Position, Velocity, Acceleration

Graphs

PRACTICE PROBLEMS

SPS8. Students will determine relationships among

force, mass, and motion.
a. Calculate velocity and acceleration.
 Position Graphs

1. In which section(s) was the How can you tell about an

cart traveling at a constant objects VELOCITY from a
positive velocity? position graph?
2. In which section(s) was the
cart traveling at a constant
negative velocity?
3. In which section(s) was the
cart at rest?
4. In which section did the cart
maintain its greatest average
speed? How fast was it
traveling?
5. How can you tell when the
velocity is constant?
 Velocity Graphs

1. During which time interval(s)

did it travel in a positive How can you tell about an
object’s ACCELERATION
direction? from a velocity graph?
2. During which time interval(s)
did it travel in a negative
direction?
3. Describe the object’s
movement between 10 and 15
minutes?
4. What is the car’s acceleration
between 10 and 15 minutes?
5. When is the car experiencing
an acceleration (+ or -)? How
do you know?
 Position vs. Velocity Graphs
Position Graph: (distance)
 What does a flat, horizontal line
mean in terms of: Velocity?
Acceleration?
 What does it mean when the line
slopes: Up? Down?
 What is the difference between
the curved and straight sloped
lines in terms of velocity and
acceleration?
Velocity Graph (speed):
 What does a flat, horizontal line mean
in terms of: Position? Acceleration?
 What does it mean when the line
slopes: Up? Down?
 What is the difference between the
curved and straight sloped lines in
terms of acceleration?
 Acceleration Graphs

1. What does a flat, horizontal

line mean in terms of:
Velocity? Position?
2. What does zero
acceleration mean in terms
of: Velocity? Position?
3. How would you know from
an acceleration graph when
velocity is zero?
4. In terms of Newtons’ First
Law, what does an
acceleration graph tell you
about the forces acting on
an object?
Constant
Positive
Velocity
What is happening with
each graph?
•Position?

•Velocity?

•Acceleration? This object below moves with a constant velocity in the positive
direction.
What is the acceleration
•The dot diagram shows that each consecutive dot is the same
when the velocity is
distance apart (constant velocity).
constant?
•The position-time graph shows that the slope is both constant
Why is the position (constant velocity) and positive (positive velocity).
changing but the •The velocity-time graph shows a horizontal line with zero slope
velocity remains the (zero acceleration); the line is located in the positive region of
same? the graph (positive velocity).
•The acceleration-time graph shows a horizontal line at the zero
mark (zero acceleration).
Constant
Negative
Velocity
What is happening with
each graph?
•Position?

•Velocity?

•Acceleration?
This object below moves with a constant velocity in the negative
Why does the position direction.
graph slope downward? The dot diagram shows that each consecutive dot is the same
distance apart (constant velocity).
Why is the velocity The position-time graph shows that the slope is both constant
graph negative? (constant velocity) and negative (negative velocity).
The velocity-time graph shows a horizontal line with zero slope
Why is the acceleration (zero acceleration); the line is located in the negative region of the
graph at zero? graph (negative velocity).
The acceleration-time graph shows a horizontal line at the zero
mark (zero acceleration).
Positive
Velocity with
Positive
Acceleration
Is the object speeding up or
slowing down?

Is that positive or negative

acceleration?

What does the acceleration
graph show?
What does constant
acceleration tell you about
the objects velocity?
Why is the position line
curved upwards?
According to Newton’s First
Law, what do the graphs tell
you about the forces acting
on the object?
This object below moves in the positive direction with a changing velocity.
An object which moves in the positive direction has a positive velocity. If
the object is speeding up, then its acceleration vector is directed in the
same direction as its motion (in this case, a positive acceleration).
The dot diagram shows that each consecutive dot is not the same
distance apart (changing velocity).
The position-time graph shows that the slope is changing and positive
(changing, positive velocity).
The velocity-time graph shows a line with a positive (upward) slope
(positive acceleration); the line is located in the positive region of the
graph (corresponding to a positive velocity).
The acceleration-time graph shows a horizontal line in the positive
region of the graph (positive acceleration).
Positive
Velocity and
Negative
Acceleration
Is the object speeding up or
slowing down?

Is that positive or negative

velocity?

What does the acceleration
graph show?
What would happen to the
objects movement if the
object keeps moving at a
constant, negative velocity?
This object below moves in the positive direction with a changing velocity.
An object which moves in the positive direction has a positive velocity. If
the object is slowing down then its acceleration vector is directed in the
opposite direction as its motion (in this case, a negative acceleration).
The dot diagram shows that each consecutive dot is not the same
distance apart (changing velocity).
The position-time graph shows that the slope is changing positive

According to Newton’s (changing, positive velocity).

The velocity-time graph shows a line with a negative (downward) slope
First Law, what do the
graphs tell you about the (negative acceleration); the line is located in the positive region of the
graph (positive velocity).
forces acting on the object?
The acceleration-time graph shows a horizontal line in the negative
region of the graph (negative acceleration).
 Graph Practice

1. What is on the Y axis?

2. Describe how this object is
moving.
3. Does this object ever stop?
4. When is it moving slowest?
5. When is it moving fastest?
6. When does the object have a
constant velocity? How do
you know? (What does
constant velocity look like on
a position graph?)
7. What does this tell you about
the object’s acceleration?
 Graph Practice
1. What is on the Y axis?
2. Between what points is this object at
rest?
3. What is happening between points A
and B?
4. What is the object doing between
points C and D?
5. Between what points is acceleration
zero?
6. What happens to the object in terms of
Newton’s First Law and forces at each
point?
7. What would the position graph look
like for this object? Would the line
ever go backwards? If so, at what
points?
8. What would the acceleration graph
look like for this object?
 Graph Practice

1. Between what points is the

velocity constant?
2. At what point is the object at
rest?
3. In what direction (positive or
negative) is the object moving
between points 4 and 5?
4. Between what points does this
object move backwards?
5. Is the final position positive or
negative?
6. What is the final velocity? How
do you know?
7. What would a position graph
look like?
8. What would the velocity graph
look like?
 Assignments

1. C A R S I N G A R A G E – C L A S S A C T I V I T Y
2. S O N G : POSITION, VELOCITY,
ACCELERATION
3. VELOCITY & ACCELERATION - PRACTICE
& PROBLEM SOLVING WORKSHEETS
4. VELOCITY & ACCELERATION GIZMO
5. GRAPHING VELOCITY & ACCELERATION
PROBLEMS
6. READ TEXTBOOK – CHAPTER 9
Do problems on page 331 (Relax, there are only 6 of them!)
Graphing Activity: Cars in Garage