Graphing One-Dimensional Motion

A ball is travelling in the closed oval shown, with varying speed (plotted below the animation). The velocity (green) and acceleration (blue) vectors are shown for the ball.

1. What is the relation between the velocity vector and the path of the ball?
2. What is the relation between the acceleration vector and the path of the ball?
3. Between 0.1 and 1.5 s is the ball speeding up or slowing down? Explain how you get your answer.
4. Between 1.7 and 3.0 s is the ball speeding up or slowing down? Explain how you get your answer.
5. Is there any time when the speed is constant?
6. Is there any time interval when the speed is constant?

Using graphs of motion

Problem © 2003 by Vern Lindberg (RIT) using Wolfgang Christian's Physlets.. Adapted from Aaron Titus.