Motion Graphs Worksheet: Position, Velocity & Acceleration
Goal: Connect an object’s motion to its position–time and velocity–time graphs, and use x = v₀t + ½at² and v = v₀ + at to predict where it will be.
What to do
- Press Reset, then “Steady speed”. Drag the Time slider all the way to the right (6 s) and record the time, position and velocity.
- Press Reset, then “Speed up”, and record the values at 6 s. Do the same with “Turn around”.
- With “Turn around” still selected, drag the Time slider back until the velocity reads 0 m/s. Record that row.
- Press Reset (v₀ = 2 m/s, a = 1 m/s²) and record the values at 6 s.
Record your results
| Setting | Time | Position | Velocity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steady speed (v₀ = 2 m/s, a = 0) | |||
| Speed up (v₀ = 0, a = 2 m/s²) | |||
| Turn around (v₀ = 6 m/s, a = −2 m/s²) | |||
| Turn around, when it stops | |||
| Default (v₀ = 2 m/s, a = 1 m/s²) |
Questions
For “Steady speed”, what do the position–time and velocity–time graphs look like? What is the slope of the position–time graph?
For “Speed up”, how far has the object traveled after 6 s? Show the calculation.
In “Turn around” the acceleration is negative from the start. When does the object stop, and where is it at that moment?
Where is the “Turn around” object at 6 s, and what is its velocity? Explain the sign.
Predict, then check: with the default settings (v₀ = 2 m/s, a = 1 m/s²), where will the object be at 6 s, and how fast will it go?
Challenge: an object has positive velocity and negative acceleration. Is it speeding up or slowing down? What if both are negative?
Free from The Physics Lab · thephysicslab.org · HS-PS2-1: Analyze data to show that Newton’s second law relates net force, mass and acceleration.