Back to Daily Question archive

AS Daily A Level Physics question

2026-05-24 OCR A Kinematics (displacement–time graphs) OCR-A 3.1.1 Kinematics — displacement–time graphs; velocity as gradient; acceleration as rate of change of velocity

A fitness tracker records a runner’s displacement from the start along a straight path. During one 10 s interval, the displacement–time graph is a straight line sloping downwards (time on the x-axis, displacement on the y-axis). Which statement must be true in that interval?

  1. A The runner moves with constant velocity towards the start point. (correct)
  2. B The runner is slowing down while moving away from the start point.
  3. C The runner has a non-zero constant acceleration towards the start point.
  4. D The runner is stationary at a fixed distance from the start point.

Answer

The correct answer is A.

Correct: A — The runner moves with constant velocity towards the start point. A A straight-line downward slope means displacement is decreasing at a steady rate, so velocity is constant and directed towards the start. B A downward slope shows motion towards, not away; and a straight line indicates no change in speed. C A straight line on a displacement–time graph implies zero acceleration, not a non-zero constant acceleration. D Stationary motion would be a horizontal line (zero gradient), not a downward slope.

Try today's guest Daily MCQ A Level Physics MCQ practice Problem-solving previews