1. 8.6B Speed, Velocity, and Acceleration
On Level Notes

2. You will learn: State Objective:
Differentiate between speed, velocity, and acceleration
I can:
give you real-life examples, can you tell me the difference between speed, velocity, and acceleration.
read graphs with data about speed and acceleration.

3. Speed: the distance an object goes over a period of time

4. Different Types of Speed
Average Speed
Most common
Will have a distance figure and a time figure
Constant Speed
Speed does not change
On a speed graph, this looks like a rising, diagonal line
On an acceleration graph, this looks like a flat plateau

5. Constant Speed in Graphs
The are both graphs for the same thing: constant speed
The graph on the left has distance over time (speed). The graph on the right is speed over time (acceleration).
Always read the axes to make sure you know what its showing you.

6. How to calculate average speed from a graph?
Write your formula: s= d/t
Check your axes
Plug in your values
Calculate your answer

7. Practice Calculating Speed
What is on the Y axis? What is on the X axis?
To calculate speed, what 2 values do you need?
At one second, what was the average speed of this object in m/s? Decimals are ok…just round to the nearest tenths place.
Is the object moving between 19 and 20 seconds? How do you know?

8. Velocity: speed with direction
Speed and velocity are almost the same
Velocity is different because it includes the direction the object is traveling
If you are solving for velocity, you use the speed triangle
Your answer should include a direction
Direction:
North Up
South Down
East Left
West Right

9. Can you find the velocity?
30 m/s South 20 miles per hour .6 mm / year to the right 348 seconds ½ mile 30 miles to the west 4 inches/yr left .97 m/s/s 85 km/min 29 cm/sec North

10. Velocity on a graph
Look at the graph from earlier. Notice how this is distance over time, but they use the word “velocity”

11. Who uses velocity? Airplane pilots Meteorologists (Weather People)
They need to know how fast AND which direction they need to go
Meteorologists (Weather People)
They study the speed and direction of storms…just like the ice storm we just had!
Military Positions
They need to know at what angle to fire missiles, launch satellites, direct unmanned drones.

12. Acceleration: 3 ways to accelerate
Fancy Definition: rate of how the velocity changes What it really means: Acceleration is speeding up, slowing down, or changing direction. Yes, it is really 3 things and not just speeding up.

13. Acceleration: caused by forces
Acceleration is caused by unbalanced forces. To speed up, we need to apply a force to increase the speed of the object. To slow down, we need to apply a force in the front of the object to decrease the speed. Even if the object’s speed doesn’t change, a force is require to change its direction.

14. Acceleration on a Graph
The Y axis is velocity or speed
The X axis is time

15. Compare Speed and Acceleration on a Graph
Really focus on your axes – which is it: speed or acceleration?
This shows an object speeding up over time.
Relationship: as the time increases, the acceleration increases

16. Comparing Speeds: moving or not moving
These 2 graphs show balanced forces: the one on the left is moving in a straight line in a constant speed. The one on the right is at rest and will not move unless a force moves it.

17. Distance over time variety
This graph shows the movement of an object over a period of time.

18. Comparing acceleration: changing speed or same speed
Notice that this is speed over time: acceleration

19. Exit Ticket What is the formula for Speed? What is velocity?
What 3 ways can you accelerate?