Question

Q1) What is the main difference in position-time graphs between moving at constant speed and moving with changing speed?

Q2) What is the main difference in velocity-time graphs between moving at constant speed and moving with changing speed?

Q3) What is the main difference in acceleration-time graphs between moving at constant speed and moving with changing speed?

Q4) What is the sign of the acceleration when speeding up and moving in the positive direction?

Q5) What is the sign of the acceleration when speeding up and moving in the negative direction?

Q6) What is the sign of the acceleration when slowing down while moving in the positive direction?

Q7) What is the sign of the acceleration when slowing down while moving in the negative direction?

Answer 1

Q1] For the constant speed, the position-time graph gives a straight line with a constant slope (positive or negative) whereas for a changing speed case, the position-time graph gives a curve for the motion instead of a straight line.

Q2] For the constant speed, the velocity-time graph gives a horizontal line of zero slope whereas for a changing speed case, the graph is a straight line with constant slope (acceleration or deceleration).

Q3] When the object is moving with constant speed, the acceleration is zero and so the acceleration vs time graph will be along x axis whereas for the changing speed case, the graph will be a horizontal line.

Q4] When speeding up, the velocity increases with time and so acceleration is positive in nature.