Name ______ _____ Acceleration vs.

Time Graphing
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
PROC!"R:
1. Begin y making charts like the one elow !or each o! the !ollowing a-d
a. The man walks slowly to the house !rom the origin. PR!#CT#ON " ACT"A$
#osition $Time Graph

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%&planation:
The man moves towards the house at a slow
constant rate. The movement is constant and
in a positive direction, gaining displacement
with time. The graph depicts this with a
steady upward moving slope.
'elocity-Time Graph

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%&planation:
The velocity remains constant throughout the
movement, so it is graphed as a straight line
along the &-a&is (time) ecause the velocity is
not increasing or decreasing.
*cceleration $Time Graph
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%&planation:
The acceleration is +ero throughout the
movement, ecause velocity is constant and
unchanging. This graph is a straight line
along the &-a&is ecause acceleration is +ero.
. The man is sleeping under the tree. ,hen he wakes up he runs toward the house constantly
speeding up as he goes. PR!#CT#ON " ACT"A$
#osition $Time Graph

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%&planation:
This scenario is very similar to scenario *.
This graph, however, egins at (-, -.) along
the y-a&is (position) ecause the man is
sleeping under the tree, which is negative.
*gain, the man moves at a constant pace to
the house, and this graph shows this
displacement.
'elocity-Time Graph

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%&planation:
There is no change in speed, so the graph is
again a straight line like in scenario *. /t
remains constant at which the velocity egan.
*cceleration $Time Graph
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%&planation:
0ue to the constant velocity, again,
acceleration is +ero and the graph !orms a
straight line along the &-a&is.
c. The man steps outside the house pausing to lock the door. 1e then walks 2uickly !or 3
meters then immediately slows down and walks the rest o! the way at this slow pace to
the tree. PR!#CT#ON " ACT"A$
#osition $Time Graph
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%&planation:
The man moved 2uickly !or three meters, so
the graph shows this change in displacement
with the steep negative slope in the graph. /t
ecomes less severe when the man slows
down. The line is straight again a!ter the !irst
steep ecause the man is traveling at a
constant speed. 4nlike scenarios * 5 B, this
line is sloping negative ecause he is
traveling in the opposite direction, ack
towards the tree.
'elocity-Time Graph

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%&planation:
The man is walking in the opposite direction,
so the graph starts out negative. The line
moves closer to the &-a&is ecause his
velocity decreased and then continued on a
straight line path until reaching the tree.
*cceleration $Time Graph
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%&planation:
The acceleration starts out at +ero, ut when
the man increases his speed the 6ump on the
graph occurs. /t returns to the &-a&is when his
speed again ecomes constant, returning the
acceleration to +ero once again.
d. The man walks steadily toward the tree, stops to pick up a lea!, turns and walks steadily
toward the house slowing to a stop e!ore he arrives. PR!#CT#ON " ACT"A$
#osition $Time Graph

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%&planation:
The scenario does not speci!ically state when
the man egins his walk towards the tree, so /
assumed he egan the walk at the origin. The
slope egins negative ecause he is heading
ack towards the tree, then reverses and
egins to slope upwards as he passes the
origin once again and continues towards the
house.
'elocity-Time Graph

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%&planation:
The velocity only changes signs in this
scenario. Because the man is walking !rom
the origin negatively towards the tree, the
line egins elow the &-a&is. ,hen he turns
around, the line shi!ts and moves in a positive
direction aove the &-a&is.
*cceleration $Time Graph
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%&planation:
The acceleration is +ero until the man comes
to a stop. ,hen he turns and egins to walk
again, the 6ump occurs. *!ter the 6ump,
acceleration returns to +ero ecause the
velocity remains the same until he arrives at
the house.
7. 4se 89'/:G 8*: to veri!y or correct your predicted graph with a di!!erent
colored pen.
3. %&plain the reasoning !or each graph.
;. ,rite an acceleration scenario, sketch the d-t, v-t, and a-t graphs !or the story in red
pen, then veri!y or correct your prediction in a di!!erent color pen.
*cceleration <cenario: The man leaves the house. 1e walks !ive meters at a slow pace. 1e
reali+es he !orgot something, 2uickly turns around and sprints ack to the house. *!ter
gathering what he needs he walks slowly to the origin. PR!#CT#ON " ACT"A$
#osition $Time Graph %&planation:
The line egins sloping negatively towards

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the origin, ecause it is negative compared to
the house. ,hen the man turns to run ack
towards the house, there is a steep positive
incline. 4pon turning ack around and
heading toward the origin the line slopes
negatively once again.
'elocity-Time Graph

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%&planation:
The velocity egins negative and constant
ecause the man is heading towards the
origin. ,hen he turns around, there is a sharp
increase in the positive direction ecause he
2uickly sprints ack towards the house in the
opposite direction. /t then returns to its
negative constant state when he returns to his
slow pace on his walk ack to the origin.
*cceleration $Time Graph
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%&planation:
The acceleration egins at +ero ecause there
velocity is constant, leaving no room !or
change in acceleration. ,hen the man comes
to a stop and runs ack towards the house,
the !irst positive 6ump occurs. ,hen the man
turns around and heads ack towards the
origin, the second 6ump occurs, this time,
however, it is negative ecause the man is
!acing the opposite direction.