PH02-03 Physics Coming soon
Acceleration and velocity-time graphs
PH02-03
This lesson is coming soon.
In this lesson
Recall and apply acceleration = change in velocity divided by time taken, and find an acceleration from the gradient of a velocity-time graph.
What it covers
- Acceleration introduced as QUANTITY, SYMBOL, UNIT: acceleration, a, metres per second squared - and what that unit is actually saying, which is metres per second, per second
- The equation in words and in symbols: acceleration = change in velocity / time taken, a = (v - u) / t, which every board expects RECALLED, not looked up
- The rearrangements written as their own lines before any substitution, with the unit shown at every step
- Estimating the acceleration of everyday objects: a car pulling away, a sprinter, a lift starting - a number and an order of magnitude, not just a description
- Deceleration as a negative acceleration, and what the minus sign is telling you
- The velocity-time graph: velocity up the side, time along the bottom, and why it is a DIFFERENT graph from PH02-01's even though it looks similar
- The gradient of a velocity-time graph IS the acceleration - stated in the same form as PH02-01's sentence, and drawn with the same triangle
- Reading the four line shapes: sloping up is speeding up, sloping down is slowing down, HORIZONTAL IS CONSTANT VELOCITY AND NOT STATIONARY, and a straight sloping line means the acceleration is uniform
- The boards' own limiter, printed on this atom: uniform acceleration only
- Comparing two sections of the same graph by their gradients, and saying which acceleration is bigger without calculating either
Key words
For: AQA GCSE 8463, Edexcel GCSE 1PH0, OCR GCSE J249
On the specification
| Board | Spec | Statement |
|---|---|---|
| AQA GCSE 8463 | 4.5.6.1.5a | Acceleration |
| Edexcel GCSE 1PH0 | 2.10 | Analyse velocity/time graphs to: a compare acceleration from gradients qualitatively b calculate the acceleration from the gradient (for uniform acceleration only) c determine the distance travelled using the area between the graph line and the time axis (for uniform acceleration only) |
| Edexcel GCSE 1PH0 | 2.8 | Recall and use the equation: acceleration (metre per second squared, m/s2) = change in velocity (metre per second, m/s) ÷ time taken (second, s) |
| OCR GCSE J249 | P2.1h | Apply formulae relating distance, time and speed, for uniform motion, and for motion with uniform acceleration |
| OCR GCSE J249 | PM2.1i | Recall and apply: distance travelled (m) = speed (m/s) × time (s) |
| OCR GCSE J249 | PM2.1ii | Recall and apply: acceleration (m/s time(s) change in velocity(m/s) |
| OCR GCSE J249 | PM2.1iii | Apply: (final velocity (m/s)) – (initial velocity (m/s)) |
For teachers
This GCSE Physics lesson teaches acceleration and velocity-time graphs. By the end, students should be able to recall and apply acceleration = change in velocity divided by time taken, and find an acceleration from the gradient of a velocity-time graph. It works through four worked examples and the mistakes examiners report, and suits Foundation and Higher tier students.