1. DISTANCE VS TIME GRAPHS
WHAT DO THEY MEAN?

2. Plotting Distance against Time can tell you a lot about a journey
Time always runs horizontally.
The arrow shows the direction of time
The further to the right, the longer time from the start
Distance
Time

3. Plotting Distance against Time can tell you a lot about a journey
Distance runs vertically
The higher up the graph we go, the further we are from the start.
Distance
Time

4. If something is not moving
Time is increasing to the right
But its distance does not change
Distance
Time

5. For example, an object which is stopped 30m from the starting point
Distance/m 40 30 20 10
Time/s 2 4 6 8 10 12 14

6. If it is stopped when we start timing, at time zero it will be at a distance of 30m
Distance/m 40 30 20 10
Time/s 2 4 6 8 10 12 14

7. After 2 seconds it will still be at 30m
Distance/m 40 30 20 10
Time/s 2 4 6 8 10 12 14

8. After 6 seconds it will still be at 30m
Distance/m 40 30 20 10
Time/s 2 4 6 8 10 12 14

9. After 14 seconds it will still be at 30m
Distance/m 40 30 20 10
Time/s 2 4 6 8 10 12 14

10. So the graph of an object which is stopped is a horizontal line
Distance/m 40 30 20 10
Time/s 2 4 6 8 10 12 14

11. Consider an object moving with a steady speed (say 3m/s)
Distance/m 40 30 20 10
Time/s 2 4 6 8 10 12 14

12. After 1 second it will have moved a distance of
Distance/m 40 30 20 10
Time/s 2 4 6 8 10 12 14

13. After 1 second it will have moved a distance of 3m
Distance/m 40 30 20 10
Time/s 2 4 6 8 10 12 14

14. After 2 seconds it will have moved a distance of
Distance/m 40 30 20 10
Time/s 2 4 6 8 10 12 14

15. After 2 seconds it will have moved a distance of 6m
Distance/m 40 30 20 10
Time/s 2 4 6 8 10 12 14

16. After 4 seconds it will have moved a distance of
Distance/m 40 30 20 10
Time/s 2 4 6 8 10 12 14

17. After 4 seconds it will have moved a distance of 12m
Distance/m 40 30 20 10
Time/s 2 4 6 8 10 12 14

18. After 8 seconds it will have moved a distance of
Distance/m 40 30 20 10
Time/s 2 4 6 8 10 12 14

19. After 8 seconds it will have moved a distance of 24m
Distance/m 40 30 20 10
Time/s 2 4 6 8 10 12 14

20. After 12 seconds it will have moved a distance of
Distance/m 40 30 20 10
Time/s 2 4 6 8 10 12 14

21. After 12 seconds it will have moved a distance of 36m
Distance/m 40 30 20 10
Time/s 2 4 6 8 10 12 14

22. So the graph of an object moving at a constant speed is a diagonal line
Distance/m 40 30 20 10
Time/s 2 4 6 8 10 12 14

23. Both lines show that each object moved the same distance
Distance/m 40 30 20 10
Time/s 2 4 6 8 10 12 14

24. But the steeper red one got there first, so it must have travelled faster
Distance/m 40 30 20 10
Time/s 2 4 6 8 10 12 14

25. The steeper the line is, the faster an object is travelling
Distance/m 40 30 20 10
Time/s 2 4 6 8 10 12 14

26. An object that is accelerating
Distance/m 40 30 20 10
Time/s 2 4 6 8 10 12 14

27. An object that is accelerating
Distance/m 40 30 20 10
Time/s 2 4 6 8 10 12 14

28. The line is curving upwards
The line is curving upwards. This shows an increase in speed, since the gradient is getting steeper
Distance/m 40 30 20 10
Time/s 2 4 6 8 10 12 14

29. Deceleration
Distance/m 40 30 20 10
Time/s 2 4 6 8 10 12 14

30. Deceleration
Distance/m 40 30 20 10
Time/s 2 4 6 8 10 12 14

31. SUMMARY
Distance
Time

32. SUMMARY
Distance
Time
STOPPED

33. SUMMARY
Distance
Distance
Time
Time
STOPPED

34. SUMMARY
Distance
Distance
Time
Time
STOPPED
CONSTANT SPEED

35. SUMMARY STOPPED Distance Distance Time Time CONSTANT SPEED Distance

36. SUMMARY STOPPED Distance Distance Time Time CONSTANT SPEED Distance
ACCELERATING

37. What’s happening here?
Distance/m 40 30 20 10
Time/s 2 4 6 8 10 12 14

38. An object which is stopped 30m from the start of it’s journey
Distance/m 40 30 20 10
Time/s 2 4 6 8 10 12 14