Final answer:
As the closed-loop poles of a control system travel along the root locus, the peak time decreases when the poles move closer to the imaginary axis, indicating a faster system response.
Step-by-step explanation:
As the closed-loop poles travel along the root locus, the peak time of the system's response will decrease. The peak time is inversely related to the imaginary part of the pole locations; therefore, as poles move closer to the imaginary axis the peak time will reduce because the system responds quicker (higher oscillation frequency). Conversely, as poles move away from the imaginary axis into the left half plane, the system becomes less oscillatory and peak time increases.