Physics - Graphical Analysis of Motion

Site hosted by Angelfire.com: Build your free website today!

Main Desktop

Lessons Desktop

Review Desktop

Lab Desktop

Chart Desktop

Graphical Analysis of Motion

Interpreting graphs gives us important information.

	If the object does not move, the distance from the reference point does not change.
	A constant velocity will have a straight line. The slope of the line is the velocity.
	A constant acceleration will create a curved line. The slope at any given point is the velocity at that instant.
	The blue line represents the graph of velocity vs time with a constant acceleration starting from rest. The slope of the line is the acceleration. The area under the blue line is the displacement. area = 1/2 at² ( a = vt )
	The blue line represents the graph of velocity vs time with a constant acceleration with an initial velocity. The slope of the line is the acceleration. The area under the blue line is the displacement. The green lines help us develop the equation. The rectangular box has an area = v_o t The triangle has an area = 1/2 at² ( a = vt ) X = v_ot + 1/2 at²
	The blue line represents the graph of velocity vs time with a constant deceleration with an initial velocity. The slope of the line is the deceleration. The area under the blue line is the displacement. The green lines help us develop the equation. The rectangular box has an area = v_o t The triangle has an area = 1/2 at² ( a = vt ) X = v_ot - 1/2 at² Equation can be written as X = v_ot + 1/2 at² if you enter a negative value for a.
	This is the graph of velocity vs time if the acceleration is not constant. Observe that the slope, acceleration, is not the same at all points. The blue lines are the tangents at different points. Calculus can give us both the slope and the area. The derivative of the equation is the slope. The integral of the equation is the area.