Distance-Time Graphs

Front

Motion Noun

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[moh-shun]

Back

Motion

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The action or process of an object changing its position or place over a specific period of time.

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Example: This image shows the forces acting on a runner, such as gravity and the push from the ground, which are the cause of motion.

Front

Axes Noun

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[ak-seez]

Back

Axes

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The two perpendicular reference lines on a graph, the horizontal x-axis and the vertical y-axis, used for plotting data.

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Example: This image shows the two number lines that form a graph: the horizontal X-axis and the vertical Y-axis, which meet at the origin.

Front

Qualitative Graph Noun

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[kwol-i-tey-tiv graf]

Back

Qualitative Graph

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A graph that represents qualities or characteristics of data, often showing trends without using specific numerical values on its axes.

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Example: This qualitative graph shows a journey over time. The line's slope indicates speed: first moving away, then moving away slower, then returning home quickly.

Front

Stationary Adjective

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[stey-shuh-ner-ee]

Back

Stationary

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Describing an object that is not in motion, having a constant position and zero speed, represented by a horizontal line.

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Example: This distance-time graph shows a horizontal line, meaning that as time passes, the distance from the starting point does not change, indicating the object is stationary.

Front

Speed Noun

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[speed]

Back

Speed

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A scalar quantity that measures the rate at which an object covers distance over a given period of time.

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Example: This speedometer shows the instantaneous speed of a vehicle, which is how fast it is moving at a specific moment, measured here in kilometers per hour (km/h).

Front

Acceleration Noun

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[ak-sel-uh-rey-shun]

Back

Acceleration

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The rate of change of velocity per unit of time, which involves an object speeding up in its motion.

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Example: This diagram shows that with the same pushing force, an object with less mass (the car) accelerates faster than an object with more mass (the truck).

Front

Deceleration Noun

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[dee-sel-uh-rey-shun]

Back

Deceleration

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A negative acceleration, where the rate of an object's velocity decreases over time, causing it to slow down.

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Example: This velocity-distance graph shows deceleration as the velocity (v) on the y-axis decreases over distance (l) after the brakes are applied.

Front

Slope Noun

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[slohp]

Back

Slope

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A measure of the steepness of a line on a graph, calculated as the ratio of vertical change to horizontal change.

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Example: This graph shows that slope is the steepness of a line, calculated by dividing the vertical change ('Rise') by the horizontal change ('Run').

Front

Gradient Noun

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[grey-dee-uhnt]

Back

Gradient

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The steepness of a line on a distance-time graph, which directly represents the speed of the object being measured.

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Example: This distance-time graph shows a journey; the gradient (steepness) of the line represents speed. A steeper gradient means a higher speed.

Front

Average Speed Noun

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[av-er-ij speed]

Back

Average Speed

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A calculated measure of speed found by dividing the total distance an object has traveled by the total elapsed time.

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Example: This image shows how to calculate average speed by dividing the total distance a dolphin traveled (89.7 km) by the total time it took (3 hours).