Vertical lines on postion vs. time graphs.

[aclark609]

I understand how position vs. time diagrams can give velocity. If the line is flat then the velocity is zero (the particle is still), and all the other basic things I need to know, but what if the line was vertical? The slope would be undefined; therefore, velocity would be undefined. In other words, could a particle jump from one position to another in no time? Perhaps the speed changes too sharply for the units on the graph?

 

[zhangwfjh]

That can't be possible in special relativity which says the speed cannot exceed speed of light c, irrelevant to the unit of graph

 

[namanjain]

no graph as such exist (until you see it 100 years later in some inter nuclear motion of those subatomic particles:TO BE DISCOVERED)

 

[aclark609]

Thanks guys. One more thing I'm kind of confused about. If an object is slowing down in the negative x direction, then I would assume the acceleration would be positive, correct? I assume this because an object slowing down in the positive direction would have a negative acceleration.

 

[aclark609]

Then again, If deltaV/deltaT = a, then the answer would be just the opposite.