Question

A particle is moving on the x-axis, and the position of the particle at time t is given by x(t), whose graph is given above. Which of the following is the best estimate for the speed of the particle at time t=4 ?

A) 0
B) 5
C) 20/3
D) 20

Answer 1

The best estimate for the speed of the particle at (t = 4) is 5 (Option B).

Step-by-step explanation:

To estimate the speed of the particle at (t = 4), we look at the slope of the position vs. time graph at that point. The speed of a particle is given by the magnitude of the instantaneous velocity.

In the given graph, the slope at (t = 4) is the same as the magnitude of the velocity. By examining the graph, we can see that the slope is positive, and its magnitude is equal to the speed.

Since the slope is approximately 5, the best estimate for the speed of the particle at (t = 4) is 5, corresponding to Option B.