Higher: velocity-time graphs and inertia

The idea

On a velocity–time graph, the gradient is the acceleration and the area under the graph is the distance travelled (for motion in one direction). For a curved graph, the area can be estimated by counting squares. Inertia is the tendency of an object to stay at rest or in uniform motion. Inertial mass measures how difficult it is to change an object's velocity: m = F ÷ a.

1. Gradient of a v–t graph = acceleration.
2. Area under a v–t graph = distance.
3. Split the area into triangles and rectangles.

Watch out Read the area under a v–t graph, not the gradient, to get distance.