Sign of Area Under Velocity v. Time Graph: Help Me!

  • Thread starter bigbasherboy
  • Start date
In summary, the sign of the area under a velocity v. time graph (displacement) represents the direction of movement, with positive area indicating movement in the positive direction and negative area indicating movement in the negative direction. The sign of the area under an acceleration v. time graph (change in speed) represents whether the speed has increased or decreased, with positive area indicating an increase in speed and negative area indicating a decrease in speed.
  • #1
bigbasherboy
3
0
:confused: what is the physical meaning of the sign of the area under a velocity v. time graph (displacement) ??

what is the physical meaning of the sign of the area under a acceleration
v. time graph (velocity) ??

:confused:
please help me
 
Last edited:
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  • #2
I'm not quite sure what you mean: area is always positive. Assuming you mean "signed" area (a bit of a strange terminology), the area under the velocity v time graph is "displacement"- distance moved. If that is positive, then you have moved in the positive direction, if negative you have moved in the negative direction.

"Area" under the acceleration v time graph is change in speed. If that is positive, speed has increased, if negative, speed has decreased.
 
  • #3
ok i see, but let's say we have negitive displacement, does that mean the "area" would be graphed below the x-axis on a graph ?
 
  • #4
bigbasherboy said:
ok i see, but let's say we have negitive displacement, does that mean the "area" would be graphed below the x-axis on a graph ?
Yes, because velocity "v" would be negative ("under the x-axis"), and the integral would yield a negative value (or "area") for displacement.


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1. What is the sign of the area under a velocity vs. time graph?

The sign of the area under a velocity vs. time graph represents the direction of the motion. If the area is above the x-axis, the object is moving in the positive direction. If the area is below the x-axis, the object is moving in the negative direction.

2. How is the sign of the area determined?

The sign of the area is determined by the direction of the velocity and the shape of the graph. If the velocity is positive and the graph is above the x-axis, the area will be positive. If the velocity is negative and the graph is below the x-axis, the area will be negative.

3. Can the sign of the area change on a velocity vs. time graph?

Yes, the sign of the area can change on a velocity vs. time graph. This can happen if the direction of the motion changes. For example, if an object is initially moving in the positive direction, the area will be positive. But if the object changes direction and starts moving in the negative direction, the area will become negative.

4. What is the significance of the sign of the area under a velocity vs. time graph?

The sign of the area under a velocity vs. time graph can tell us about the direction of an object's motion and whether it is speeding up or slowing down. It can also be used to calculate the displacement of an object.

5. How can understanding the sign of the area under a velocity vs. time graph be useful?

Understanding the sign of the area under a velocity vs. time graph is useful in analyzing an object's motion and predicting its future path. It can also be used to calculate important quantities such as displacement, velocity, and acceleration.

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