Mission KG5: Basics of Velocity-Time Graphs

Mission KG5 focuses on the basic ideas associated with graphs of velocity vs. time. You must relate a verbal description of a graph's slope to a verbal description of the motion. The mission consists of 40 questions organized into 10 Question Groups. You must answer one question from each Question Group to complete the mission. The learning outcomes for this mission are ...
 

Learning Outcomes

• The student should be able to identify the physical significance of the slope and the area for a velocity-time graph.
• The student should be able to match a verbal description of a given motion to the corresponding shape of a velocity-time graph.

 

Launch Mission KG5

 

Getting Help

If you are not familiar with this topic, then you should first learn about the topic using our written Tutorial or our Video Tutorial:

The Physics Classroom, One-Dimensional Kinematics Unit, Lesson 4, Part a

• What is the relationship between the slope of a velocity-time graph and the motion of an object?
• What is the relationship between the area of the line under a velocity-time plot and the motion of an object?
• How can one tell from a velocity-time graph that an object is moving with an acceleration (and a constant acceleration)?
• How can one tell from a velocity-time graph that an object is moving with a constant velocity (i.e., zero acceleration)?
• How can one tell from a velocity-time graph that an object is moving with a positive acceleration?
• How can one tell from a velocity-time graph that an object is moving with a negative acceleration?
• How can one tell from a velocity-time graph that an object is moving with a large acceleration?
• How can one tell from a velocity-time graph that an object is moving with a small

 

Video Tutorials:

Velocity-Time Graphs: Constant Speed Motion

 

Velocity-Time Graphs: Changing Speed Motion

 

 

Question-Specific Help

Each Question Group has its own Help page with information specific to the question. You can access the Help page from within the mission by tapping on the Help Me! icon (textbook). For your convenience, links to those pages are provided below: