Key learning points

1. A displacement–time graph shows how displacement changes with time.
2. A velocity–time graph shows how velocity changes with time.
3. Displacement–time and velocity–time graphs of the same motion have different shapes.
4. Acceleration is equal to the gradient of a velocity–time graph.
5. A falling line shows deceleration (decreasing velocity) which is a negative acceleration.

Keywords

• Displacement–time graph - A displacement–time graph shows the displacement of an object over a period of time.

• Velocity–time graph - A velocity–time graph shows the velocity of an object over a period of time.

• Velocity - The velocity of an object is the rate of change of displacement. This is how fast it is moving in a particular direction.

• Acceleration - The acceleration of an object is the rate of change of velocity. This is how much the velocity changes per second.

Common misconception