Distance vs Time Graphs

Distance vs Time

​The slides in this lesson refer to walking in front of a motion detector.

​Walking away from a motion detector will produce a graph with a positive slope and walking toward the motion detector will produce a negative slope.

​Speed is determined by the slope of the graph.

Multiple Choice

What do you do to create a horizontal line on a distance-time graph?

• Walk at a constant speed away from the detector.

• Walk at a constant speed toward the detector.

• Stand still.

• Walk at a constant speed.

​The graph indicates that the distance is not changing, so the individual is standing still.

Multiple Choice

How do yo walk to create a straight line that slopes upward?

• Walk away from the detector at a constant speed.

• Walk toward the detector at a constant speed.

• Stand still

• Walk away speeding up.

​The graph indicates a positive slope, so the person is moving away from the detector. The straight line means the speed is constant.

Multiple Choice

How do you walk to create a straight line that slopes downward?

• Walk away from the detector at a constant speed.

• Walk toward the detector at a constant speed.

• Stand still.

• Walk toward the detector speeding up.

​The negative slope indicates that the person is walking toward the detector at a constant speed.

Multiple Choice

How do you move so the graph goes up steeply at first, and then continues up gradually?

• Walk away from the detector slowly and then speed up.

• Walk away from the detector fast and then slow down.

• Walk toward the detector fast and the slow down.

• Walk toward the detector slowly and then spped up.

​The slope of a distance time graph determines the speed that an object is moving.

​Slope is determined by taking the rise divided by the run. slope = rise/run

​The greater the slope, the greater the speed.

Multiple Choice

Which object is moving faster?

• Object A

• Object B

​B is moving faster because it has a steeper slope.

Multiple Choice

Which object has a head start?

• Object A

• Object B

​A is father from zero on the y-axis and has a lead over B at the start.

Multiple Choice

What does the intersection mean?

• A collision occurred.

• The objects are at the same distance at the same time.

• The objects change direction.

• The objects have the same slope.

​At the intersection, both A and B are at the same distance at the same time.

Multiple Choice

Which object is moving faster?

• Object A

• Object B

​A has a steeper slope than B, so it is moving faster.

Multiple Choice

Which direction are the objects moving?

• Toward the detector.

• Away from the detector.

• You cannot determine direction.

• They are moving to the right.

​Both objects have a negative slope, therefore, they are moving toward the detector.

Multiple Choice

Which object starts out ahead?

• Object A

• Object B

​Both objects are moving toward the detector. B starts out closer to zero.

Multiple Choice

The object moves with a steady, constant velocity away from the detector.

​We have a straight line with positive slope. So the object is moving away from the detector and a constant speed.

Multiple Choice

The object is standing still.

​Distance is not changing, so it is standing still.

Multiple Choice

In which graph is the runner running the fastest.

​B has the steeper slope, therefore, B has the faster speed.

Multiple Select

Which graph indicates that one runner starts 10 meters ahead?

​The runner in red starts 10 meters ahead of the blue runner.

Multiple Choice

In which graph are the runners running at the same speed?

​The graph indicates that the lines have the same slope, therefore, each runner has the same speed.

​The End!