Basic Graphs help in physics, Should be easy for people

  • Thread starter Thread starter shemer77
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Graphs Physics
Click For Summary
SUMMARY

This discussion focuses on fundamental concepts related to velocity, acceleration, and displacement graphs in physics. Key points include the definition of units for a velocity vs. time graph, which can be expressed in feet per second or meters per second, and the understanding that an object moving at constant speed has zero acceleration. The conversation also emphasizes the importance of calculating instantaneous velocities using tangent lines and interpreting the slopes of various graphs, such as displacement vs. time and velocity vs. time graphs.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of basic physics concepts such as velocity, acceleration, and displacement.
  • Familiarity with graph interpretation, particularly in the context of motion.
  • Knowledge of how to calculate slopes and areas under curves in graphs.
  • Ability to use tangent lines to determine instantaneous velocities.
NEXT STEPS
  • Study the relationship between acceleration and velocity in motion graphs.
  • Learn how to derive equations of motion from displacement vs. time graphs.
  • Explore the significance of the area under the velocity vs. time graph in determining displacement.
  • Investigate the implications of slope in acceleration vs. time graphs.
USEFUL FOR

Students studying physics, educators teaching motion concepts, and anyone seeking to improve their understanding of graphing techniques in kinematics.

shemer77
Messages
96
Reaction score
0
Hello, I need some help with some questions b/c I have been out sick and I am still sick and have missed all this info and my teacher emailed me my homework, so can you please help me I would really appreciate it, I have skipped most of the problems, I just need help with these!

Homework Statement


1.What are the units of a velocity vs time graph? " What does it mean units"
2.On the graph below draw the acceleration vs time graph for the object moving at a constant speed. " Would it be a graph just with a horizontal line?"
3. There is a graph of DISPLACEMENT vs time for an object with constant acceleration. The line on the graph is curving upward. What does this d v t graph tell us about the speed?
4. Find the instantaneous velocities at each second using the graph below the tangent lines are draw in
http://img247.imageshack.us/img247/4738/number9wl1.th.gif
5. Use the instantaneous velocities from number 4 draw a v v t graph remembering to label your axes. Calculate the slope of the line. What does this slope represent?
6. Draw an acceleration vs time graph, remembering to label your axes
7. What does the slope of the d v t graph tell you?
8. What does the slope of the v v t graph tell you?
9. Find the area underneath the v v t curve below. What is the length of the base? What is the height? Calculate the area?
http://img292.imageshack.us/img292/9514/number15graphpu9.th.gif
10. What do the units indicate the area under a v v t graph show us?
11. What do you think the area under the a v t graph graph represents?

Thanks for all your help, I really really appreciate this!
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Physics news on Phys.org
shemer77 said:
Hello, I need some help with some questions b/c I have been out sick and I am still sick and have missed all this info and my teacher emailed me my homework, so can you please help me I would really appreciate it, I have skipped most of the problems, I just need help with these!

Homework Statement


1.What are the units of a velocity vs time graph? " What does it mean units"
"units" are things like feet, meters, hours, sec. In other words "unit of measurement". Velocity might be measured in "ft/sec" or "miles/hour" or "meters/sec".

2.On the graph below draw the acceleration vs time graph for the object moving at a constant speed. " Would it be a graph just with a horizontal line?"[./quote]
More than that: an object moving at a constant speed has 0 acceleration!

3. There is a graph of DISPLACEMENT vs time for an object with constant acceleration. The line on the graph is curving upward. What does this d v t graph tell us about the speed?
What do you think? Remember this is an object with constant acceleration. What happens to the speed in that case?

4. Find the instantaneous velocities at each second using the graph below the tangent lines are draw in
http://img247.imageshack.us/img247/4738/number9wl1.th.gif
The velocity at each instant is the slope of the tangent line.

5. Use the instantaneous velocities from number 4 draw a v v t graph remembering to label your axes. Calculate the slope of the line. What does this slope represent?
6. Draw an acceleration vs time graph, remembering to label your axes
7. What does the slope of the d v t graph tell you?
8. What does the slope of the v v t graph tell you?
9. Find the area underneath the v v t curve below. What is the length of the base? What is the height? Calculate the area?
http://img292.imageshack.us/img292/9514/number15graphpu9.th.gif
10. What do the units indicate the area under a v v t graph show us?
Remember question 1? On one axis velocity is given by "distance/ time" and the other axis is just time. You find the area of a rectangle by multiplying "height times width" so here you are multiplying "distance/time" and "time". What does that give you?

11. What do you think the area under the a v t graph graph represents?

Thanks for all your help, I really really appreciate this!

It order to get help you are going to have to TRY yourself.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
hey for number 4 i got 2 for all of them is that possible?
 
shemer77 said:
hey for number 4 i got 2 for all of them is that possible?

Since Those lines are not parallel, they do not have the same slope. No, they should not all be the same.
How about showing how you got that?
 
forget that question I have another one,
I actually have 2,
1. Is there a way for me to contact you realtime?
2. I have a graph that looks like this on a d v t graph and I need to then make a v v t graph and a a v t graph from it. My headache is killing me and this is getting really tough without vomiting :(. Here is a pic of the d v t graph
http://img257.imageshack.us/img257/2029/dvtgraphyk9.gif
 
Last edited by a moderator:

Similar threads

Understanding Distance and Displacement on Velocity-Time Graphs
  • · Replies 25 ·
Replies
25
Views
2K
Experimentally calculating the acceleration due to gravity
  • · Replies 13 ·
Replies
13
Views
3K
Slope of Force vs Frequency^2 and Radius vs Period^2 Graphs
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
8K
A child rolls a marble....Plot graphs etc.
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
6K
Finding the Magnetic Field (B_0) on a Graph [NMR]
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
2K
Position-time graph/velocity graph help
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
2K
Undergrad Units of a vector in a velocity vs time graph?
  • · Replies 13 ·
Replies
13
Views
2K
Gradients of Graphs with and without Rates of Change
  • · Replies 19 ·
Replies
19
Views
2K
What is the relationship between x-t and v-t graph?
  • · Replies 7 ·
Replies
7
Views
3K
High School Kinematic equations ##\textbf{purely}## from graphs
  • · Replies 49 ·
2
Replies
49
Views
4K