What does the area under a distance vs time graph represent?

In summary, the conversation discusses the concept of absement and its relationship to the area under a distance vs time graph. The units for absement are length x distance and it is a high order derivative of position. Applications of absement are also briefly mentioned.
  • #1
BlackWyvern
105
0
What does the area under a distance vs time graph represent?

The units would be ms. Other than that, I have no idea. Thanks.
 
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  • #2
I just found that there is a thing called Absement, which may very well be what I'm looking at. It's units are length x distance.
 
  • #3
BlackWyvern said:
I just found that there is a thing called Absement, which may very well be what I'm looking at. It's units are length x distance.

Let us know what you find if anything. I was thinking of the same thing last night.

Casey
 
  • #4
  • #5
There's a small bit of an article on wikipedia that talks about high order derivatives of position (jerk, crackle, pop), and low order derivatives (high order integrals) (absement, absity,abserk).

Some applications of absement seem interesting.
 
  • #6
Look at the chart of derivatives! It goes even farther than the -1th!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derivatives_of_displacement#Absement_versus_presement

Edit: Holy Simultaneous Triple Reply Batman!
 
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  • #7
Yeah, that's where I found the term, completely by accident as searching for 'area under displacement time curve' was generally finding the string "area under velocity time curve is displacement".

Still is a little confusing to me though.
 

1. What is the area under a distance vs time graph?

The area under a distance vs time graph represents the total displacement or distance traveled by an object. It is measured in units of distance squared, such as meters squared or kilometers squared.

2. How is the area under a distance vs time graph calculated?

The area under a distance vs time graph can be calculated by dividing the graph into smaller shapes, such as rectangles or triangles, and then adding up the areas of each shape. Alternatively, it can also be calculated using calculus by finding the integral of the function representing the distance vs time relationship.

3. Does the area under a distance vs time graph have any physical significance?

Yes, the area under a distance vs time graph has physical significance as it represents the displacement or distance traveled by an object. It can also provide information about the speed and acceleration of the object.

4. Can the area under a distance vs time graph be negative?

No, the area under a distance vs time graph cannot be negative as it represents a physical quantity (distance) and cannot have a negative value. However, the graph itself can have negative values on the y-axis, which would indicate a change in direction of the object's motion.

5. What does a negative area under a distance vs time graph indicate?

A negative area under a distance vs time graph indicates that the object has changed direction and is now moving in the opposite direction. This can be seen as a decrease in distance traveled on the graph.

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