line that just touches the curve at that point.
Use a large gradient triangle on the tangent to calculate \frac{\Delta y}{\Delta x}.

A tangent drawn to a curved speed-time graph at a point gives the gradient, and so the instantaneous acceleration, at that point.

Freefall

In absence of air resistance, all objects fall with same acceleration: g = 9.8 \, \text{m/s}² (acceleration of freefall).
Weight W = mg, where g is gravitational field strength (N/kg).
With air resistance: forces are weight (down) and air resistance (up).
Air resistance increases with speed; when it equals weight, resultant force = 0 → terminal velocity.
Skydiver: initially accelerates, then air resistance increases, eventually reaches terminal velocity; deploying parachute increases air resistance → deceleration to a lower terminal velocity.
In a vacuum (no air resistance), objects never reach terminal velocity; they accelerate at g continuously.

A person dropping two objects of different sizes from the Leaning Tower of Pisa to demonstrate freefall.

Folien

Step through every slide for this topic — plus flashcards and revision notes — with a free account.

REGISTRIEREN — GRATIS ANMELDEN

Übungsfragen

Gratis-Vorschau — 8 von 63 Fragen. Registriere dich, um alle zu sehen.

1.Which of the following is a scalar quantity?
Easy
- Avelocity
- Bdisplacement
- Cacceleration
- Dspeed
2.What is the acceleration of free fall near Earth's surface?
Easy
- A9.8 m/s
- B9.8 m/s²
- C9.8 m/s² downward
- D9.8 N/kg
3.On a distance-time graph, a horizontal line indicates that the object is:
Easy
- Aaccelerating
- Bmoving at constant speed
- Cstationary
- Ddecelerating
4.Which of the following is the correct definition of velocity?
Easy
- ADistance travelled per unit time
- BSpeed in a given direction
- CChange in displacement per unit time
- DRate of change of speed
5.The area under a speed-time graph represents:
Easy
- Aacceleration
- Bvelocity
- Cdistance travelled
- Ddeceleration
6.An object accelerates from 4 m/s to 10 m/s in 3 s. What is its acceleration?
Medium
- A2 m/s²
- B3 m/s²
- C4 m/s²
- D6 m/s²
7.On a speed-time graph, a straight line with negative gradient represents:
Easy
- Aconstant acceleration
- Bconstant deceleration
- Cconstant speed
- Dincreasing acceleration
8.A skydiver falls from a plane. After reaching terminal velocity, the parachute opens. Which statement is correct?
Medium
- AThe skydiver immediately stops falling.
- BThe skydiver accelerates upward.
- CThe skydiver decelerates to a lower terminal velocity.
- DThe skydiver continues at the same terminal velocity.

Mehr Fragen

9.A car travels at 20 m/s for 5 s, then at 30 m/s for 10 s. What is the total distance travelled?
Medium
- A100 m
- B300 m
- C400 m
- D500 m
10.A cyclist travels 360 m in 60 s. What is the average speed in m/s?
Easy
- A6 m/s
- B60 m/s
- C0.17 m/s
- D10 m/s
11.A car travels along a straight road. The speed-time graph for the car's journey is a straight line from (0 s, 0 m/s) to (10 s, 20 m/s). What is the acceleration of the car?
Medium
- A2 m/s²
- B0.5 m/s²
- C20 m/s²
- D10 m/s²
12.The speed-time graph of a skydiver shows a curve that becomes horizontal. What does the horizontal section represent?
Medium
- AThe skydiver is accelerating
- BThe skydiver is stationary
- CThe skydiver is moving at terminal velocity
- DThe skydiver is decelerating
13.A student drops a stone from a cliff. Air resistance is negligible. Which graph shows how the speed of the stone changes with time?
Medium
- AA straight line with positive gradient starting from origin
- BA curve with decreasing gradient starting from origin
- CA horizontal line starting from origin
- DA straight line with negative gradient starting from origin
14.A train travels 120 m in 54 s. What is its average speed?
Easy
- A2.22 m/s
- B0.45 m/s
- C6.48 m/s
- D6480 m/s
15.The speed-time graph of a car consists of a triangle from 0 to 10 s (speed increasing from 0 to 20 m/s) followed by a rectangle from 10 to 30 s (constant speed 20 m/s). What is the total distance travelled?
Medium
- A500 m
- B400 m
- C600 m
- D300 m
16.An object is moving at constant speed in a circle. Which statement about its velocity is correct?
Medium
- AVelocity is constant because speed is constant
- BVelocity changes because direction changes
- CVelocity is zero
- DVelocity is equal to speed
17.Which quantity is a vector?
Easy
- ASpeed
- BDistance
- CVelocity
- DTime
18.A skydiver jumps from a plane. Which statement about the forces acting on the skydiver is correct when terminal velocity is reached?
Medium
- AWeight is greater than air resistance
- BAir resistance is greater than weight
- CWeight equals air resistance
- DThere are no forces acting on the skydiver
19.A car decelerates from 30 m/s to 10 m/s in 5 s. What is the deceleration?
Medium
- A4 m/s²
- B8 m/s²
- C-4 m/s²
- D-8 m/s²
20.The distance-time graph for a cyclist is a straight line sloping upward. What does this indicate?
Easy
- AThe cyclist is stationary
- BThe cyclist is moving at constant speed
- CThe cyclist is accelerating
- DThe cyclist is decelerating
21.A ball is thrown vertically upwards. Air resistance is negligible. Which graph shows how the velocity changes with time? (Take upward as positive.)
Medium
- AA straight line with negative gradient crossing the time axis
- BA straight line with positive gradient crossing the time axis
- CA curve decreasing then increasing
- DA horizontal line
22.A student measures the time taken for a ball to fall from a height of 2.0 m using a stopwatch. The student repeats the measurement five times and obtains the following readings: 0.64 s, 0.66 s, 0.63 s, 0.65 s, 0.67 s. What is the most likely value for the time of fall?
Medium
- A0.65 s
- B0.64 s
- C0.66 s
- D0.63 s
23.A student investigates the motion of a trolley rolling down a ramp. She measures the distance travelled by the trolley every 0.2 s using a ticker-tape timer. The tape shows dots that are initially close together and then gradually become further apart. What does this pattern indicate about the motion of the trolley?
Easy
- AThe trolley is accelerating.
- BThe trolley is moving at constant speed.
- CThe trolley is decelerating.
- DThe trolley is stationary.
24.A student uses a motion sensor to plot a distance-time graph for a moving object. The graph is a straight line with a positive gradient. Which statement about the object's motion is correct?
Easy
- AThe object is moving with constant speed.
- BThe object is accelerating.
- CThe object is stationary.
- DThe object is moving with increasing speed.
25.In an experiment to determine the acceleration of free fall, a student drops a steel ball from a height of 1.5 m and measures the time of fall using a light gate. The measured time is 0.55 s. Which of the following is the most likely reason for the discrepancy between the measured acceleration (calculated from s = ½at²) and the accepted value of 9.8 m/s²?
Medium
- AAir resistance acting on the ball.
- BThe height was measured incorrectly.
- CThe ball was not dropped exactly from rest.
- DThe light gate timing was triggered late.
26.A student uses a stopwatch to measure the time for 20 oscillations of a pendulum. She records 30.4 s. What is the time for one oscillation?
Easy
- A1.52 s
- B30.4 s
- C0.66 s
27.A car travels at a constant speed of 20 m/s for 10 s. It then decelerates uniformly at 2 m/s² until it stops. What is the total distance travelled by the car?
Medium
- A300 m
- B200 m
- C100 m
- D400 m
28.A skydiver jumps from a plane. Which of the following speed-time graphs best represents her motion from the moment she jumps until just before she opens her parachute?
Medium
- AA curve that starts with a steep positive gradient, then gradually becomes less steep and finally horizontal.
- BA straight line with constant positive gradient.
- CA curve that starts with a shallow positive gradient, then becomes steeper and finally horizontal.
- DA straight line with constant negative gradient.
29.A student measures the speed of a moving trolley using two light gates connected to a datalogger. The trolley passes the first gate at time 0.00 s and the second gate at time 0.25 s. The distance between the gates is 0.50 m. What is the average speed of the trolley between the gates?
Easy
- A2.0 m/s
- B0.125 m/s
- C0.50 m/s
- D4.0 m/s
30.A student plots a speed-time graph for a moving object. To find the acceleration at a particular instant, she draws a tangent to the curve at that point and calculates its gradient. Which of the following is the correct reason for drawing a tangent?
Medium
- AThe gradient of the tangent gives the instantaneous acceleration.
- BThe area under the tangent gives the distance travelled.
- CThe gradient of the tangent gives the average acceleration.
- DThe tangent shows the direction of motion.
31.Which of the following is a vector quantity?
Easy
- AVelocity
- BSpeed
- CDistance
- DTime
32.What is the definition of speed?
Easy
- ADistance travelled per unit time
- BChange in velocity per unit time
- CSpeed in a given direction
- DRate of change of displacement
33.What does a horizontal line on a distance-time graph indicate?
Easy
- AThe object is accelerating
- BThe object is moving at constant speed
- CThe object is stationary
- DThe object is decelerating
34.An object accelerates uniformly from rest at 2 m/s² for 5 seconds. What is its final velocity?
Easy
- A10 m/s
- B2.5 m/s
- C0.4 m/s
- D20 m/s
35.Which of the following is true for an object falling in a vacuum near Earth's surface?
Easy
- AIt accelerates at 9.8 m/s² regardless of mass
- BIt falls at constant speed
- CHeavier objects fall faster
- DIt decelerates due to air resistance
36.The gradient of a distance-time graph represents acceleration.
Easy
True or false?
37.Which of the following are vector quantities? (Select all that apply.)
Medium
- Avelocity
- Bspeed
- Cacceleration
- Ddistance
- Edisplacement
38.Match each quantity to its correct description.
Easy
- speed
- velocity
- acceleration
- rate of change of velocity
- distance travelled per unit time
- speed in a given direction
39.Arrange the following stages of a skydiver's fall in the correct order from the moment they jump until just before opening the parachute.
Medium
- accelerates downward
- reaches terminal velocity
- air resistance increases
- forces become balanced
40.An object moving at constant speed in a circle has a changing velocity.
Medium
True or false?
41.An object moving at constant speed in a circle has a changing velocity. Which statement explains this?
Medium
- AIts speed is changing
- BIts direction is changing
- CIts mass is changing
- DIts acceleration is zero
42.The graph shows the speed-time graph for a car journey. What is the distance travelled by the car in the first 10 seconds?
Medium
- A100 m
- B200 m
- C400 m
- D800 m
43.A ball is thrown vertically upwards. Which of the following statements about its acceleration at the highest point of its motion is correct? (Assume negligible air resistance.)
Medium
- AThe acceleration is zero.
- BThe acceleration is 9.8 m/s² downwards.
- CThe acceleration is 9.8 m/s² upwards.
- DThe acceleration depends on the mass of the ball.
44.A skydiver jumps from a plane. After falling for some time, she opens her parachute. Which statement about her motion after opening the parachute is correct?
Medium
- AShe immediately moves upwards.
- BShe decelerates to a lower terminal velocity.
- CShe continues at the same speed.
- DShe accelerates until she reaches the ground.
45.In an experiment to measure the speed of a trolley rolling down a ramp, a student uses a ticker-tape timer that makes 50 dots per second. The tape shows dots spaced 2.0 cm apart. What is the speed of the trolley?
Medium
- A0.01 m/s
- B0.02 m/s
- C1.0 m/s
- D100 m/s
46.Complete the sentence:
Easy
The acceleration of free fall near the Earth's surface is approximately ____ m/s².
47.A car travels 150 m in 10 s. What is its average speed in m/s?
Easy
48.A car accelerates uniformly from rest at 2 m/s² for 5 seconds. What is its final velocity?
Medium
49.A car accelerates uniformly from rest to 20 m/s in 8 seconds. What is its acceleration?
Medium
50.State the difference between speed and velocity.
Easy
51.A train travels 3600 m in 2 minutes. What is its average speed in m/s?
Easy
52.A car travels a distance of 360 m in 30 seconds. What is its average speed?
Easy
53.Complete the sentences about speed and velocity using the words: scalar, vector, direction, magnitude.
Easy
Speed is a ____ quantity because it has ____ only. Velocity is a ____ quantity because it has both magnitude and ____.
54.A train decelerates uniformly from 50 m/s to 42 m/s in 30 seconds. Calculate the deceleration.
Medium
55.A student drops a stone from a cliff of height 45 m. Assuming negligible air resistance and g = 9.8 m/s², calculate the time taken for the stone to reach the ground. Give your answer to 2 significant figures.
Hard
56.Explain why a skydiver reaches a terminal velocity when falling through the air.
Medium
57.A car travels 150 m in 10 s. What is its average speed in m/s?
Easy
- A16 m/s
- B15 m/s
- C17 m/s
- D14 m/s
58.A car accelerates uniformly from rest at 2 m/s² for 5 seconds. What is its final velocity?
Medium
- A11 m/s
- B12 m/s
- C10 m/s
- D9 m/s
59.A car accelerates uniformly from rest to 20 m/s in 8 seconds. What is its acceleration?
Medium
- A1.5 m/s²
- B3.5 m/s²
- C2.5 m/s²
- D4.5 m/s²
60.A train travels 3600 m in 2 minutes. What is its average speed in m/s?
Easy
- A30 m/s
- B33 m/s
- C36 m/s
- D27 m/s
61.A car travels a distance of 360 m in 30 seconds. What is its average speed?
Easy
- A12 m/s
- B13 m/s
- C11 m/s
- D14 m/s
62.A train decelerates uniformly from 50 m/s to 42 m/s in 30 seconds. Calculate the deceleration.
Medium
- A2.27 m/s²
- B1.27 m/s²
- C-0.73 m/s²
- D0.27 m/s²
63.A student drops a stone from a cliff of height 45 m. Assuming negligible air resistance and g = 9.8 m/s², calculate the time taken for the stone to reach the ground. Give your answer to 2 significant figures.
Hard
- A5 s
- B2 s
- C3 s
- D4 s

Unlock all 63 questions & more

Erstelle ein Gratis-Konto, um alle Fragen, Folien, Karteikarten und Lernnotizen zu diesem Thema zu sehen.

REGISTRIEREN — GRATIS ANMELDEN

Altklausuren

Altklausuren-Übungen für dieses Thema kommen bald.

Bald verfügbar