levo

Forces

Area under a velocity-time graph, and the uniform acceleration equation

  • 3 things to know
  • Physics Paper 2

Overview

Finding distance from the area under a curved velocity-time line, the equation linking final velocity, initial velocity, acceleration and distance, free fall at 9.8 m/s², and terminal velocity.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

Your recallNot started
Key term

On a velocity–time graph each square represents 2 m/s along one side and 1 s along the other. What distance does one square represent?

Key term

State in words the equation linking final velocity, initial velocity, acceleration and distance for uniform acceleration.

Key term

Write the uniform acceleration equation using the symbols v, u, a and s.

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

  1. 1

    How can the distance travelled be found when a velocity–time line is curved rather than straight?

    Model answer

    By counting the squares under the curve and multiplying by the distance each square represents.

  2. 2

    On a velocity–time graph each square represents 2 m/s along one side and 1 s along the other. What distance does one square represent?

    Model answer

    Each square represents 2 m, because 2 m/s × 1 s = 2 m.

  3. 3

    To what kind of motion does the equation linking final velocity, initial velocity, acceleration and distance apply?

    Model answer

    It applies only to motion with uniform, that is constant, acceleration.

  4. 4

    State in words the equation linking final velocity, initial velocity, acceleration and distance for uniform acceleration.

    Model answer

    Final velocity squared minus initial velocity squared = 2 × acceleration × distance.

  5. 5

    Write the uniform acceleration equation using the symbols v, u, a and s.

    Model answer

    v² − u² = 2as.

  6. 6

    A car starts from rest and accelerates uniformly at 2 m/s² over a distance of 100 m. Calculate its final velocity.

    Model answer

    The final velocity is 20 m/s, because v² = 2 × 2 m/s² × 100 m = 400.

Other ways to work this

The same content, four other ways.

What is inside Levo

Six ways to work the same material.

1Closed book
2Open book
3Closed book

The 3-step method, run for you

Answer cold, learn it, then prove it stuck. Levo tracks the jump between your first attempt and your last.

Atomic Structure
Electricity
Energy
Forces

Cram a whole paper in one sitting

Sort every topic into what you know and what you do not, then drill only the weak ones.

A wave.
transverselongitudinalmechanical

Blank Blitz makes facts automatic

Rapid timed gap-fills on the terms and numbers you need to recall without thinking.

AA single sheet of paper, or a few centimetres of air.
BA few millimetres of aluminium.
CThick lead, or several metres of concrete.

Build It gets the exam shape right

Assemble a full-mark answer from its marking points, in the order an examiner wants them.

Scalar means a quantity with magnitude only.
TrueFalse

Test It catches misconceptions

Spot the fault in a statement. The traps are the mistakes students actually make.

721941163128510

Brain Breaks between sessions

Short focus games to reset attention, so the next set lands better than the last.

Every question in Forces, on a schedule.

Attempt a question from memory, write the correct version, then attempt it again. Levo records the jump between your first attempt and your last, and brings each question back on the day you are due to forget it.

Or £46 a year, about £3.83 a month. Cancel anytime.