Science Forces & Motionusually ages 11–12

Relative Motion

Explain relative motion — how the apparent speed and direction of an object depends on the observer's own motion — using everyday examples such as trains and cars passing

How to tell they’ve got it

Tick these off as you see them — no test required.

Explains why a train moving at the same speed in the same direction as another appears stationary to passengers on that train
Calculates relative speed when two objects move towards or away from each other
Explains why the frame of reference matters when describing motion

🖨 Print this page to keep the checklist — it prints beautifully.

Try this together

If your child was on a train and another train passed going the same direction but faster, could they explain why it looks slow even if it's actually travelling at high speed?

Where this sits on the map

Stuck here? Check the skills it builds on first. Confident? Here’s what it unlocks.

Builds on

Speed & Distance-Time Graphsages 11–12Relative motion requires first being able to calculate and describe speed — without that foundation, comparing speeds of different observers is abstract

Relative Motionthis skill · ages 11–12

Unlocks

Nothing on the map depends on this yet.

solid = must come firstdashed = helps

Curriculum alignment

Candidate matches to official curriculum codes — machine-suggested, unreviewed (v0.1).

This skill sits outside the F–6 Australian Curriculum — no candidate code matched (v0.1). No NSW K–6 outcome code matched (v0.1). No Victorian Curriculum 2.0 code matched (v0.1).

Nearby on the map

Magnetic Fieldsages 11–12 Mass vs Weightages 11–12 Resultant Forcesages 11–12 Speed & Distance-Time Graphsages 11–12

All Forces & Motion skills →