NCERT Science Class 9 Chapter 7 Question Answer Solutions – Motion FREE PDF Download 2025-26
Page – 74
Q. 1. An object has moved through a distance. Can it have zero displacement? If yes, support
your answer with an example.
Answer:-
Yes, an object can have zero displacement even if it has moved through a certain distance. This happens when the object starts and ends at the same position.
Explanation ๐ง
- Distance refers to the total path traveled by an object, irrespective of direction.
- Displacement is the shortest straight-line distance between the initial and final positions of the object.
Example โ
Imagine a person walking 10 meters forward and then coming back 10 meters to the starting point.
- Total Distance traveled = 10 m (forward) + 10 m (backward) = 20 m
- Displacement = Final position – Initial position = 0 m (since the person returns to the starting point)
Conclusion ๐
Even though the person has traveled a distance of 20 meters, the displacement is zero because the initial and final positions are the same.
Q. 2. A farmer moves along the boundary of a square field of side 10 m in 40s. What will be the magnitude of displacement of the farmer at the end of 2 minutes 20 seconds from his initial position?
Answer:-
โจ Given Data:
- Side of the square field = 10 m ๐ณ
- Perimeter of the field = 4 ร 10 = 40 m ๐ถโโ๏ธ
- Time taken to cover one round = 40 sec โณ
- Total time given = 2 min 20 sec = 140 sec โฑ๏ธ
Step 1: Find Number of Rounds Completed ๐
Total rounds completed =
[ Total time/Time for one round] = 140/40 = 3.5 rounds
The farmer completes 3 full rounds and half of the fourth round. ๐ก
Step 2: Find Final Position ๐
Since the field is square, let’s analyze the movement:
- After 3 rounds, the farmer returns to the starting point ๐
- In the next half round, he moves half the perimeter, i.e., 20 m
Step 3: Calculate Displacement ๐
Since he moves 20 m along one side, the displacement will be the straight-line distance between the starting point and his current position:
โ
Magnitude of displacement = 20 m
๐ Final Answer:
At the end of 2 minutes 20 seconds, the magnitude of displacement of the farmer is 20 meters. ๐โโ๏ธโจ
Q. 3. Which of the following is true for displacement?
(a) It cannot be zero.
(b) Its magnitude is greater than the distance travelled by the object.
Answer:-
Answer with Explanation ๐โจ
โ Correct Statement: Neither (a) nor (b) is true!
Let’s analyze both statements carefully:
๐ซ (a) It cannot be zero โ Incorrect!
Displacement can be zero if an object returns to its initial position after moving.
- Example: If a person walks 10 meters forward and then 10 meters back to the starting point, the total displacement = 0 m, even though distance traveled is 20 m.
๐ซ (b) Its magnitude is greater than the distance traveled by the object โ Incorrect!
- Displacement is the shortest straight-line distance between the initial and final positions.
- Distance is the total length of the path traveled.
- Since displacement can never be more than the actual distance traveled, this statement is false.
โ
Final Conclusion:
Displacement can be zero, and it is always less than or equal to the distance traveled! ๐
Page – 76
Q. 1. Distinguish between speed and velocity.
Answer:-
Difference Between Speed and Velocity ๐โก
๐น Aspect | ๐ Speed | ๐น Velocity |
---|---|---|
Definition ๐ | Distance traveled per unit time. | Displacement per unit time in a specific direction. |
Formula ๐งฎ | Speed = Distance / Time | Velocity = Displacement / Time |
Vector or Scalar? ๐ | Scalar (has only magnitude, no direction) | Vector (has both magnitude and direction) |
Can be Negative? โ | No, speed is always positive or zero. | Yes, velocity can be negative, positive, or zero based on direction. |
Example ๐โโ๏ธ | A car moving at 40 km/h. | A car moving 40 km/h towards North. |
Key Conclusion โจ
โ
Speed tells us how fast an object is moving, but velocity includes both speed and direction!
โ
Velocity changes when either the magnitude or direction changes!
Q. 2. Under what condition(s) is the magnitude of average velocity of an object equal to its average speed?
Answer:-
Condition for Average Velocity = Average Speed ๐โก
โ The magnitude of average velocity is equal to average speed only when an object moves in a straight line in a single direction without changing its path.
Key Explanation ๐
1๏ธโฃ Average Speed = Total distance traveled รท Total time
2๏ธโฃ Average Velocity = Total displacement รท Total time
๐น Since displacement is the shortest straight-line distance between the initial and final positions, it equals the distance traveled only in straight-line motion!
Example ๐
If a car moves 100 meters east in 10 seconds,
- Distance traveled = 100 m
- Displacement = 100 m (since it didn’t change direction)
- Average speed = 100/10 = 10 m/s
- Average velocity = 100/10 = 10 m/s (since displacement = distance)
โ
Conclusion ๐
The object must move in a straight line, without reversing or changing direction, for its average velocity to be equal to its average speed.
Q. 3. What does the odometer of an automobile measure?
Answer:-
Odometer: What Does It Measure? ๐โ๏ธ
โ
Definition:
An odometer is a device in automobiles that measures the total distance traveled by the vehicle. It is usually displayed on the dashboard.
Key Explanation ๐
- The odometer keeps track of the cumulative distance covered by the vehicle from the time it starts operating. ๐๐
- It helps in maintenance schedules, fuel efficiency checks, and resale valuation of the vehicle. ๐ก๐ง
- The reading increases as the vehicle moves forward but never decreases. โฌ๏ธ๐ฆ
Units of Measurement ๐
- The distance is measured in kilometers (km) or miles (mi), depending on the region. ๐๐
Example ๐
If a car has traveled 5,000 km in total since it was manufactured, the odometer reading will be 5,000 km! ๐โจ
โ
Conclusion:
The odometer measures distance traveled, not speed or displacement! It is crucial for vehicle monitoring and maintenance. ๐๐
Q. 4. What does the path of an object look like when it is in uniform motion?
Answer:-
Path of an Object in Uniform Motion ๐โจ
โ
Definition:
An object is said to be in uniform motion when it covers equal distances in equal intervals of time without changing its speed or direction. โณ๐
What Does the Path Look Like? ๐
The path of an object in uniform motion is always a straight line if it moves in a single direction. ๐นโก๏ธ
- If the object moves along a straight road or a railway track, its path remains linear (straight). ๐๐ค๏ธ
- If the object moves in a circular path (like Earthโs motion around the Sun ๐โ๏ธ), its uniform motion follows a fixed curve.
Example ๐
- A car moving at constant speed on a straight highway โ Path is a straight line.
- A satellite orbiting the Earth at constant speed โ Path is circular.
โ
Conclusion:
In uniform motion, an object’s path is straight if it moves in one direction, but it can be circular or curved if constrained by forces like gravity. ๐
Q. 5. During an experiment, a signal from a spaceship reached the ground station in five minutes. What was the distance of the spaceship from the groundstation? The signal travels at the speed of light, that is, 3 ร 108 msโ1.
Answer:-
Page – 74
Q. 1. When will you say a body is in (i) uniform acceleration? (ii) nonuniform acceleration?
Answer:-
Types of Acceleration ๐๐
Acceleration refers to the rate of change of velocity of a body over time. Let’s distinguish between uniform and non-uniform acceleration!
(i) Uniform Acceleration ๐โจ
โ Definition: When a bodyโs velocity changes by an equal amount in equal intervals of time, it is said to be in uniform acceleration.
๐น Key Features:
- The rate of acceleration remains constant. โ๏ธ
- The velocity increases or decreases smoothly. ๐
๐น Example:
- Freely falling object under gravity ๐๐ช
- A car speeding up at a constant rate ๐๐จ
Formula for uniform acceleration:
[ a = \frac{\text{Change in Velocity}}{\text{Time Taken}} ]
(ii) Non-Uniform Acceleration โ ๏ธ๐
โ Definition: When a bodyโs velocity changes by an unequal amount in equal intervals of time, it is said to be in non-uniform acceleration.
๐น Key Features:
- The acceleration varies at different points. ๐
- The change in velocity is not constant. โ
๐น Example:
- A car moving in traffic, where speed changes randomly ๐ฆ๐
- A ball rolling on a rough surface, slowing down unevenly โฝโฌ๏ธ
Conclusion ๐ฏ
โ Uniform acceleration means constant change in velocity, while non-uniform acceleration means variable change in velocity.
Q. 2. A bus decreases its speed from 80 km hโ1 to 60 km hโ1 in 5 s. Find the acceleration of the bus.
Answer:-
Q. 3. A train starting from a railway station and moving with uniform acceleration attains a speed 40 km hโ1 in 10 minutes. Find its acceleration.
Answer:-
Page – 81
Q. 1. What is the nature of the distance-time graphs for uniform and non-uniform motion of an object?
Answer:-
Nature of Distance-Time Graphs for Motion ๐๐
The shape of a distance-time graph helps us understand whether an object’s motion is uniform or non-uniform! Letโs analyze both cases.
(i) Distance-Time Graph for Uniform Motion ๐โจ
โ
Definition:
An object is in uniform motion when it covers equal distances in equal intervals of time.
โ Graph Characteristics:
- The graph is a straight line sloping upward. ๐
- The slope remains constant, meaning the object moves with a constant speed.
๐น Example: A car moving steadily at 60 km/h on a highway ๐๐จ.
(ii) Distance-Time Graph for Non-Uniform Motion ๐โ ๏ธ
โ
Definition:
An object is in non-uniform motion when it covers unequal distances in equal intervals of time.
โ Graph Characteristics:
- The graph is a curved line instead of a straight line. ๐
- The slope varies, indicating a changing speed (acceleration or deceleration).
๐น Example: A car starting from rest, then gradually increasing speed ๐ฆ๐โฌ๏ธ.
Conclusion ๐ฏ
โ
Uniform motion โ Straight-line graph (constant speed).
โ
Non-uniform motion โ Curved graph (changing speed).
๐ Tip: If acceleration is positive, the curve bends upward. If acceleration is negative, the curve bends downward!
Q. 2. What can you say about the motion of an object whose distance-time graph is a straight
line parallel to the time axis?
Answer:-
Motion of an Object with a Distance-Time Graph Parallel to the Time Axis ๐๐
โ
Key Observation:
If the distance-time graph is a straight line parallel to the time axis, it means that the distance remains constant over time. โณ๐
Explanation ๐
- The object is not movingโit remains stationary! ๐ โ ๏ธ
- Since distance does not change, its speed is zero. ๐ซโก
- There is no displacement, meaning no motion occurs.
Example ๐โธ๏ธ
If a car is parked on the roadside, its distance from a reference point remains unchanged over time. So, its distance-time graph will be a horizontal line parallel to the time axis.
Final Conclusion ๐ฏ
โ A straight horizontal line in a distance-time graph represents a stationary object that is not in motion.
Q. 3. What can you say about the motion of an object if its speedtime graph is a straight line
parallel to the time axis?
Answer:-
Motion of an Object with a Speed-Time Graph Parallel to the Time Axis ๐๐
โ
Key Observation:
If the speed-time graph is a straight line parallel to the time axis, it means that the object is moving with a constant speed without any acceleration. โกโณ
Explanation ๐
- Since the speed does not change, acceleration is zero (i.e., no increase or decrease in velocity). ๐ซ๐
- The object moves with uniform motion in a straight line. ๐๏ธโก๏ธ
- Velocity remains constant, meaning the direction of motion is unchanged.
Example ๐โจ
- A car moving at 60 km/h on a straight highway with the same speed throughout the journey ๐๐ฃ๏ธ.
- A train traveling at a fixed speed without speeding up or slowing down ๐โ๏ธ.
Final Conclusion ๐ฏ
โ A speed-time graph that is a straight horizontal line parallel to the time axis represents an object moving with uniform speed and zero acceleration!
Q. 4. What is the quantity which is measured by the area occupied below the velocity-time graph?
Answer:-
Quantity Measured by the Area Below a Velocity-Time Graph ๐๐
โ
Answer:
The area occupied below the velocity-time graph represents the displacement of the object! ๐โจ
Key Explanation ๐
- The velocity-time graph plots velocity on the y-axis and time on the x-axis. ๐นโณ
- The area under the graph gives the product of velocity ร time, which equals displacement (since Displacement = Velocity ร Time).
Case-wise Explanation โก
1๏ธโฃ For Uniform Velocity (Straight-Line Graph) โณ
- The area forms a rectangle. ๐
- Displacement = Base ร Height = Velocity ร Time.
2๏ธโฃ For Uniformly Accelerated Motion (Sloping Graph) ๐
- The area forms a triangle + rectangle combination. โฌ๐บ
- Displacement is calculated using the total area (using formulas for triangle and rectangle).
Example ๐
If an object moves with a velocity of 5 m/s for 10 seconds, the area under the velocity-time graph will be:
[ \text{Displacement} = 5 \times 10 = 50 \text{ meters} ]
โ
So, the object covers 50 meters of displacement! ๐ฏ
Conclusion ๐
โ The area under the velocity-time graph represents the displacement of the object!
Page – 82
Q. 1. A bus starting from rest moves with a uniform acceleration of 0.1 ms-2 for 2 minutes. Find
(a) the speed acquired,
(b) the distance travelled.
Answer:-
Q. 2. A train is travelling at a speed of 90 km hโ1. Brakes are applied so as to produce a uniform acceleration of โ 0.5 m s-2. Find how far the train will go before it is brought to rest.
Answer:-
Q. 3. A trolley, while going down an inclined plane, has an acceleration of 2 cm s-2. What will be its velocity 3 s after the start?
Answer:-
Q. 4. A racing car has a uniform acceleration of 4 m s-2. What distance will it cover in 10 s after start?
Answer:-
Q. 5. A stone is thrown in a vertically upward direction with a velocity of 5 ms-1. If the acceleration of the stone during its motion is 10 m sโ2 in the downward direction, what will be the height attained by the stone and how much time will it take to reach there?
Answer:-
Back Exercise Question & Answer
Q. 1. An athlete completes one round of a circular track of diameter 200 m in 40 s. What will be the distance covered and the displacement at the end of 2 minutes 20s?
Answer:-
Q. 2. Joseph jogs from one end A to the other end B of a straight 300 m road in 2 minutes 30 seconds and then turns around and jogs 100 m back to point C in another 1 minute. What are Josephโs average speeds and velocities in jogging (a) from A to B and (b) from A to C?
Answer:-
Q. 3. Abdul, while driving to school, computes the average speed for his trip to be 20 km hโ1. On his return trip along the same route, there is less traffic and the average speed is 30 km hโ1. What is the average speed for Abdulโs trip?
Answer:-
Q. 4. A motorboat starting from rest on a lake accelerates in a straight line at a constant rate of 3.0 m sโ2 for 8.0 s. How far does the boat travel during this time?
Answer:-
Q. 5. A driver of a car travelling at 52 km hโ1 applies the brakes Shade the area on the graph that represents the distance travelled by the car during the period.
(b) Which part of the graph represents uniform motion of the car?
Answer:-
Q. 6. Fig 7.10 shows the distance-time graph of three objects A,B and C. Study the graph and answer the following questions:

(a) Which of the three is travelling the fastest?
(b) Are all three ever at the same point on the road?
(c) How far has C travelled when B passes A?
(d) How far has B travelled by the time it passes C?
Answer:-
Q. 7. A ball is gently dropped from a height of 20 m. If its velocity increases uniformly at the rate of 10 ms-2, with what velocity will it strike the ground? After what time will it strike the ground?
Answer:-
Q. 8. The speed-time graph for a car is shown is Fig. 7.11.

(a) Find how far does the car travel in the first 4 seconds. Shade the area on the graph that represents the distance travelled by the car during the period.
(b) Which part of the graph represents uniform motion of the car?
Answer:-
Q. 9. State which of the following situations are possible and give an example for each of these:
(a) an object with a constant acceleration but with zero velocity
(b) an object moving with an acceleration but with uniform speed.
(c) an object moving in a certain direction with an acceleration in the perpendicular direction.
Answer:-
Q. 10. An artificial satellite is moving in a circular orbit of radius 42250 km. Calculate its speed if it takes 24 hours to revolve around the earth.
Answer:-