When the graph is a sloping straight line, like a positive slope, it indicates a constant acceleration. Say the slope is 2 m/s². This means the velocity of the object is increasing by 2 meters per second every second. If the initial velocity was 0, after 1 second it would be 2 m/s, after 2 seconds 4 m/s and so on. The steeper the slope, the greater the acceleration.
A horizontal line on the velocity - time graph means zero acceleration. It's like a car moving on a flat road at a constant speed, say 60 km/h. There's no change in its velocity, so no acceleration.
Pay attention to sudden changes in the graph. A sharp spike in the acceleration might mean a sudden force was applied to the object. For example, if a ball is hit by a bat, there would be a sudden large acceleration. And if the graph suddenly goes from positive to negative acceleration, it means the direction of the acceleration has changed, like when a car brakes suddenly after speeding up.
A velocity - time graph story is basically about interpreting the information shown on a velocity - time graph. The graph shows how the velocity of an object changes over time. If the graph is a straight horizontal line, it means the object is moving at a constant velocity. For example, a car moving at a steady 60 km/h would show this on the graph.
To analyze a distance - time graph story, check the slope. A positive slope means the object is moving forward. If the slope is zero, the object is stationary.
First, look at the sign of the acceleration. Positive means speeding up, negative means slowing down. Then check the slope. Steep slope means high rate of change of acceleration. For example, in a graph of a ball thrown upwards, the acceleration is negative (due to gravity) and constant.
When looking at a distance vs time graph story, we need to consider various aspects. A downward - sloping line could imply that the object is moving towards the starting point or in the opposite direction. If there are multiple lines on the graph, perhaps they represent different objects. One object might be moving faster than the other if its line has a steeper slope. Also, if the graph has a series of peaks and valleys, it could mean that the object is oscillating between different distances from the starting point, like a pendulum for instance.
Imagine a ball being thrown vertically upwards. When it is thrown, it has an initial speed. As it moves upwards, the gravitational force acts against it, causing its speed to decrease over time until it reaches its maximum height where the speed is 0. Then, as the ball falls back down, its speed increases in the opposite direction. The speed vs time graph for this situation would first show a decreasing line until it reaches 0 speed and then an increasing line in the opposite direction.
First, decide on the motion of the object. If it's moving at a constant speed, draw a straight line with a suitable slope. For example, if it moves 5 meters every second, the slope of the line will be 5. If it's accelerating, start with a gentle slope and make it steeper over time.
First, look at the shape of the graph. A straight line indicates a constant acceleration. If it's a curve, the acceleration is changing. For example, in a parabolic velocity - time graph, the acceleration is not constant.
To select the graph, look at what the story is describing. Say the story is about how different products contribute to a company's revenue. In this case, a bar graph could be great as it can clearly show the comparison between each product's contribution. If the story is about a cyclical pattern, like seasons affecting sales, a line graph with repeating peaks and valleys might be the best. You have to analyze the nature of the data in the story.