Class 7 Science: Physics: NCERT Solutions: Motion & Time

Q1. Classify the following as motion along a straight line, circular or oscillatory motion:
(i) Motion of your hands while running. (ii) Motion of a horse pulling a cart on a straight road.
(iii) Motion of a child in a merry-go-round. (iv) Motion of a child on a see-saw.
(v) Motion of the hammer of an electric bell. (vi) Motion of a train on a straight bridge.
Ans: (i) Periodic motion or Oscillatory motion
(ii) Along a straight line (Linear motion)
(iii) Circular motion
(iv) Periodic motion or oscillatory motion
(v) Periodic motion or oscillatory motion
(vi) Linear motion
Q2. Which of the following are not correct?
(i) The basic unit of time is second. (ii) Every object moves with a constant speed.
(iii) Distances between two cities are measured in kilometres.(iv) The time period of a given
pendulum is not constant. (v) The speed of a train is expressed in m/h.
Ans: (ii), (iv) and (v)
Q3. A simple pendulum takes 32 s to complete 20 oscillations. What is the time period of the
pendulum?
Ans: Given, Number of oscillation = 20, Time taken = 32 second We know that,

Q4. The distance between two stations is 240 km. A train takes 4 hours to cover this
distance. Calculate the speed of the train.
Ans: Given, distance = 240 km ,Time taken = 4 hour
We know that,

Q5. The odometer of a car reads 57321.0 km when the clock shows the time 08:30 AM.
What is the distance moved by the car, if at 08:50 AM, the odometer reading has changed to
57336.0 km? Calculate the speed of the car in km/min during this time. Express the speed in
km/h also.
Ans: Given, Initial reading of odometer = 57321.0 km
Final reading of odometer = 57336.0 km Initial time = 08:30 AM, Final time = 08:50 AM
Thus, Distance covered = Final reading of odometer – Initial reading of odometer
= 57336.0 km – 57321.0 km = 15 km
Total time taken = Final time – Initial time = 08:50 AM – 08:30 AM = 20 minute

Q6. Salma takes 15 minutes from her house to reach her school on a bicycle. If the bicycle
has a speed of 2 m/s, calculate the distance between her house and the school.
Ans: Given, Speed of the bicycle= 2 m/s Time taken by Salma to reach school from her
house = 15 minutes = 15 × 60 s = 900 s We know that speed = distance / time
Hence Distance = Speed × time = 2 m/s × 900 sec = 1800 m =1.8 km
Distance between Salma's house and school =1.8 km
Q7. Show the shape of the distance-time graph for the motion in the following cases: (i) A
car moving with a constant speed. (ii) A car parked on a side road.

Q8. Which of the following relations is correct?

(i) Speed = Distance × Time (ii) Speed = Distance/Time (iii) Speed = Time/Distance (iv)
Speed = 1/Distance × Time
Ans: (ii) Speed = Distance/Time
Q9. The basic unit of speed is: (i) km/min (ii) m/min (iii) km/h (iv) m/s
Ans: (iv) m/s
Q10. A car moves with a speed of 40 km/h for 15 minutes and then with a speed of 60 km/h
for the next 15 minutes.
The total distance covered by the car is: (i) 100 km (ii) 25 km (iii) 15 km (iv) 10 km
Ans: (ii) 25 km Explanation: Given, Speed for first 15 minute = 40km/h
Speed for next 15 minute = 60 km/h
We know that, Distance = Speed * Time Therefore, Distance covered in first 15 minute i.e.
0.25 hour = 40 km/h * 0.25 hour = 10 km
Distance covered in next 15 minute = 60 km/h * 0.25 hour = 15 km
Thus, total distance covered = 10 km + 15 km = 25 km Hence, Answer (ii) is correct
Q11. Suppose the two photographs, shown in Fig. 9.1 and Fig. 9.2, had been taken at an
interval of 10 seconds. If a distance of 100 metres is shown by 1 cm in these photographs,
calculate the speed of the fastest car.

Ans: First, measure the distance with the help of scale and then proceed as given below.
Suppose the distance measured by scale is 2cm.
Multiply 2 with 100 to get the actual distance = 2 × 100 = 200 m. (1cm = 100m)
Interval time between the photos taken = 10 s.
Speed of the blue car = 200/10 m/s = 20 m/s
Q12. Figure given here shows the distance-time graph for the motion of two vehicles A and
B. Which one of them is moving faster?
Ans: Vehicle A is moving faster which is evident from higher slope for distance time graph of
this vehicle; compared to that of the other vehicle.
Q13. Which of the following distance-time graphs shows a truck moving with speed which is
not constant?

Ans: (iii) The slope of the graph in this option is not a straight line and hence it does not
show a uniform motion.
Worksheet Solutions:
Q.1. True/False
(i) The basic unit of time is second. True
(ii) Every object moves with a constant speed. False
Objects do not always move at a constant speed. The speed of an object can change due to
various forces acting on it. Some objects may accelerate or decelerate, leading to varying
speeds.
(iii) Distances between two cities are measured in kilometers. True
(iv) The time period of a given pendulum is not constant. False
The time period of a simple pendulum is: Constant for a specific length. Not affected by the
mass of the bob. Remains the same regardless of slight changes in initial displacement.
(v) The speed of a train is expressed in m/h. False
The speed of a train is usually expressed in kilometres per hour (km/h), not in metres per
hour (m/h).
(vi) Clocks that measure such small time intervals are used for scientific research. True
Q.2. Fill in the blanks.
(i) The metallic ball is called the bob of the pendulum.
(ii) The symbols of all units are written in singular
(iii) The time taken by the pendulum to complete one oscillation is called its time period
(iv) One microsecond is one millionth of a second.
(v) A nanosecond is one billionth of a second.
(vi) The distance-time graph for the motion of an object moving with a constant speed is a
straight line
Q.3. Give an example of oscillatory motion.
The to and fro motion of a simple pendulum is a clear example of oscillatory motion.
Here’s a brief overview:
 A simple pendulum consists of a small weight, known as the bob, attached to a string
or thread.
 When the bob is pulled to one side and released, it swings back and forth around its
mean position.
 This back-and-forth movement is repeated in a regular pattern, making it a periodic
motion.
Q.4. What is uniform motion?
An object that moves in a straight line at a constant speed is described as being in uniform
motion. This means: The speed does not change over time. The distance covered is
proportional to the time taken. The motion can be represented by a straight line on a
distance-time graph.
Q.5. An object moving along a straight line with a constant speed is said to be in uniform
motion.

Vehicle A is moving faster. The speed of a vehicle is determined by the distance it covers in
a specific time frame.
Key points include: A vehicle that travels a greater distance in the same time interval has a
higher speed.
For example, if Vehicle A covers 100 metres in 5 seconds and Vehicle B covers 80 metres in
the same time, Vehicle A is faster. Speed can vary; the same vehicle may move faster or
slower at different times.
Q.6. Write down the steps to draw a graph.
Steps (i) Draw two perpendicular lines to represent the two axes and mark them as OX and
OY.
(ii) Decide the quantity to be shown along the x-axis and that to be shown along the y-axis.
(iii) Choose a scale to represent the distance and another to represent the time on the graph.
(iv) Mark values for the time and the distance on the respective axes according to the scale
you have chosen.
(v) Mark the points on the graph paper to represent each set of values for distance and time.
Join the points.
Q.7. What is distance-time graph?
A distance-time graph visually represents how far an object travels over time. Key points
include: It shows the speed of an object. A straight line indicates constant speed. If the line is
curved, the object's speed is changing.
Q.8. What is oscillatory motion?
The to and fro motion of an object is known as oscillatory motion.
Q.9. What is circular motion?
Circular motion refers to the movement of an object along a circular path. Key points include:
It involves a constant distance from a central point. The direction of the object continuously
changes. Examples include planets orbiting the Sun and a car turning around a curve.
Q.10. What is non-uniform motion?
Non-uniform motion occurs when an object's speed changes while moving along a straight
line. Key points include: The speed is not constant. Motion can vary from slow to fast. It
contrasts with uniform motion, where speed remains constant.
Q.11. What is the basic unit of speed? The basic unit of speed is the metre per second
(m/s).
Q.12. A simple pendulum takes 32 s to complete 20 oscillations. What is the time period of
the pendulum?
Number of oscillations = 20 Total time taken to complete 20 oscillations = 32 s
Time period = Total time taken/Number of oscillations = 32/20 = 1.6s
Q.13. When pendulum is said to have one complete oscillation?
The pendulum is said to have completed one oscillation when its bob, starting from its mean
position B, moves to A, to C and back to B.
Q.14. What are the points that should be considered while choosing the most suitable scale
for drawing a graph?
Some of the points to be kept in mind while choosing the most suitable scale for drawing a
graph are:
(i) the difference between the highest and the lowest values of each quantity.
(ii) the intermediate values of each quantity, so that with the scale chosen it is convenient to
mark the values on the graph, and
(iii) to utilise the maximum part of the paper on which the graph is to be drawn.
Q.15. Explain how in ancient time a day, a month and a year were measured?
Our ancestors observed that many natural events occur at regular intervals: The day was
defined as the time between one sunrise and the next. A month was measured from one
new moon to the next. A year was determined by the time it takes for the Earth to complete
one revolution around the sun.
Q.16. The distance between two stations is 240 km. A train takes 4 hours to cover this
distance. Calculate the speed of the train.?
Distance between two stations = 240 km Time taken to cover this distance = 4 hours
Speed = Distance/Time Taken = 240/4 = 60km/h
Q.17. Salma takes 15 minutes from her house to reach her school on a bicycle. If the bicycle
has a speed of 2 m/s, calculate the distance between her house and the school.
Time taken = 15 min = 15 x 60 = 900 seconds, Speed = 2 m/s
Distance = Speed x Time = 2 x 900 = 1800 m = 1800/1000 = 1.8 km
Q.18. What is the basic unit of time?
The basic unit of time is a second. Its symbol is s.
Q.19. What is speedometer?
A speedometer is a device that measures and displays the speed of a vehicle. It is
commonly found on the dashboards of cars, motorcycles, and scooters. The speed is usually
shown in kilometres per hour (km/h). Speedometers help drivers maintain safe speeds while
driving.
Q.20. What are quartz clocks?
Quartz clocks are timekeeping devices that use an electric circuit powered by one or more
cells. They are known for their high accuracy in measuring time. Quartz clocks have largely
replaced older clock technologies. The precision of quartz clocks is significantly better than
traditional clocks.
Q21. A bus travels 54 km in 90 minutes. The speed of the bus is (a) 0.6 m/s (b) 10 m/s (c)
5.4 m/s (d) 3.6 m/s
Ans: b Explanation: Speed = Distance / Time
Distance = 54km = 54 x1000 = 54000m Time = 90 minutes = 90×60= 5400s
Speed = 54000/5400 = 10 m/s
Q. 22. If we denote speed by S, the distance by D and time by T, the relationship between
these quantities is (a) S = D × T (b) T = S/D (c) S = 1/SxD (c) S = T/D
Ans: c Explanation: Option c) is the correction equation because Speed = Distance/Time
Q.23. Boojho walks to his school which is at a distance of 3 km from his home in 30 minutes.
On reaching he finds that the school is closed and comes back by bicycle with his friend and
reaches home in 20 minutes. His average speed in km/h is (a) 8.3 (b) 7.2 (c) 5 (d) 3.6
Ans: b Explanation:

Q.24. The average age of children in Class VII is 12 years and 3 months. Express this age in
seconds.
Ans: 12 years 3 months
= 12 × 365 + 3 × 30 = 4470 days
= 4470 × 24 × 60 × 60 s = 386208000 s
Q.25. A spaceship travels 36,000 km in one hour. Express its speed in km/s.

Q. 26. Distance between Bholu’s and Golu’s house is 9 km. Bholu has to attend Golu’s
birthday party at 7 o’clock. He started from his home at 6 o’clock on his bicycle and covered
a distance of 6 km in 40 minutes. At that point, he met Chintu and he spoke to him for 5
minutes and reached Golu’s birthday party at 7 o’clock. With what speed did he cover the
second part of the journey? Calculate his average speed for the entire journey. The speed
with which Bholu covered the second part of the journey
Ans:

HOTS Questions: Motion and Time

Q1: Paheli and Boojho have to cover different distances to reach their school but they take
the same time to reach the school. What can you say about their speed?
Ans: They do not have equal speed because they cover unequal distance in equal intervals
of time. One of them has higher speed whom has to cover larger distance with respect to
other.
Q2: If Boojho covers a certain distance in one hour and Paheli covers the same distance in
two hours, who travels with a higher speed?
Ans: Boojho travels with a higher speed as he has covered same distance in lesser time with
respect to Paheli.
Q3: If you did not have a clock, how would you decide what time of the day is?
Ans: We can decide time of the day without a clock by seeing the shadow formed by the
sun, e.g. at noon, the shadow formed by the sun is shorter than at evening.
Q4: The average age of children of class VII is 12 years and 3 months. Express this age in
second.
Ans: Given, the average age of children 12 years and 3 months
1 year = 365 days = 365 × 24 h [1 day = 24 h]
= 365 × 24 × 3600 s [1 h = 3600 s]
12 years = 31536000 s × 12 = 378432000 s
3 months = 30x3days = 30 × 3 × 24h = 30 × 3 × 24 × 3600s = 7776000s
So, total age in second = 378432000 + 7776000 = 386208000s
Q5: Plot a distance-time graph of the tip of the second hand of a clock by selecting 4 points
on X-axis and /-axis, respectively. The circumference of the circle traced by the second hand
is 64 cm.
Ans:

Important Points:
1 Motion: When an object changes its position with elapse of time in respect to a stationary
object, such as a building, electric pole, etc., the object is said to be in motion.
2 Slow and Fast Motion: If an object A covers more distance and object B covers less
distance in same time, then object A is called in Fast Motion and object B is called in
Slow Motion.
3 Rectilinear Motion: Motion along a straight line is known as RECTILINEAR MOTION OR
MOTION ALONG A STRAIGHT LINE.
4 Curvilinear Motion: Motion along a curve line is known as CURVILINEAR MOTION.
5 Circular Motion: Motion along a circle is known as CIRCULAR MOTION.
6 Speed: Distance covered by an object in unit time is called speed. This means Speed is
equal to Distance upon Time.
7 Uniform Speed: If an object covers a fixed distance in each unit of time the motion is
known as UNIFORM MOTION or UNIFORM SPEED.
8 Non-uniform Speed: If an object does not cover a fixed distance in each unit of time the
motion is known as NON-UNIFORM MOTION or NON-UNIFORM SPEED.
9 Average Speed: Total distance covered divided by total time taken is known as
AVERAGE SPEED.
10 Periodic Motion or Oscillatory Motion: When an object repeats its motion after every fixed
interval of time, the motion of the object is called PERIODIC MOTION OR
OSCILLATORY MOTION.
11 Oscillation: The motion of pendulum starting from one extreme end to another extreme
end and back to the first extreme end is called one oscillation.
12 Time Period: Time taken to complete one oscillation by the pendulum is called time
period.
13 Unit of Time: Time is measured in second.
14 Unit of speed: Unit of speed is meter/second (m/s).
15 Speedometer: A device used to measure the speed of a vehicle is called
SPEEDOMETER.
16 Odometer: A device used to measure the distance covered by a vehicle.
17 Distance time graph of a moving vehicle with a constant speed is a straight slanting
line. Speed-time graph for the same vehicle will be a straight line parallel to x-axis.
 Long answers:
Q1. Explain the concept of relative motion with one example. How does the observer’s frame
of reference affect the perception of motion?
Answer: Relative motion refers to the motion of an object as observed from the perspective
of another object or observer, called the frame of reference. The way an object’s motion
appears depends on the observer’s own position or movement.
For example, imagine two friends, A and B, sitting in a car moving at 40 km/h. To a person
standing on the road, both A and B are moving at 40 km/h. But to A inside the car, B
appears stationary because they are both moving at the same speed relative to the car. If
another car passes them at 50 km/h in the same direction, A will see it moving ahead at 10
km/h (50 km/h - 40 km/h). This shows how the same motion looks different depending on the
observer’s frame of reference.
The frame of reference affects motion perception because motion is always measured
relative to the observer. A stationary observer on the ground sees things differently than
someone moving in a vehicle, making relative motion a key concept in understanding how
motion is described in everyday life.
Q2. Briefly mention how many types of motion are there. Also, name all of them.
Ans: There are four primary types of motion, and they can be named as follows:
Translatory Motion: When an object moves along a straight or curved path (e.g., a car
moving on a road).
Rotatory Motion: When an object spins around a fixed axis (e.g., a spinning top).
Oscillatory Motion: When an object moves back and forth about a fixed point (e.g., a
pendulum).
Periodic Motion: When an object repeats its motion after a fixed interval of time (e.g., Earth
orbiting the Sun).
(Additionally, Rolling Motion is a combination of Translatory and Rotatory motion (e.g., a
wheel rolling on the ground)).
Q3. Anshika takes 15 minutes from her house to reach her school on bicycle the distance
between her house and the school.
Ans: Time taken = 15 min.
Speed = 2 m/s
Distance = Speed × time
= 15 × 60 × 2 = 1800 m
Thus, the distance between Anshika’s house and her school is 1800 m
Q4. State the difference between uniform motion and non-uniform motion