A velocity-time graph provides crucial information about an object’s motion. From such a graph, you can determine several key aspects:
- Velocity: The vertical axis typically represents velocity, while the horizontal axis represents time. By reading the graph, you can easily find the object’s velocity at any given point in time.
- Acceleration: The slope of the line on a velocity-time graph indicates acceleration. If the line is straight, the acceleration is constant. A steeper slope means greater acceleration. If the line slopes downward, it shows deceleration.
- Displacement: The area under the curve represents displacement. By calculating the area between the graph line and the time axis, you can find out how far the object has moved during that time interval.
To determine this information:
- Identify the points on the graph to read the velocity at specific times.
- Calculate the slope between two points to find the acceleration.
- Use geometric formulas to compute the area under the curve for displacement. For example, for a rectangle, use width multiplied by height; for a triangle, use 0.5 times base times height.
In summary, a velocity-time graph is a powerful tool for analyzing motion, providing insights into velocity, acceleration, and displacement through simple visual interpretation and calculations.