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What can be determined from a velocity-time graph?

1) Acceleration
2) Displacement
3) Velocity
4) All of the above

User Ernys
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1 Answer

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Final answer:

A velocity-time graph can reveal the acceleration (through its slope) and displacement (as the area under the graph). The slope of a distance vs. time graph indicates velocity, with a steeper slope showing higher speed. All these graphs in combination provide a comprehensive picture of a car's motion over time.

Step-by-step explanation:

From a velocity-time graph, one can determine several key attributes of an object's motion. The slope of the graph provides the acceleration; a positive slope indicates positive acceleration, whereas a negative slope indicates deceleration or negative acceleration. The area under the graph represents the displacement over a given time interval. If the velocity-time graph shows a horizontal line, the object is moving at a constant velocity. On the other hand, if the velocity increases or decreases steadily over time, the object is accelerating or decelerating accordingly.

Meanwhile, a distance vs. time graph with a straight line indicates constant velocity. A steeper slope on this graph would correspond to a higher velocity. To determine the acceleration from this graph, one would need to look at the curvature; if the graph curves upward, it indicates positive acceleration, and if it curves downward, it suggests negative acceleration or deceleration.

The motion of the car according to the three graphs - velocity-time, displacement-time, and acceleration-time - reflects the dynamic changes in its velocity and position over time. For example, a constant slope in the velocity-time graph would translate to a straight line with the same slope in the acceleration-time graph, indicating constant acceleration, and, correspondingly, a curved line in the displacement-time graph.

User Rxjmx
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