Physics
State how the velocity-time graph can be used to find —
(i) the acceleration of a body,
(ii) the distance travelled by the body in a given time, and
(iii) the displacement of the body in a given time.
Answer
(i) Acceleration of a body — As acceleration is equal to the ratio of change in velocity and time taken, therefore, the slope ( or gradient ) of the velocity-time graph gives the acceleration.
(ii) Distance travelled by the body in a given time — The total distance travelled by the body is obtained by the arithmetic sum of the positive displacement and negative displacement (without sign).
(iii) Displacement of the body — As the product of velocity and time gives the displacement, therefore, the area enclosed between the velocity-time sketch and X - axis (i.e., the time axis) gives the displacement of the body.
The total displacement is obtained by adding positive displacement and negative displacement numerically with proper sign.
Related Questions
The figure shows displacement-time graph of two vehicles A and B moving along a straight road. Which vehicle is moving faster? Give reason.
Can displacement-time sketch be parallel to the displacement axis ? Give reason to your answer.
What can you say about the nature of motion of a body if its displacement-time graph is —
(a) a straight line parallel to time axis?
(b) a straight line inclined to the time axis with an acute angle?
(c) a straight line inclined to the time axis with an obtuse angle?
(d) a curve
Draw a displacement-time graph for a boy going to school with a uniform velocity.