Distance, Speed, Time, and Acceleration

About the lecture

In this mini-lecture, we define distance, speed, and acceleration, focusing in particular on: (i) the relationship between speed s and distance d given by s = d/∆t, where ∆t is the change in time, and some examples using this equation; (ii) distance vs. time graphs, where we learn that the speed is the slope of the graph; (iii) speed vs. time graphs, where we learn that the slope of the graph, that is the change in the speed, is the acceleration, and the area under the curve is the distance travelled; and (iv) the relationship between acceleration a and speed s given by a = ∆s / ∆t, where ∆t is the change in time, followed by an example using this equation.

About the lecturer

David Berman is a Professor of Theoretical Physics at Queen Mary. His research interests include string theory and ideas in fundamental theoretical physics, including non-commutative geometry, black holes physics, and quantum gravity. He has contributed to the Radio 4 biography series Great Lives and the In Our Time podcasts, including Great Lives: Richard Feynman (2018), Great Lives: Galileo (2019), In Our Time: Emmy Noether (2019), and In Our Time: Paul Dirac (2020).