Acceleration from Velocity-Time Graphs · seed 1 · A4, ink-friendly. The answer key prints on its own page for grown-ups.

Reading velocity-time graphs

Science · Forces & Motion · ages 14-15
Name ______________________   Date ____________

  1. What does the slope of a velocity-time graph tell you?

    • The distance travelled
    • The mass of the object
    • The acceleration

  2. What is acceleration?

    • How quickly velocity changes
    • The total length of the journey
    • The total time taken for the journey

  3. A flat horizontal velocity-time line means steady speed.

    Circle one:   True   False

  4. A velocity-time graph stays at or above zero throughout a journey. What does the area between its line and the time axis give?

    • The acceleration in m/s²
    • The distance travelled
    • The time spent travelling

  5. A car goes from rest to a forward velocity of 20 m/s in 5 s. What is its average acceleration, in m/s²?

    Answer: ______________

  6. A velocity-time line slopes downward but stays above zero. What is happening to the object's speed?

    • Speeding up
    • Slowing down
    • Stopped

  7. A bus travels at a steady 10 metres per second for 6 seconds. How far does it travel in metres?

    Answer: ______________

  8. A bus travels forward from rest with constant positive acceleration. Which pair of graphs matches this part of its journey?

    • Distance-time curves upward; velocity-time rises in a straight line
    • Distance-time rises in a straight line; velocity-time curves upward
    • Distance-time stays flat; velocity-time stays flat above zero
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Answer key

For grown-ups. Fold this page away before handing over the rest.

Reading velocity-time graphs W1-mt_nmvfbSgnOn-s1

  1. The acceleration · Steepness of the line is the acceleration.
  2. How quickly velocity changes · Acceleration is the rate of change of velocity.
  3. True · A horizontal line has zero gradient, so velocity and speed stay constant. A horizontal line at zero represents rest.
  4. The distance travelled · With no negative velocity, the area gives both the forward displacement and the distance travelled.
  5. 4 · Average acceleration = (20 - 0) ÷ 5 = 4 m/s².
  6. Slowing down · The positive velocity is getting closer to zero, so its size, the speed, decreases.
  7. 60 · The area is a rectangle: 10 times 6 is 60.
  8. Distance-time curves upward; velocity-time rises in a straight line · Constant positive acceleration gives a straight rising velocity-time line. The increasing forward speed makes the distance-time curve progressively steeper.
Worksheet · LightMySky