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What is speed?
Speed is a measure of how far an object moves in a given time. This car is travelling at 60 mph. This means the car travels 60 miles every hour.

This jet is travelling at 350 m/s. This means the jet travels 350 metres every second.
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How is velocity different to speed?

The speed of an object does not depend on the direction in which it is travelling. The velocity of an object is the speed and direction in which it is moving. The car is travelling north with a velocity of 10 m/s. As the car goes round the corner, the speed of the car remains constant but the velocity changes.

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How is speed calculated?

The speed of an object can be calculated using this equation:

distance travelled speed = time taken

Distance travelled is measured in metres (m).

Time taken is measured in seconds (s).

Speed is measured in metres per second (m/s). The standard unit for speed in physics is m/s, but other units such as kilometres per hour (km/h) are more convenient when measuring the speed of vehicles. Why is this?

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Calculating speed question

A train takes 100 seconds to travel 1,500 m. What is the speed of the train?

distance speed = time

= 1,500 100

= 15 m/s

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Using a formula triangle

A formula triangle helps you to rearrange a formula. The formula triangle for speed (s), distance (d) and time (t) is shown below. Cover the quantity that you are trying to work out, which gives the rearranged formula needed for the calculation. So to find speed (s), cover up s which gives the formula

s =

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Calculating speed question

A car travels at 25 m/s for 3 minutes. How far does it travel? distance speed = time distance = speed x time

= 25 x 180
= 4,500 m = 4.5 km

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Speed, distance, time calculations

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Representing speed

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Analyzing distancetime graphs

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Calculating speed from the gradient

The slope of a graph is called the gradient. The gradient of the line in a distancetime graph equals the speed. It is difficult to calculate the gradient of realistic graphs because the line is curved. distance Simple graphs use straight lines only, making it easy to calculate the gradient. distance

time
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time
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Whats the speed?

What is the speed of the object between points A and B? B the object has moved 60 m (70 - 10 )

70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0

distance (m)

it took 3 s to move this distance (6 - 3)

A 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 time (s)

speed = distance/time
= 60/3 = 20 m/s

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Calculating speed from graphs

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DIY distancetime graph

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What is acceleration?
The acceleration of an object is a measure of how quickly its velocity changes.

A train accelerates in a straight line from rest. As it does, its velocity increases.

The brakes on this motorcycle are causing it to slow down. This is negative acceleration or deceleration.
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How is acceleration calculated?

The acceleration of an object can be calculated using this equation:

change in speed acceleration = time taken

Change in speed is measured in metres per second (m/s). Time taken is measured in seconds (s). Acceleration is measured in metres per second per second (m/s2).

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Acceleration problem
A racing car accelerates from rest to a speed of 60 m/s in a time of 4 seconds. What is the acceleration of the car?

acceleration =

change in speed time taken

60 4

= 15 m/s2

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Using a formula triangle

A formula triangle helps you to rearrange a formula. The formula triangle for acceleration (a), speed (s) and time (t) is shown below. Cover the quantity that you are trying to work out, which gives the rearranged formula needed for the calculation. So to find acceleration (a), cover up a which gives the formula

a =

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Acceleration problem
A hungry cheetah spots a gazelle and decides to chase it. The cheetah accelerates at 10 m/s2 from rest until it reaches 20 m/s. How long did this take? change in speed acceleration = time taken time taken = = change in speed acceleration 20 10

= 2s

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Acceleration problems calculations

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Analyzing speedtime graphs

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Calculating acceleration from the gradient

How can the acceleration of an object be calculated from a speedtime graph? This gradient of the line in a speedtime graph represents acceleration

time If the gradient goes up, the object has a positive acceleration.
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time If the gradient goes down, the object has a negative acceleration, or deceleration.
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speed

speed

Whats the acceleration?

What is the acceleration of the object between points A and B? 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 the objects speed has increased by 20 m/s (25 - 5) it took 4 s to change speed (6 - 2) A 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 time (s) acceleration = speed/time = 20/4 = 5 m/s2
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speed (m/s)

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Calculating acceleration from graphs

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The area under a speedtime graph

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DIY speedtime graph

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Speed and safety

Why are speed limits important?

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Why have speed limits?

Speed limits are an important part of road safety. They aim to prevent drivers from driving at speeds that are unsuitable and unsafe.

The speed limit of a particular road depends on a range of factors, such as how straight or curved it is, and its location.
The faster a vehicle is driving, the longer it will take to stop the overall distance this takes is the stopping distance.

stopping distance = thinking distance + braking distance

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Stopping distances

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What affects thinking distance?

The thinking distance is the distance a vehicle travels in the time it takes for a driver to react to a situation and apply the brakes. What factors will affect thinking distance?

alcohol

other drugs and some medicines

distractions, such as mobile phones

tiredness

speed
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What affects braking distance?

The braking distance is the distance a vehicle takes to stop once the driver has applied the brakes. What factors will affect braking distance?

weather

condition of tyres/brakes

condition of road
speed
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Factors affecting stopping distances

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How do speed cameras work?

There are several types of speed camera., They use different methods to calculate the speed of a vehicle. Gatso speed cameras use radar to detect the speed of a vehicle, then take two photos (half a second apart) to provide visual evidence. Lines marked on the road indicate how far the vehicle has travelled in that time. Truvelo speed cameras are activated by pressure detector cables in the road. The cables are 10 cm apart and a computer calculates how long it takes the vehicle to pass from one to another, and therefore the speed of the vehicle.
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Speeding and speed cameras

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Glossary (1/2) acceleration A measure of how an objects velocity

changes over time. It usually refers to an object that is speeding up.

braking distance The distance it takes for a vehicle to

stop once its brakes have been applied.

deceleration Negative acceleration, i.e. slowing down. non-uniform Speed or acceleration that is constantly
changing.

speed A measure of how far an object moves in a given

time.

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Glossary (2/2) stopping distance The total distance it takes for a

vehicle to stop, i.e. thinking distance plus braking distance.

thinking distance The distance it takes for a driver to

react to a situation and apply the brakes.

uniform Speed or acceleration that is constant and

unchanging.

velocity A measure of the speed and direction of a

moving object.

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Anagrams

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What does the graph show?

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What does the graph show?

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Multiple-choice quiz

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