Physics · 1.2 Motion · Distance–time & speed–time graphs

Motion Graphs. Plot it.

Drive a car through three phases — accelerate, constant speed, decelerate — and watch the distance–time and speed–time graphs build live. Gradient of d–t = speed; gradient of v–t = acceleration; area under v–t = distance.

0625 Topic 1.2 — Speed, velocity, acceleration Graph interpretation

0.0 s

v 0.0 m/s · d 0.0 m

Speed–time graph

Phase 1 — accelerate

Accelerationa₁ / m·s⁻²

2.0

Durationt₁ / s

Phase 2 — constant

Durationt₂ / s

Phase 3 — decelerate

Decelerationa₃ / m·s⁻²

2.0

Live readouts

Current speed v

0.0 m/s

Current acceleration

0.0 m/s²

Distance travelled (area)

0.0 m

Max speed reached

0.0 m/s

d–t gradient = speed · v–t gradient = acceleration · area under v–t = distance.

Distance–time graph

📋 Reading motion graphs (Cambridge)

Distance–time: a straight slope = constant speed; a curve getting steeper = acceleration; horizontal = stationary. Gradient = speed.
Speed–time: a straight slope = constant acceleration; horizontal = constant speed; downward slope = deceleration. Gradient = acceleration; area under the line = distance.
Use v = u + at and distance = area under the speed–time graph (triangles + rectangles).

🎯 Syllabus reference (0625)

1.2 Motion — define speed, velocity and acceleration; plot and interpret distance–time and speed–time graphs; determine speed from the gradient of a distance–time graph, and acceleration from the gradient of a speed–time graph; determine distance from the area under a speed–time graph.