Velocity vs Time Graphs
Now that you know about how to find the velocity on a position versus time graph and how to recognize the patterns on them. Now we will look at a velocity vs time graph.
Acceleration Reminder
Slope of a Velocity vs Time Graph
Slope on a Velocity
The slope of the line on a velocity-time graph tells us about the acceleration of the object. Three things can happen.
- If the acceleration is zero, then the slope is zero (i.e., a horizontal line).
- If the acceleration is positive, then the slope is positive (i.e., an upward sloping line).
- If the acceleration is negative, then the slope is negative (i.e., a downward sloping line).
Examples
More Complex Graphs
You can use the same way to determine the velocity at different sections of the graph. You can also get an overall acceleration.
Positive and Negative Slopes
Positive Slope on Distance vs Time Graph
Moving Forward |
Negative Slope on a Distance vs Time Graph
Moving Backwards |
Other Links
Practice
http://dev.physicslab.org/Document.aspx?doctype=5&filename=Kinematics_ConstantVelocityPositionTimeGraphs1.xml
http://dev.physicslab.org/Document.aspx?doctype=5&filename=Kinematics_ConstantVelocityPositionTimeGraphs2.xml
http://dev.physicslab.org/Document.aspx?doctype=5&filename=Kinematics_ConstantVelocityPositionTimeGraphs2.xml
Main Ideas
- Velocity vs Time Graph show time on the horizontal axis and velocity on the vertical axis.
Images from physicsclassroom.com