What does the slope of a displacement time graph represent

Use one of your three data tables to answer the questions.
Inclination = 2°

(9 points)
1. Compare the slope of the distance vs. time graph to the average of all your velocity values. Are they close? Why or why not? What does the slope of a distance (or displacement) vs. time graph mean? Explain the answer using your data and include your Distance vs. Time graph and a chart of distance, time, and average velocity.

Answer:

The slope of the distance vs. time graph is 0.46 and the average of all of the averages is 0.50. Those two values are close. The slope of a time vs. distance formula indicates the average velocity of the ball. The slope formula (y2 – y1)/(x2 – x1) is pretty much same as calculating change in displacement (y2 – y1) over change of time (x2 – x1) and this gives the average velocity. Those two values are close because the trend line indicates how the data points will continue to be and since it is drawn properly it gives an idea of what the velocity the ball will continue to move in.

Distance (m)

Average time (s)

Velocity (m/s)

0.5

0.89

0.56

1

2.01

0.5o

1.5

3.11

0.48

2

4.19

0.48

Average of the velocities : 0.50 m/s

DISTANCE VS TIME GRAPH CHANGE LAYOUT

(9 points)

2. Describe the line on the velocity-time graph. What was the slope of the velocity vs. time graph? What does the slope of a velocity vs. time graph represent? Explain the answer using your data. In doing so, compare and contrast speed and velocity. Include your velocity-time graph in your answer.

Answer:

The line on the velocity-time graph was a curved one since the velocity was decreasing as time increased. The slope has a negative value of -0.03. This slope represents the average acceleration of the ball. The slope was negative because the ball was decelerating and coming down to a stop as it approached the to 2m mark. Velocity and speed are different because speed is just a scalar quantity while velocity is a vector quantity that has magnitude and direction.