Motion Class 9 important questions with answers PDF download
Important Questions For Class 9 Science Chapter 7 Motion - 2025-26
FAQs on Important Questions For Class 9 Science Chapter 7 Motion - 2025-26
1. What is the fundamental difference between distance and displacement, and why is this concept important for 3-mark questions in the Class 9 exam?
Distance is the total path length an object covers, making it a scalar quantity (it only has magnitude). Displacement is the shortest straight-line path between the starting and ending points, making it a vector quantity (it has both magnitude and direction). This distinction is critical for exams because:
- Velocity is calculated using displacement, while speed is calculated using distance.
- An object can travel a large distance but have zero displacement if it returns to its starting point, a common scenario in numerical problems.
2. What are the three equations of motion, and what is the key condition for their application?
The three equations of motion are fundamental for solving numericals in this chapter. They are:
- First Equation: v = u + at (relates velocity, acceleration, and time)
- Second Equation: s = ut + ½at² (relates displacement, velocity, acceleration, and time)
- Third Equation: v² = u² + 2as (relates velocity, acceleration, and displacement)
The most important condition for applying these equations, often a 1-mark question, is that the object must be moving with uniform acceleration.
3. How do you solve a numerical problem where a vehicle's speed changes, for example, a bus slowing from 80 km/h to 60 km/h in 5 seconds?
To solve such a problem, you must first convert all units to SI units (m/s for velocity and s for time). Here is the standard method:
- Convert initial velocity (u) from km/h to m/s: u = 80 km/h = 80 × (5/18) m/s ≈ 22.22 m/s.
- Convert final velocity (v) from km/h to m/s: v = 60 km/h = 60 × (5/18) m/s ≈ 16.67 m/s.
- Use the first equation of motion, a = (v - u) / t.
- Substitute the values: a = (16.67 - 22.22) / 5 = -1.11 m/s². The negative sign indicates retardation or deceleration.
4. What do the slope and the area under a velocity-time graph represent? Why is this a frequently asked question?
This is a very important concept for graph-based questions.
- The slope of a velocity-time graph represents acceleration (change in velocity / time). A horizontal line means zero acceleration (uniform velocity).
- The area under a velocity-time graph represents the displacement of the object.
This is frequently asked because it tests a student's ability to interpret graphical information, a key skill for the CBSE 2025-26 syllabus.
5. An object moves in a perfect circle at a constant speed of 10 m/s. Why is this considered an example of accelerated motion?
This is a classic higher-order thinking (HOTS) question. Even though the object's speed is constant, its velocity is not. Velocity is a vector, and its direction is continuously changing as the object moves along the circular path. Since acceleration is the rate of change of velocity, a change in direction constitutes acceleration. This is known as centripetal acceleration, which is always directed towards the centre of the circle.
6. How can you graphically derive the second equation of motion, s = ut + ½at²?
This is a crucial 5-mark derivation. The distance travelled (s) is the area under the velocity-time graph for an object moving with uniform acceleration 'a'.
- The graph is a straight line sloping upwards. The area under this line is a trapezium.
- Divide the trapezium into a rectangle and a triangle.
- Area of the rectangle = initial velocity × time = ut.
- Area of the triangle = ½ × base × height = ½ × t × (v-u).
- From the first equation of motion, we know (v-u) = at. Substitute this to get the triangle's area as ½ × t × (at) = ½at².
- The total distance, s, is the sum of both areas: s = ut + ½at².
7. Can an object that has travelled a certain distance have zero displacement? Justify your answer with an example.
Yes, this is possible and is a very important concept. Displacement is the net change in position. If an object returns to its starting point, its final position is the same as its initial position, making the net displacement zero. For example, an athlete who runs one complete lap of a 400 m circular track has travelled a distance of 400 m, but their displacement is 0 m because they finished exactly where they started.
8. What is the main difference between uniform and non-uniform acceleration?
Uniform acceleration occurs when an object's velocity changes by equal amounts in equal intervals of time. A classic example is a freely falling object under gravity (ignoring air resistance). Non-uniform acceleration occurs when the velocity changes by unequal amounts in equal intervals of time, such as a car moving through city traffic.
9. A farmer moves along the boundary of a square field of side 10 m in 40 s. What will be the magnitude of his displacement at the end of 2 minutes 20 seconds?
This is a common type of numerical testing both distance and displacement.
- The perimeter of the square field is 4 × 10 m = 40 m. The farmer covers this in 40 s.
- Total time of motion = 2 min 20 s = 140 s.
- In 140 s, the farmer completes 140 / 40 = 3.5 rounds.
- After 3 complete rounds, the farmer is back at the starting point. The remaining 0.5 round means the farmer covers two adjacent sides, ending up at the corner diagonally opposite to the starting point.
- The displacement is the length of the diagonal of the square. Using the Pythagorean theorem: Displacement = √(10² + 10²) = √200 = 10√2 m or approximately 14.14 m.
10. What is a common mistake students make when calculating average speed for a journey with two different speeds?
A common error is to simply take the arithmetic mean of the two speeds (e.g., (v1 + v2)/2). This is incorrect unless the time taken for both parts of the journey is the same. The correct method is to calculate the total distance travelled and divide it by the total time taken. For a journey to a place and back along the same path, you must calculate the time for each leg of the journey separately (t = distance/speed) and then use the formula: Average Speed = Total Distance / Total Time.
11. What does the odometer of a car measure, and how is it different from the speedometer?
The odometer measures the total distance covered by the vehicle since its manufacture. It is a scalar quantity. The speedometer, on the other hand, measures the car's instantaneous speed—the speed at any given moment. This is a fundamental 1-mark question that tests the application of concepts to real-world devices.
12. Why are the equations of motion not applicable for an object in non-uniform acceleration?
This question probes the limitations of the formulas. The equations of motion (v = u + at, etc.) are derived under the strict assumption that the acceleration 'a' is constant. If the acceleration is non-uniform, it means 'a' is changing with time. In such cases, these equations would give incorrect results because they cannot account for the variation in acceleration. Advanced methods like calculus are required to analyse motion with non-uniform acceleration, which is beyond the Class 9 syllabus.



































