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Lesson 1 of 10
Lesson details
Key learning points
- The greater the speed of an object, the shorter the time it takes to cover a certain distance.
- The greater the speed of an object, the more distance it travels in a certain time.
- Speed = distance ÷ time.
- Speed is measured in m/s or km/h or miles/h.
- m/s is the number of metres travelled each second.
Keywords
Distance - a length between two points, usually measured in metres (m)
Time - a duration, usually measured in seconds (s)
Speed - the distance it travels each second
Metres per second (m/s) - the standard unit used to measure speed
Miles per hour (mph) - the unit often used to measure vehicles’ speeds
Common misconception
"Constant speed" can be interpreted as "moving all the time", and "steady speed" as "not too fast".
Use the terms with care, qualifying them with examples when they are used, e.g. "a constant speed of 4 m/s" or "a steady speed of 100 m/s".
Pupils can find it easier to understand speed calculations building from the relationship distance = speed × time, rather than speed = distance ÷ time, this is the approach used in this lesson.
Teacher tip
Equipment
Licence
This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2026), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
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6 Questions
Q1.Which of these are units of distance?
Which of these are units of distance?
kilograms (kg)
Q2.Which word is used to describe how fast or slow an object is moving?
Which word is used to describe how fast or slow an object is moving?
force
acceleration
direction
momentum
Q3.Starting with the shortest, put the values in order of length.
Starting with the shortest, put the values in order of length.
Q4.Which two pieces of information could you use to work out the speed of a motorcycle after it has finished a journey?
Which two pieces of information could you use to work out the speed of a motorcycle after it has finished a journey?
The weight of the motorcycle.
The amount of petrol in the motorcycle.
The direction the motorcycle travelled.
Q5.Match the description of movement to the distance travelled in a certain time.
Match the description of movement to the distance travelled in a certain time.
2 metres each hour
1 metre each second
9 metres each second
60 miles each hour
900 kilometres each hour
Q6.A red car and a blue car start at the same time and travel the same distance along a track. The red car takes 20 s to reach the end and the blue car takes 25 s. Which of the statements are correct?
A red car and a blue car start at the same time and travel the same distance along a track. The red car takes 20 s to reach the end and the blue car takes 25 s. Which of the statements are correct?
The cars are travelling at the same speed.
The blue car is faster than the red car.
After 1 s the blue car has travelled further than the red car.
Assessment exit quiz
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6 Questions
Q1.Two cars travel along a track for the same amount of time. The green car travels twice as far as the red car. Which of these statements is true?
Two cars travel along a track for the same amount of time. The green car travels twice as far as the red car. Which of these statements is true?
The green car started moving before the red car did.
The red car stopped moving before the green car did.
The average speed of the red car is greater than the average speed of the green.
The average speed of the two cars is the same.
Q2.Which of these equations involving speed, distance and time is correct?
Which of these equations involving speed, distance and time is correct?
distance travelled = speed + time
distance travelled = speed - time
distance travelled = speed ÷ time
Q3.A cyclist travels at an average speed of 15 m/s for 45 seconds. Calculate the distance they travel.
A cyclist travels at an average speed of 15 m/s for 45 seconds. Calculate the distance they travel.
0.3 m
3.0 m
30 m
60 m
Q4.A speedboat travels 70 miles in 3.5 hours. Calculate the speed of the boat.
A speedboat travels 70 miles in 3.5 hours. Calculate the speed of the boat.
30 miles/h
35 miles/h
245 miles/h
Q5.The table shows the speeds of athletes in races of different lengths. Starting with the longest time, put the athletes into order of how long it took them to finish their race.
The table shows the speeds of athletes in races of different lengths. Starting with the longest time, put the athletes into order of how long it took them to finish their race.
Q6.An aeroplane travels a distance of 1080 km in 3 hours. Calculate the speed of the aeroplane in m/s.
An aeroplane travels a distance of 1080 km in 3 hours. Calculate the speed of the aeroplane in m/s.
36 m/s
360 m/s
3240 m/s
6000 m/s