Kinematic Graphing - Mission KG3 Detailed Help

The motions of five objects - A, B, C, D, and E - are represented by lines on a position-time graph. Write the letter for the object that is moving and moving with the smallest constant velocity (consider absolute value only).



 
Position-Time Graphs:
Position versus time graphs represent changes that occur in an object's position with respect to time. The slope of the line is the velocity (change in position divided by the change in time) of the object.


 
The slope of the line on this p-t graph represents the velocity of the object (see Physics Rules section). The velocity can be thought of as a speed with a direction. You are to find the object that is moving with the smallest constant speed. The fact that you are looking for a moving object rules out all objects that are at rest. Thus, there is no need to consider the horizontal lines since that indicate objects that are not  moving. The fact that you are looking for a constant speed rules out all objects that are accelerating. Thus, there is no need to consider the curved lines since they have changing slopes to indicate changing speeds. You are looking for the straight diagonal line that has the smallest slope - either upward or downward. To answer this question, eyeball the graph to determine the line that is straight and sloped the least (but not horizontal).



 

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