Weekly Summary:
This week, we looked at motion that does not have a constant velocity. We investigated this type of motion by performing the "Cart on a Ramp" lab. After discussing this lab and this type of motion, we looked at the different graphs that could be made to represent accelerated motion. The following conclusions were reached during the discussion:
This week, we looked at motion that does not have a constant velocity. We investigated this type of motion by performing the "Cart on a Ramp" lab. After discussing this lab and this type of motion, we looked at the different graphs that could be made to represent accelerated motion. The following conclusions were reached during the discussion:
- Position vs. time graphs for accelerated motion are curvy (quadratic) because the velocity is changing
- Velocity vs. time graphs for accelerated motion are linear because the velocity is changing at a constant rate
- The slope of the position vs. time graph represents the velocity, so looking at how the slope changes tells you how the velocity changes
- The slope of the position vs. time graph has a unit of m/s/s so it represents the acceleration
- Acceleration is the change in velocity of an object