Physics

Speed and
Acceleration
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Distance, time and speed

To work out the speed of an object you need to know:
the distance travelled;
how long it took to travel that distance.

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Calculating average speed

Average speed is calculated using this equation:

average speed =

total distance

total time

s x t
formula triangle

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Speed experiment instructions

1. Time how long it takes you to run 100m.
2. Then calculate your average speed for the run.

average speed =

total distance
total time

3. Repeat the experiment for each member of your group.

4. What was the fastest average speed for your group?

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Speed formula triangle

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Speed experiment results

Name

distance (m)

time (s)

average
speed (m/s)

100
100
100
100
100
Conclusion
The fastest member of the group with an average speed
of ________ was __________.
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Speed calculation example

A boy takes 120 seconds to travel from his home to the
school, a distance of 360 m. Calculate his average speed
in m/s

d (distance in m)
average speed
=
(in m/s)
t (time in s)
=

s x t
Cover the quantity to be
calculated - s (speed)

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360m
120s

= 3 m/s

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Speed calculation changing units

Question 2
A group set off from home and walk at an average speed
of 2.6 m/s. How far would they travel in 1 minute?

distance (m) = speed (m/s) x time (s)

d
s x t

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= 2.6 m/s x 60s

= 156 m

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Speed calculation and changing units

A boy takes 1 hour to travel from his home to the cinema,
a distance of 10 km. Calculate his average speed in m/s.

d (distance in m)
average speed
=
(in m/s)
t (time in s)

s x t
Cover the quantity to be
calculated - s (speed)
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10,000 m
3600 s

1x60x60

= 2.8 m/s

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Using the Distance, Speed, Time triangle

Moving
object

Distance
(m)

Time taken Speed

(s)
(m/s)

Car

300

0.5

Bike

Person

1000

Aeroplane

12,000

Cat

10

snail
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130

30
2000
0.2
1200

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The correct answers

Moving
object

Distance
(m)

Time taken Speed

(s)
(m/s)

Car

300

0.5

600

Bike

650

130

Person

1000

30

33.3

Aeroplane

12,000

2000

Cat

10

0.2

50

snail

0.5

1200

4.17

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Velocity

Velocity is the speed in a certain direction.

Example The velocity of a cheetah is 15 m/s east.

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Example
What is the velocity (in m/s) of a girl who travels
1800m west from her house to her school if it
takes her 10 minutes to get there?
Velocity = speed in a direction
Speed = distance / time

west

= 1800m/ 600s
= 3m/s
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Answer = 3m/s west

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Try this next one

A dog runs 0.5km in an southerly direction.

It takes her 500 seconds. What is her
velocity?

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Car graphing activity instructions

This graphing experiment shows an animation of a car
travelling along a straight road.
1. Copy the results table shown on the next slide and
complete it as the movie is played.
2. Record the distance the car has travelled every five
seconds.
3. Plot a graph of your results.

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Car graphing activity results table layout

Results table for
distance/time
graph

Time/seconds

Distance/metres

0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
55

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Car graphing activity animation

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Car graphing activity results table

Results table for
distance/time
graph

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Time/seconds

Distance/metres

16

10

76

15

186

20

234

25

484

30

634

35

784

40

904

45

974

50

994

55

994
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Car graphing activity results graph

1200

Distance / Time graph for car

Distance / metres

1000
800
600
400
200

Time / seconds

0
0

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10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

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What distance has she travelled after 13

seconds?
How long does it take the car to travel 600m?
What is her average speed after 5 seconds?
What is her average speed after 30 seconds?

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Car graphing activity results graph analysis

1200

Distance / Time graph for car

Distance / metres

1000
800
600
400
200

Time / seconds

0
0

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

55

The
The
has
car
of stopped.
the
is going
cartoismove.
fast
The
changing
but
graph
at ais
the
constant
flatgraph
shows
the is
speed.
distance
not
Thespeed
car
is
starting
The
curve
thatflat.
The
of the
slope
The
car of
from
graph
the
graph
is straight
startisThe
point
less
in
steep
this
is not
part
changing.
of
thethe
carjourney.
begins
the
speed
is the
changing.
curve
is as
upwards
as
the
to
The
slow
graph
down.
is straight
thereofisthe
no journey.
change in speed.
car
accelerates
at the start
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Acceleration

Acceleration is the change in velocity per

unit time.
Acceleration =
Final speed starting speed
Time taken for the change
It is measured in m/s/s
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 A man running for a bus speeds up from 1m/s to

5m/s in 2 seconds. What is his acceleration?

Acceleration = Final speed starting speed

Time taken for the change

= 5m/s 1m/s
2s
= 4m/s
2s
= 2m/s/s

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 In 10 seconds a cheetah changes her speed

from 5m/s to 10m/s. What is her acceleration?

Acceleration = Final speed starting speed

Time taken for the change

= 10m/s 5m/s
10s
= 5m/s
10s
= 0.5 m/s/s

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Car graphing activity results table layout

Time (s)
Results table for
speed/time graph

Speed (m/s)

0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
55

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Car graphing activity animation

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Questions about this speed time graph..

What speed is the car travelling at after 22

seconds?
Does the speed of the car change during
the drive? How can you tell this from the
graph?
What is the acceleration of the car after 25
seconds?
What is the acceleration of the car
between 40 and 55 seconds?
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Question 3
The table shows the velocity of a car travelling in a particular
direction on a straight road over the first ten seconds of the
journey
TIME

10

Velocity

1.6

3.2

4.8

6.4

A. Draw the graph

B. Use it to find
1. The velocity of the car after 7.5s
2. The time taken for the car to reach a velocity of 5m/s
3. The acceleration of the car on this journey

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Anagrams

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Multiple-choice quiz

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