Physics
Physics
Problem
What physical quantity is indicated by the slope of a displacement–time graph for an object moving in a straight line? a) b) c) d)Intuitive explanation
The slope of any graph tells you the rate of change of the vertical quantity with respect to the horizontal one. Here, displacement changes on the vertical axis and time on the horizontal, so the slope reveals how fast position is changing per unit time—that's velocity. A steeper slope means faster motion, and a negative slope means motion in the opposite direction.
Intuitive explanation
The slope of any graph tells you the rate of change of the vertical quantity with respect to the horizontal one. Here, displacement changes on the vertical axis and time on the horizontal, so the slope reveals how fast position is changing per unit time—that's velocity. A steeper slope means faster motion, and a negative slope means motion in the opposite direction.