🚀 SUVAT Equations Flashcards 2.1 IB Physics

Q: What does SUVAT stand for?

A: Displacement (s), Initial velocity (u), Final velocity (v), Acceleration (a), Time (t)

Q: When can SUVAT equations be used?

A: Only when acceleration is constant.

Q: SUVAT Equation 1 [ Missing s (Displacement) ] — Relating v (Final Velocity), u (Initial Velocity), a (Acceleration), and t (Time)

v=u+at

Q: SUVAT Equation 2 [ Missing a (Acceleration) ] – Relating s (Displacement) , u (Initial Velocity), v (Final Velocity), and t (Time)

s=(¹/₂​)(u+v)t

Q: SUVAT Equation 3 [ Missing t (Time) ] – Relating v (Final Velocity), u (Initial Velocity), a (Acceleration), and s (Displacement)

v²=u²+2as

Q: SUVAT Equation 4 [ missing u (Initial Velocity) ] – Relating s (Displacement), v (Final Velocity), a (Acceleration), and t (Time)

s=v (or u) t+(¹/₂​)at²

Q: How to calculate acceleration from velocity-time data?

A: Acceleration = slope of a velocity-time graph.

Q: How to calculate displacement from velocity-time data?

A: Displacement = area under the velocity-time graph.

Q: What does the slope of a displacement-time graph represent?

A: Velocity

Q: What does a flat (horizontal) line mean on a displacement-time graph?

A: Object is stationary (velocity = 0, acceleration = 0)

Q: What does a straight sloped line mean on a displacement-time graph?

A: Constant velocity, no acceleration

Upward slope → moving forward (+)

Downward slope → moving backward (−)

Q: What does a curved line mean on a displacement-time graph?

A: Changing velocity → acceleration present

Curving downward → negative acceleration

Curved Upward Positive Acceleration

Q: What does the slope of a velocity-time graph represent?

A: Acceleration

Q: What does the area under a velocity-time graph represent?

A: Displacement

Q: What does a flat (horizontal) line mean on a velocity-time graph?

A: Constant velocity (acceleration = 0)

Q: What does a sloped line on a velocity-time graph mean?

A: Constant acceleration

Downward slope → negative acceleration

Upward Slope = Positive Acceleration

Q: What does crossing the time axis mean on a velocity-time graph?

A: Velocity = 0 (object momentarily at rest)

Q: What does the area under an acceleration-time graph represent?

A: Change in velocity

Q: What does a flat (horizontal) line mean on an acceleration-time graph?

A: Constant acceleration (positive, negative, or zero)

Q: What does zero acceleration on an acceleration-time graph mean?

A: Velocity is constant (no change in motion)

Q: Do you need to know curved or sloped acceleration-time graphs for IB?

A: No — only constant acceleration (flat lines) are required.

Q: Difference between instantaneous and average velocity/acceleration?

Instantaneous: Value at a specific moment in time 

Average: Total change ÷ total time

Q: A car moves in a circle at constant speed. What’s changing?

A: Velocity and acceleration (direction changes), but speed stays constant