Graphical Analysis Of
Motion
Aims : Graphical Analysis
•To measure the motion of an object
•Construct a graph of distance vs. time
•Calculate the speed and acceleration of an
object in free fall, linear acceleration, and
variable acceleration.
•Compare the resulting graphs of each type of
motion
Data Chart : Constant Velocity
Elapsed time (seconds)
0
2
Distance (meters)
0
4
4
6
8
8
12
16
10
12
20
24
Copy the data chart and construct a Distance
vs. Time Graph
Answer on the next SLIDE
Graph: Constant Velocity
Distance vs. Time
14
Distance
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
0
5
10
15
Time
20
25
30
Velocity Time Graph
Velocity vs Time
Distance
(meters)
Velocity
(m/s)
0
2
0.0
4.0
0.0
2.0
4
6
8
8.0
12.0
16.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
10
12
20.0
24.0
2.0
2.0
2.5
2
Velocity
Elapsed
time
(seconds)
1.5
1
0.5
0
0
5
10
Time
Copy the data chart and construct a VELOCITY vs.
TIME Graph
15
Data Chart
Elapsed
time
(seconds)
0.0
4.0
8.0
12.0
16.0
20.0
24.0
What type of motion?
Distance
(meters)
0
8
32
72
128
200
288
Constant Acceleration!
Graph of Data: Constant Acceleration
Constant Acceleration
350
300
Distance
250
200
150
100
50
0
0.0
5.0
10.0
15.0
time
20.0
25.0
30.0
Uniform Acceleration :
Velocity vs. Time
Distance
(meters)
0
8
32
72
128
200
288
Velocity Time Graph: Uniform Acceleration
14
12
10
Velocity
Elapsed
time
(seconds)
0.0
4.0
8.0
12.0
16.0
20.0
24.0
8
6
4
2
0
0.0
5.0
10.0
15.0
Time
20.0
25.0
30.0
Graph Question
What is
the magnitude of
the object’s total
displacement after 4
seconds 8m
What is the average
speed after 3 seconds?
V= d/t
V= 8m/3s
V= 2.66 m/s
Summary
Distance and time measurements can be
used to
describe the velocity and acceleration
 The
Shape of the Distance vs. Time determines the type of motion
 Rest : Straight line parallel to time axis
 Constant Speed : Straight line on a slope (magnitude of the speed)
 Constant Acceleration: Curved line
 The Shape of the Velocity vs. Time determines the type of motion
 Rest : Straight line on the time axis
 Constant Speed : Straight line parallel to the Time axis
 Constant Acceleration: Straight line on a slope (magnitude of the
Acceleration)