Motion graphs _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________4. The slope of a position-time graph
If you imagined these lines to be hills, you would say that the line from graph 2 is steeper than the line from graph 1. Line 2 has a greater slope than line 1.The slope of a position-time graph gives information about an object's velocity.For example, a small slope means a small velocity; a negative slope means a negative velocity; a constant slope (straight line) means a constant velocity; a changing slope (curved line) means a changing velocity.Thus, the shape of the line on the graph (straight, curving, steeply sloped, mildly sloped, etc.) is descriptive of the object's motion.Even more, the slope of the line on a position-time graph is equal to the velocity of the object.If the object is moving with a velocity of +4 m/s, then the slope of the line will be +4 m/s.If the object is moving with a velocity of -8 m/s, then the slope of the line will be -8 m/s.If the object has a velocity of 0 m/s, then the slope of the line will be 0 m/s.