Reading Distance-Time Graphs
Science · Forces & Motion · representational
Read and plot distance-time graphs for moving objects; interpret the gradient (steepness) of a line as speed; identify stationary periods (horizontal sections), constant speed (straight diagonal lines), and relative speeds by comparing gradients; calculate average speed from the gradient of a straight-line segment using speed = distance ÷ time
What mastery looks like
- Read a distance-time graph and describe what is happening at each stage — moving, stopped, returning
- Calculate speed from the gradient of a straight section of a distance-time graph
- Sketch a distance-time graph from a written description of a journey with stops and speed changes
Check your understanding
If Reading Distance-Time Graphs sees a distance-time graph of a journey with a flat section in the middle, can they explain what was happening then — and point to which part of the graph shows the fastest speed?
Prerequisites
Helpful