AQA Mechanics 1 Kinematics in one dimension

Section 1: Using graphs

Notes and Examples
These notes contain subsections on
Definitions
Displacement-time graphs
Velocity-time graphs and speed-time graphs
Distances and displacements from velocity-time and speed-time
graphs

Definitions
It is useful to understand from the start of your Mechanics work the difference
between a scalar quantity and a vector quantity. A vector quantity has
direction as well as size: for example a force is a vector quantity since it acts
in a particular direction. A scalar quantity does not have a direction associated
with it: for example mass is a scalar quantity.
The ideas of displacement, velocity and acceleration are very important in
Mechanics work. It is important to understand the distinction between distance
(a scalar quantity) and displacement (a vector quantity), and also between
speed (a scalar quantity) and velocity (a vector quantity).
Make sure you familiarise yourself with the definitions below.
Displacement is the shortest route between two points. A distance and
direction are needed. It is a vector quantity.
Position describes the location of something relative to a fixed point. This
fixed point is usually referred to as the origin. Like displacement, a distance
and direction are needed. It is a vector quantity.
The distance between two points involves no direction. It is just the physical
distance between the chosen points. It is a scalar quantity.
The distance travelled between two points does not have to be the same as
the distance between two points, described above. If you take a route which is
not direct, them the distance travelled will be greater than the direct distance
between the two points. Distance travelled is a scalar quantity.
To highlight the differences in the concepts of displacement, position, distance
and distance travelled, look at Example 1 below.

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AQA M1 Kinematics in 1D 1 Notes and Examples

Example 1
O

5m

5m

An object starts from A and travels to the right to B, then back through A to O and
then back through A to stop at B.
Write down
(i)
The final displacement of the object
(ii)
The final position of the object
(iii) The distance between its starting and finishing points
(iv)
The total distance travelled by the object
Solution
(i)
The final displacement from its initial position at A is 5 m to the right.
(ii)
Its final position is 10 m right of O.
(iii) The distance between its starting and finishing points (A and B) is 5 m.
(iv)
The total distance travelled is 25 m: 5 m from A to B, 10 m from B to O and
another 10 m from O to B.
Speed is a scalar quantity; it just has a particular size, e.g. 5 ms -1. No
direction is given or implied. Speeds are always positive.
Velocity is a vector quantity. It must have a size and a direction, e.g. 6 ms -1
upwards.
Velocities can be either positive or negative.
Average speed = total distance travelled
total time taken
Average velocity = total displacement
total time taken
From these formulae it is possible to see why average velocity can be
negative if the resultant displacement is negative, whereas the total distance
travelled will always be positive.
Acceleration is a measure of how much velocity is changing. This means it
can affect both the speed and direction of motion. In this section you only
look at motion along a straight line, so only two directions are possible, either
forwards or backwards.
An acceleration of 2 ms-2 means that the velocity of a particle increases by
2 ms-1 every second (by 2 metres per second per second).
For example, if a car has an initial velocity of 6 ms-1 and an acceleration of
2 ms-2, then after 1 second its velocity will be 8 ms -1, after 2 seconds 10 ms-1
and after 3 seconds 12 ms1 etc.

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If a particle has a negative acceleration but a positive velocity, then it will slow
down to a stop and then move in the opposite direction, with its speed steadily
increasing.
Take care with the word deceleration. It is probably better not to use it. Use
negative accelerations instead!
Remember that the units of acceleration are ms-2. This is usually read as
metres per second squared, or sometimes as metres per second per
second.

Displacement-time graphs
A displacement-time graph can be very useful in solving problems. Note the
following points:
The gradient of a displacement-time graph is given by
change in displacement
time
which is equal to the velocity.
A straight line on a displacement-time graph indicates that the
velocity is constant. If the gradient is positive then the velocity is
positive and if the gradient is negative then the velocity is negative.
A horizontal line on a displacement-time graph indicates that the
displacement is not changing: i.e. the object is stationary.
Parts of a displacement-time graph below the time axis indicate
that the displacement is negative: i.e. the object has moved to the
negative side of the origin.
The average velocity for a journey is given by
total displacement
time
The average speed for a journey is given by
total distance travelled
time
Notice that these may be different, if a journey involves moving in
both directions.
Example 2 illustrates the use of a displacement-time graph. Notice the
distinction between distance and displacement, and between speed and
velocity.

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AQA M1 Kinematics in 1D 1 Notes and Examples

Example 2
Omar gets off a bus, walks to the shop to buy some milk, and then walks home. The
displacement-time graph below shows Omars journey.
displacement (m)

100

time (mins)
-100
-200
1

(i)
(ii)
(iii)
(iv)
(v)
(vi)
(vii)
(viii)
(ix)
(x)

What is Omars final displacement?

What is the total distance Omar has walked?
In which part of the journey was Omar walking fastest?
How far is the bus stop from Omars home?
How far is the shop from the bus stop?
What is Omars average speed for the whole journey?
What is Omars average velocity for the whole journey?
What is Omars average speed when he is actually walking?
Draw a speed-time graph for Omars journey.
Draw a velocity-time graph for Omars journey.
Note that this is negative

Solution
(i)
Omars final displacement is -250 m.
(ii)

The total distance walked is 150 + 400 = 550 m.

(iii)

Omar was walking fastest on the way home from the shop.

(iv)

The bus stop is 250 m from Omars house.

(v)

The shop is 150 m from the bus stop.

(vi)

Total distance travelled = 550 m.

Total time taken = 9.5 60 570 seconds.
550
0.965 ms-1 (3 s.f.)
Average speed
570

(vii)

Total displacement = -250

Total time taken = 9.5 60 570 seconds.
250
0.439 ms-1 (3 s.f.)
Average velocity
570

(viii)

Total distance travelled = 550 m.

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because the direction of

the shop has been chosen
to be positive.

The last part of the

graph is steeper than
the first part.

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AQA M1 Kinematics in 1D 1 Notes and Examples

Total time taken when walking = 7.5 60 450 seconds.
550
Average speed
1.222 ms-1 (3 s.f.)
450

150
1 ms-1.
2.5 60
400
Speed during journey from shop to home =
1.33 ms-1 (3 s.f.)
5 60
Speed during journey to shop

(ix)

speed (ms-1)
2
1

(x)

time (mins)

-1

Velocity during journey to shop = 1 ms .

Velocity during journey from shop to home = -1.33 ms-1 (3 s.f.)
velocity (ms-1)
2
1
0

time (mins)

-1
-2

Notice in Example 2 that if you want to know how fast Omar walks, then the
average speed and velocity calculations are not very helpful as they include
the time he spent at the shop. The calculation of average speed when he was
walking in part (vii) gives you the best idea of Omars walking speed.

Velocity-time graphs
Note the following points about velocity-time graphs.
The gradient of a velocity-time graph is given by
change in velocity
time
which is equal to the acceleration. You have to be careful in
interpreting the sign of the gradient: if it is positive, then either the
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velocity is positive and it is getting more positive, i.e. speeding up,
or it is negative and is getting less negative, i.e. slowing down. If
the gradient is negative, then either the velocity is positive and is
getting less positive, i.e. slowing down, or the velocity is negative
and is getting more negative, i.e. speeding up.
A straight line on a velocity-time graph indicates that the
acceleration is constant. If the gradient is positive then the
acceleration is positive and if the gradient is negative then the
acceleration is negative.
A horizontal line on a velocity-time graph indicates that the velocity
or speed is not changing: i.e. the object is moving at a constant
speed.
Parts of a velocity-time graph below the time axis indicate that the
velocity is negative: i.e. the object is moving in the negative
direction (although the displacement may still be positive).

The diagram below shows a velocity-time graph.

velocity

12
3

16

10

18
time

The straight line from t = 0 to t = 3 indicates that the particle is accelerating

with constant acceleration. The horizontal line from t = 3 to t = 7 indicates that
it is moving with constant speed. The line from t = 7 to t = 10 indicates that it is
moving with constant negative acceleration, i.e. it is slowing down, and at t =
10 it is instantaneously stationary.
From t = 10 to t = 12, the particle has negative velocity and negative
acceleration. Although negative acceleration is associated with the idea of
slowing down, because the velocity is negative it is in fact becoming more
negative, so the velocity is decreasing but its magnitude (the speed) is
increasing.
From t = 12 to t = 16, the velocity is constant. It is negative, meaning that the
particle is still moving in a negative direction.

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From t = 16 to t = 18, the particle has negative velocity and positive
acceleration. The velocity is becoming less negative, so the velocity is
increasing but its magnitude (the speed) is decreasing.

Example 3
When a local train leaves a station, it takes accelerates at a uniform rate of 3 ms -2 to
its maximum speed of 60 ms-1. It then maintains this speed for 2 minutes before
slowing down uniformly to a halt at the next station. The whole journey takes 3
minutes.
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
(iv)

Sketch a displacement-time graph for the journey.

Find the time the train takes to reach its maximum speed.
Draw the velocity-time graph for the journey.
What is the acceleration of the train in the last part of the journey?

Solution
(i)
distance

Here the train is

slowing down

Here the train is

travelling at
constant speed
Here the train is
accelerating

(ii)

Acceleration

change in velocity
time

time

60 0
t
60
t
20
3
The train takes 20 seconds to reach its maximum speed.
3

(iii)
velocity (ms-1)

60

2
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(iv)

The last part of the journey takes 40 seconds, and the velocity changes from
60 ms-1 to 0.
change in velocity
Acceleration
time
0 60

40
1.5
The acceleration is -1.5 ms-2.

Distances and displacements from velocity-time and speedtime graphs

The area under a velocitytime graph is usually equal to the distance a
particle travels in the given time period, as long as the line does not cross the
time axis (which is the same as saying the velocity is always positive).
However, if the graph crosses the time axis (which is the same as saying the
velocity becomes negative), the situation changes so that the distance
travelled is equal to the sum of the areas between the graph and the time
axis, disregarding the negative sign, whereas the displacement is equal to the
sum of the areas, incorporating the negative sign.
If the velocity-time graph is made up of a series of curves, then the area can
be approximated by counting squares or by approximating the curve by
straight lines to produce trapezia (as for the trapezium rule).

Example 4
The diagram shows the velocity-time graph for the journey of a particle moving in a
straight line.
velocity (ms-1)
4
2

20
5

10

15

time (s)

-2
-4

(i)
(ii)
(iii)
(iv)

What is the acceleration of the particle during the first part of the journey?
How far does the particle travel in the first 12 seconds of its motion?
Estimate the distance travelled in the final 5 seconds of the motion.
What is the total distance travelled by the particle?

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(v)
(vi)
(vii)

What is the final displacement of the particle?

Find the average speed of the particle.
Find the average velocity of the particle.

Solution
(i)
During the first part of the journey the velocity of the particle increases from 0
to 4 ms-1 in 5 seconds.
change in velocity
Acceleration
time
40

5
0.8
Acceleration = 0.8 ms-2.
(ii)

Distance travelled = area under graph between t = 0 and t = 12.

Area under graph between t = 0 and t = 5 is 12 5 4 10
Area under graph between t = 5 and t = 8 is 3 4 12
Area under graph between t = 8 and t = 12 is 12 4 4 8
Total area = 10 + 12 + 8 = 30
Distance travelled = 30 m.

(iii)

Splitting up the shape as shown in the diagram:

Area of trapezium A 12 3 2 3 7.5
Area of triangle B 12 2 2 2
Total area = 9.5
Distance travelled 9.5 m.

20
15

B
A

(iv)

Distance travelled between t = 12 and t = 15 is 12 3 3 4.5

Total distance travelled = 30 + 4.5 + 9.5 = 44 m.

(v)

Final displacement = 30 (4.5 + 9.5) = 16 m.

(vi)

Average speed

(vi)

Average velocity

total distance
time
44

2.2 ms -1
20
total displacement
time
16

0.8 ms -1
20

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