Moving 2bMan 2

Acceleration vs. Time Graphing

Name: Morgan Wilkins

Go to http://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/moving-man and click on Run Now.
Objectives:
• To predict, sketch and test acceleration vs. time kinematics graphs
•

To review predicting and sketching distance vs. time and velocity vs. time kinematics graphs

PROCEDURE:
1. Begin by making charts like the one below for each of the following a-d
My Prediction / Actual Graph
a. The man walks slowly to the house from the origin.
Position –Time Graph

Explanation for graph’s appearance –after actually performing the activity.
As the man walks at a constant slow rate to the house, his direction is positive which is depicted on the graph.

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Velocity-Time Graph

Explanation for graph’s appearance - after actually performing the activity.
The constant slow rate of his movement keeps the velocity is a straight line from the start point.

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Acceleration –Time Graph

Explanation for graph’s appearance - after actually performing the activity.
There is no gain in acceleration because his velocity is constant and doesn’t change as he moves to the house so it is always at 0.

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b. The man is sleeping under the tree. When he wakes up he runs toward the house constantly speeding up as he goes.
Position –Time Graph

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Velocity-Time Graph

Explanation for graph’s appearance –after actually performing the activity.
Instead of starting at zero (where he was in
A), the man started at -8 under the tree. His speed was increasing at a constant rate so the graph shows him moving in a positive direction from the tree.

Explanation for graph’s appearance - after actually performing the activity.
Since he is speeding up at a constant rate, then his velocity is steadily increasing in a positive direction.

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Acceleration –Time Graph

Explanation for graph’s appearance - after actually performing the activity.
The acceleration