Lesson: Instantaneous Speed High School Physics

Physics

In this lesson, we will learn how to determine the instantaneous speed of an object by using tangents to find the gradient at a point on the object’s distance-time graph.

Video

12:21

Worksheet

Q1:

An object moves along a straight line. On the graph, the blue line shows the displacement, 𝑑, of the object from its starting position over time, 𝑡.

Which of the three dashed lines is a tangent to the blue line at 𝑡=4 s?

Which of the three dashed lines is a tangent to the blue line at 𝑡=1 s?

Which of the three dashed lines is a tangent to the blue line at 𝑡=16 s?

Q2:

An object moves along a straight line. On the graph, the blue line shows the displacement, 𝑑, of the object from its starting position over time, 𝑡.

Which of the three dashed lines is a tangent to the blue line at 𝑡=4 s?

Q3:

A ball is thrown up in the air, and it falls back down to the ground. The height, ℎ, of the ball above the ground over time, 𝑡, is shown on the graph by the blue line. The red line is a tangent to the blue line at 𝑡=1 s. What is the speed of the ball at 𝑡=1 s?
Preview

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