SPS SPS SM Mechanics 2026 January — Question 4

Exam BoardSPS
ModuleSPS SM Mechanics (SPS SM Mechanics)
Year2026
SessionJanuary
TopicNon-constant acceleration

4. A toy car is travelling in a straight horizontal line. One model of the motion for \(0 \leqslant t \leqslant 8\), where \(t\) is the time in seconds, is shown in the velocity-time graph Fig. 6. \begin{figure}[h]
\includegraphics[alt={},max width=\textwidth]{fb36606d-0ee3-4050-af31-1642e5f67a03-10_481_1226_374_424} \captionsetup{labelformat=empty} \caption{Fig. 6}
\end{figure}
  1. Calculate the distance travelled by the car from \(t = 0\) to \(t = 8\).
  2. How much less time would the car have taken to travel this distance if it had maintained its initial speed throughout?
  3. What is the acceleration of the car when \(t = 1\) ? From \(t = 8\) to \(t = 14\), the car travels 58.5 m with a new constant acceleration, \(a \mathrm {~m} \mathrm {~s} ^ { - 2 }\).
  4. Find \(a\). A second model for the velocity, \(v \mathrm {~m} \mathrm {~s} ^ { - 1 }\), of the toy car is $$v = 12 - 10 t + \frac { 9 } { 4 } t ^ { 2 } - \frac { 1 } { 8 } t ^ { 3 } , \text { for } 0 \leqslant t \leqslant 8$$ This model agrees with the values for \(v\) given in Fig. 6 for \(t = 0,2,4\) and 6. [Note that you are not required to verify this.] Use this second model to answer the following questions.
  5. Calculate the acceleration of the car when \(t = 1\).
  6. Initially the car is at A. Find an expression in terms of \(t\) for the displacement of the car from A after the first \(t\) seconds of its motion. Hence find the displacement of the car from A when \(t = 8\). \includegraphics[max width=\textwidth, alt={}, center]{fb36606d-0ee3-4050-af31-1642e5f67a03-13_2688_1886_118_118}