maia says that both lines on this position vs time graph show acceleration. is she correct? why or why not?
maia says that both lines on this position vs time graph show acceleration. is she correct? why or why not?
Answer
Explanation:
Step1: Recall the relationship between position - time graph and acceleration
Acceleration is the second - derivative of position with respect to time. A straight line on a position - time graph represents a constant velocity (zero acceleration) since the slope (which is velocity) is constant. A curved line on a position - time graph represents a changing velocity, which means non - zero acceleration.
Step2: Analyze the lines on the graph
The orange line is straight. So, the object represented by the orange line has a constant velocity and zero acceleration. The blue line is curved. So, the object represented by the blue line has a changing velocity and non - zero acceleration.
Answer:
No, Maia is not correct. The straight line represents constant velocity (zero acceleration) and only the curved line represents acceleration.