Can you help me interpret the motion of the following position-time graph?

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Can you help me interpret the motion of the following position-time graph?

I want to interpret the motion of each slope in this p-t graph. For example, considering that the position is in (m) [N], I would say that the first slope represents an object moving [N] at a constant velocity. But, how would I interpret slopes that go are situated below the x-axis?

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Answer 1 · 2016-10-19T23:12:15

As we see in the given graph, there are eight time segments
1. $t = 0$ $t=0$ to $t = 2$ $t=2$ .
We see that slope of the line is given by $\frac{2 m}{2 s} = 1 m s^{- 1}$ $(2m)/(2s)=1ms^-1$ .
Implies that the object is moving in the positive direction with a constant velocity of $1 m s^{- 1}$ $1ms^-1$ .
2. $t = 2$ $t=2$ to $t = 6$ $t=6$ .
We see that slope of the line is given by $\frac{2 m}{4 s} = 0.5 m s^{- 1}$ $(2m)/(4s)=0.5ms^-1$ .
Implies that the object is moving in the positive direction with a constant velocity of $0.5 m s^{- 1}$ $0.5ms^-1$ .
3. $t = 6$ $t=6$ to $t = 8$ $t=8$ .
We see that slope of the line is given by $\frac{0 m}{2 s} = 0 m s^{- 1}$ $(0m)/(2s)=0ms^-1$ .
Implies that the object is stationary
4. $t = 8$ $t=8$ to $t = 12$ $t=12$ .
We see that slope of the line is given by $\frac{- 8 m}{4 s} = - 2 m s^{- 1}$ $(-8m)/(4s)=-2ms^-1$ .
Implies that the object is moving in the negative direction with a constant velocity of $2 m s^{- 1}$ $2ms^-1$ .
5. $t = 12$ $t=12$ to $t = 14$ $t=14$ .
We see that slope of the line is same as in step 3.
The object is stationary.
6. $t = 14$ $t=14$ to $t = 16$ $t=16$ .
We see that slope of the line is given by $\frac{2 m}{2 s} = 1 m s^{- 1}$ $(2m)/(2s)=1ms^-1$ .
Implies that the object is moving in the positive direction with a constant velocity of $1 m s^{- 1}$ $1ms^-1$ .
7. $t = 16$ $t=16$ to $t = 18$ $t=18$ .
We see that slope of the line is given by $\frac{4 m}{2 s} = 2 m s^{- 1}$ $(4m)/(2s)=2ms^-1$ .
Implies that the object is moving in the positive direction with a constant velocity of $2 m s^{- 1}$ $2ms^-1$ .
8. $t = 18$ $t=18$ to $t = 20$ $t=20$ .
We see that slope of the line is same as in steps 3 and 5.
The object is stationary.

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Can you help me interpret the motion of the following position-time graph?

I want to interpret the motion of each slope in this p-t graph. For example, considering that the position is in (m) [N], I would say that the first slope represents an object moving [N] at a constant velocity. But, how would I interpret slopes that go are situated below the x-axis?

1 Answer

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