Interpreting Speed-Time graphs
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- If there is a change in an object's speed, then it is accelerating
- An object may accelerate at a steady rate, this is called constant acceleration
- On a speed-time graph this will be a non-horizontal straight line
- An object may accelerate at an increasing rate
- On a speed-time graph this would be an upward curve with an increasing gradient
- An object may accelerate at a decreasing rate
- On a speed-time graph this would be an upward curve with a decreasing gradient
- On a speed-time graph this would be an upward curve with a decreasing gradient
- An object is said to decelerate if its speed is decreasing over time, i.e. its acceleration is negative
- On a speed-time graph this would be a downward line
- If the line is a non-horizontal straight line, deceleration is constant
- If the line is a curve with an increasing gradient, deceleration is increasing
- If the line is a curve with a decreasing gradient, deceleration is decreasing
- On a speed-time graph this would be a downward line