Grade 10 Physical Sciences · Mechanics

Calculate distance, speed and velocity

Calculate distance, displacement, average speed or average velocity of a moving object (walking 100 m in 50 s is 2 m/s).

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Velocity and speed: Motion in One DimensionMiss Martins Maths and Science

Displacement and Distance: Motion in One DimensionMiss Martins Maths and Science

Displacement and distance EXAM questions: Motion in one dimensionMiss Martins Maths and Science

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Question 4.2 · May/June 2024 · Paper 1 · National (DBE) · 5 marks

Two trolleys A and B of mass

3, 2

kg and

2, 6

kg respectively are held at rest on a straight horizontal, frictionless track, with a compressed spring between them, as shown in the diagram below.

After the trolleys are released, the spring extends to its natural length and then falls onto the track. Trolley A now moves with a constant velocity of

0, 4

m·s

^{- 1}

to the left, while trolley B moves with a constant unknown velocity to the right. Trolley B reaches the end of the track after

1, 3

4.2 Calculate the distance travelled by trolley B in

1, 3

s.(5)

Work it out on paper first. Then mark yourself with the official memo, one tick at a time.

More past paper questions: calculate distance, speed and velocity

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3. Question 5.3.2 · May/June 2025 · Paper 1 · National (DBE) · 3 marks
Water is drawn from a water source $12, 5$ m below the ground by an electric pump. The water is lifted vertically upwards at a constant speed, as shown in the simplified diagram below.

The pump lifts the water upwards at a rate of $2, 5$ kg·s $^{- 1}$ . Ignore ALL frictional and capillarity effects.
5.3 The pump lifts $200$ kg of water from the source to the ground at a constant speed. Calculate the:
5.3.2 Constant speed at which the water is lifted(3)
Show the memo (3 ticks)Memo
1. ✓
  Time to lift the water $Δ t = \frac{200}{2 , 5} = 80$ s
  1 mark · Calculate distance, speed and velocity
2. ✓
  Substitution $v = \frac{Δ x}{Δ t} = \frac{12 , 5}{80}$
  1 mark · Calculate distance, speed and velocity
3. ✓
  Answer $v = 0, 16$ m·s $^{- 1}$ ( $0, 156$ m·s $^{- 1}$ )
  1 mark · Calculate distance, speed and velocity
4. Question 5.2.3 · November 2023 · Paper 1 · Provincial · 3 marks
5.2 A learner has to walk to the shops to buy bread, after walking $200$ m, he realises that he does not have enough money and goes back home. It took him $4$ minutes from the time he began walking until he returned to the house.

Calculate the following:
5.2.3 Calculate the learner's average speed.(3)
Show the memo (3 ticks)Memo
1. ✓
  Total distance $v_{s p ee d} = \frac{Δ x}{Δ t}$
  $= \frac{400}{\dots}$
  1 mark · Calculate distance, speed and velocity
2. ✓
  Time in seconds $= \frac{400}{240}$
  1 mark · Calculate distance, speed and velocity
3. ✓
  Answer with unit $= 1, 67$ m·s $^{- 1}$
  1 mark · Calculate distance, speed and velocity
5. Question 2.2.2 · November 2022 · Paper 1 · Provincial · 2 marks
2.2 Peter stands at the front door of his house. Avogadro Street is $25$ m away from the front door. Peter walks to Avogadro Street and back to the front door of his house.
2.2.2 Write Peter's final displacement?(2)
Show the memo (1 tick)Memo
1. ✓
  Final displacement $0$ m
  2 marks · Calculate distance, speed and velocity
6. Question 4.2 · May/June 2025 · Paper 1 · National (DBE) · 5 marks
Trolley A of mass $1, 5$ kg is at rest on a frictionless horizontal surface. A second trolley B, of mass $2$ kg, travelling horizontally at a constant speed v, collides with trolley A. The trolleys stick together and move at a constant velocity to the right, covering a distance of $0, 8$ m in $2$ s. See the diagram below.

Ignore ALL frictional and rotational effects.
4.2 Calculate speed v with which trolley B moves before the collision.(5)
Show the memo (5 ticks)Memo
1. ✓
  Velocity after the collision $Δ x = v_{i} Δ t + \frac{1}{2} a Δ t^{2}$
  $0, 8 = v_{i} (2)$
  $v_{i} = 0, 4$ m·s $^{- 1}$
  1 mark · Calculate distance, speed and velocity
2. ✓
  FormulaRight as positive:
  $\sum p_{i} = \sum p_{f}$ (or $m_{1} v_{1 i} + m_{2} v_{2 i} = m_{1} v_{1 f} + m_{2} v_{2 f}$ ; $m_{1} v_{1 i} + m_{2} v_{2 i} = (m_{1} + m_{2}) v_{f}$ )
  1 mark · Apply conservation of momentum
3. ✓
  Momentum before $(2) v_{1 i} + 0$
  1 mark · Apply conservation of momentum
4. ✓
  Momentum after $= (2 + 1, 5) (0, 4)$
  1 mark · Apply conservation of momentum
5. ✓
  Answer $v_{1 i} = 0, 7$ m·s $^{- 1}$
  1 mark · Apply conservation of momentum

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