Where Did Bill Go Wrong? Tips for Correctly Drawing Velocity vs. Time Graphs

In summary, Bill got his distance and acceleration graphs right but drew the incorrect velocity vs. time graph shown here. The graph represents the ball's acceleration and velocity over time. The ball is accelerating as it rolls down ramp A, once it reaches the bottom and begins horizontally rolling, its velocity is the same, not 0. So the flat horizontal line should not be along the x axis, but rather at the peak velocity, virtually connecting your two slopped lines. If you knew that and just looking for the answers of why bill made this mistake, there are many, and all just as relevant since no other information is given.
  • #1
Arlene87
7
0
i am trying to do my physics lab tutorial homework and i am confused about a question that asks..

bill got his distance and acceleration graph right but drew the incorrect velocity vs. time graph shown here.

velocity
|
| / | |\
| / | | \
|_ /__|______ |__\___>
time

((sorry for my crappy triangles lol))

1why.do you think bill made this mistake? what advice would you give him to help him avoid that mistake in the future? how could bill have realized that its wrong?

this is the link of the worksheet its on page 3 (HW2-3) question C.
http://panda.unm.edu/Courses/Saul/Physics1/Tutorials/02_V_and_A_Graph_Tutorial_HW.pdf
 
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  • #2
I'd suggest to Bill to use a better graphing program o_O

Seriously though :P What is the graph representing?
 
  • #3
lol sorry it didnt work out to well.. its suppose to be 2 triangles. i posted the link on the post so you can see the actual problem its on page 3.
 
  • #4
Ok that is much better :) Completely different than what I had originally imagined it, lol.

Ok, so the issue is, the ball is accelerating as it rolls down ramp A, once it reaches the bottom and begins horizontally rolling, its velocity is the same, not 0. Meaning the time between ramp A and ramp B, the velocity doesn't change, but the velocity isn't 0 either, or it would never get to ramp B. So the flat horizontal line should not be along the x axis, but rather at the peak velocity, virtually connecting your two slopped lines.

If you knew that and just looking for the answers of why bill made this mistake, there are many, and all just as relevant since no other information is given. But you could theorize that he assumed he confused the acceleration and velocity graphs, so since the ball is moving at a constant velocity, its acceleration is 0. I would advise Bill to better understand the differences between acceleration and velocity? Or maybe tell him to take more time in answering questions and think it through, since he got the above two graphs correct?

Opinion questions are the best, you could say it was because he was on crack and advise him to quit drugs.
 
  • #5
:biggrin: you are the best! THANKS! LOL
 

Related to Where Did Bill Go Wrong? Tips for Correctly Drawing Velocity vs. Time Graphs

1. What is a velocity vs. time graph?

A velocity vs. time graph is a visual representation of an object's velocity over a period of time. The horizontal axis represents time, and the vertical axis represents velocity. This type of graph is often used to analyze an object's acceleration or deceleration.

2. How do I interpret a velocity vs. time graph?

To interpret a velocity vs. time graph, you can look at the slope of the line. A positive slope indicates that the object is accelerating, while a negative slope indicates that the object is decelerating. A flat line indicates that the object is moving at a constant velocity. Additionally, the steeper the slope, the greater the acceleration or deceleration of the object.

3. What does a curve on a velocity vs. time graph mean?

A curve on a velocity vs. time graph indicates that the object's velocity is changing at a non-uniform rate. This could mean that the object is accelerating or decelerating at a varying rate, or it could be a result of the object changing direction.

4. How is a velocity vs. time graph related to a position vs. time graph?

A velocity vs. time graph is related to a position vs. time graph by the derivative of the position function. In other words, the slope of a position vs. time graph represents the object's velocity, and the slope of a velocity vs. time graph represents the object's acceleration.

5. Can a velocity vs. time graph be used to determine an object's displacement?

No, a velocity vs. time graph cannot directly determine an object's displacement. However, by finding the area under the curve on a velocity vs. time graph, you can determine the object's displacement. This is because the area under the curve represents the object's change in position over a given time interval.

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