Mastery Programme

G09 Advanced Physics

Term 1
Key Concept 3: Acceleration
Learning Outcomes
Key Concept 3: Acceleration
Understand that a scalar quantity has magnitude (size) only and that a vector quantity has magnitude and direction
Know that the following quantities are scalars: distance, speed, time, mass, energy and temperature
Know that the following quantities are vectors: force, weight, velocity, acceleration, momentum, electric field strength and
gravitational field strength
Define velocity as speed in a given direction
Sketch, plot and interpret distance–time and speed–time graphs
Determine, qualitatively, from given data or the shape of a distance–time graph or speed–time graph when an object is:(a) at
rest(b) moving with constant speed(c) accelerating(d) decelerating
Calculate the area under a speed–time graph to determine the distance travelled for motion with constant speed or constant
acceleration
Define acceleration as change in velocity per unit time; recall and use the equation a = Δv/ Δt
Determine from given data or the shape of a speed–time graph when an object is moving with:(a) constant acceleration(b)
changing acceleration
Calculate acceleration from the gradient of a speed–time graph
Know that a deceleration is a negative acceleration and use this in calculation
 Quantity Type Magnitude Direction
Scalar and Vector Distance Scalar
Quantities
Displacement Vector
All quantities in physics are
either vectors or scalars Speed Scalar
Velocity Vector
A scalar quantity describes
a magnitude only, e.g. a room temperature Time Scalar
of 16° C
Mass Scalar
A vector quantity describes
both magnitude and direction, e.g. a large Acceleration Vector
box exerts a force of 400 N downwards on
the ground Force Vector
The table
Speed and on the right summarizes the
Velocity Weight Vector
vector
The and scalar
velocity of a quantities related
moving object to
is similar to
moving objects.
its speed, except it also describes the Energy Scalar
object’s direction
The speed of an object only contains a Momentum Vector
magnitude - it’s a scalar quantity Temperature Scalar
The velocity of an object contains
both magnitude and direction, e.g. ‘15 Density Scalar
m/s south’ or ‘250 mph on a bearing of
030°’ Electric Field Vector
Velocity is therefore a vector quantity Strength
because it describes both magnitude and Gravitational Field Vector
direction
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Acceleration

Acceleration is defined as the rate of change of Remember the units for acceleration
velocity in other are meters per second squared, m/s2. In
other words, acceleration measures how
words, it describes how much an object’s velocity much the velocity (in m/s) changes every
changes every second. second, m/s/s.
The equation below is used to calculate the average
acceleration of an object: Speeding Up & Slowing Down
 An object that speeds up is accelerating

An object that slows down is decelerating
The acceleration of an object can be positive or negative,
Where: depending on whether the object is speeding up or
slowing down
a = acceleration in meters per second squared (m/s2)
Δv = change in velocity in meters per second (m/s) If an object is speeding up, its acceleration is positive
Δt = time taken in seconds (s) If an object is slowing down, its acceleration is negative
The change in velocity is found by (sometimes called deceleration)
the difference between the initial and final velocity, as
written below:
change in velocity = final velocity − initial Deceleration
velocity Deceleration always refers to acceleration in the direction
Δv = v − u opposite to that of the velocity. It always reduces speed.
Where:

v = final velocity in meters per second (m/s)

u = initial velocity in meters per second (m/s)
Calculate acceleration
1- using formula 


2- find the gradiant of ( speed time graph ) a= gradiant


Calculate acceleration
Acceleration
Interpreting Distance -Time
Graph The object is not moving, and The object is speeding up, and
therefore has zero acceleration therefore has a positive
acceleration
On a distance-time graph:
Slope equals speed
The y-intercept equals the initial position
A straight (horizontal) line represents
a zero speed
A straight (diagonal) line represents
a constant speed
A curved line represents an acceleration The object is moving at a constant The object is slowing down, and
A positive slope represents motion in speed, and therefore has zero therefore has a negative
acceleration acceleration (opposite to the
the positive direction velocity)
A negative slope represents motion in
the negative direction
A zero slope (horizontal line) represents a
state of rest
The area under the curve is meaningless
Speed-time Graph
A speed-time graph shows how the speed of a moving The slope of the line represents the magnitude of
object varies with time acceleration
A steep slope means large acceleration (or
The red line represents an object deceleration) - i.e. the object's speed changes
with increasing speed very quickly
The green line represents an object A gentle slope means small acceleration (or
with decreasing speed deceleration) - i.e. the object's speed changes
very gradually
A flat line means the acceleration is zero - i.e. the
object is moving with a constant speed

Acceleration on a Speed-Time Graph

Speed-time graphs also show the following
information:
If the object is moving with
a constant acceleration or deceleration
The magnitude of the acceleration or
deceleration
A straight line represents constant acceleration
Interpreting Speed -Time Graph
An object may not accelerate. On a An object may accelerate at
speed-time graph this will be a an increasing rate. On a speed-
On a speed-time graph: horizontal straight line. time graph this would be
an upward curve
Slope equals acceleration
The y-intercept equals the initial speed
A straight line
represents uniform acceleration
A curved line represents non-uniform
acceleration
A positive slope represents an increase in
An object may accelerate at a An object may accelerate at
speed in the positive direction steady rate, this is called constant a decreasing rate. On a speed-
A negative slope represents an increase in acceleration. On a speed-time time graph this would be
graph this will be a a downward curve
speed in the negative direction diagonal straight line.
A zero slope (horizontal line) represents
motion with constant speed
The area under the curve equals the total
distance
Using velocity-time Graph
The total distance travelled by an object can be found
by determining the area beneath the graph
The acceleration of an object can be calculated
from the gradient of a velocity-time graph

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If the area beneath the graph forms a triangle (the object
is accelerating or decelerating) then the area can be
determined using the formula:

If the area beneath the graph forms a rectangle (constant
velocity) then the area can be determined using the
formula: