This document shows you how to use this applet in a step-by-step manner.
You should have the applet open; toggle back and forth between the ShowMe file
and the applet as you work through these instructions.
- You can run a motion at any time by clicking "Play" (
).
If you are editing a motion script or in the motion script data entry
window then you will need to close this first before you can run the
motion. You can pause the motion by clicking "Pause" ( )
and resume by again clicking "Play". To start over, click
"Reset" (
).
- One of the most important features of this applet is the grapher.
You can view a graph of the motion by clicking "Graph" (
)
. You may do this after the motion is complete or you can open the graph
and have it visible as the motion unfolds.
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- For example, the figure on the right shows the distance-time graph
for the motion scripts that you created in the previous section. Define
the X axis to be time and the Y axis to be the x-coordinate of the
ball's location. This is listed as x0. You can now use the graphing
tools to inspect the graph. (Note: the letter labels have been added.)
- Use the Slope tool (click
)
to measure the slope of the graph at various locations along the graph.
When you do this, a blue double-headed arrow will appear that will travel
along the distance-time graph as you move the mouse along the graph.
The slope of the graph is given in the output window. From this you
can see:
- In section A-B the motion is accelerated and the slope will
increase from 0 to 6 m/s as you slide up the curve
- In section B-C the motion is constant and the slope is constant
at 6 m/s
- In section C-D the motion is decelerating and the slope changes
from 6 m/s to 0 m/s.
- Verify that at t = 8.5 s, the ball's velocity was 4.5 m/s.
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(Grapher tips: double-click on the slope-tool
button ,
this will open the following input window that allows you to measure the
slope at a specific point) |
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- Another useful graph that you can construct is a velocity-time graph.
Again set the X-axis to be Time and choose the Y-axis to be vx0. Your
graph should look similar to the one shown on the right. By inspection
you see that:
- AB represents script 1, time = 2 s, a = 3 m/s2
- BC represents script 2, time = 5 s, v = 6 m/s and a = 0 m/s2
- CD represents script 3, time = 6 s, a = -1 m/s2
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- An important property of velocity-time graphs is the area
between the graph and the time axis. Click "Area" (
)
and position the mouse at t = 0 s. Hold down the left mouse button
and drag across the graph to t = 13 s. As you do this, the area
between the time axis and the graph is painted green and the output
panel now reads Integral and gives a running value for the area that
you are creating. If you paint all the way to t = 13 s you will
see that the size of the green area is equal to 54.0 m. Note: the
grapher will not supply units for this - you must recognize that the
area must have units of (m/s) X (s) = m and put these in yourself!
So the distance traveled in this motion is 54.0 m.
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- As an example, use this feature to verify that after 8.3 s
the ball will have traveled 43 m.
(Grapher tip: another way to tell grapher what area to measure is to
double-click on "Area" ( ).
This opens up an input bounds dialogue box similar to the one shown
below. Put in the appropriate values for the range over which you wish
to measure the area. In this case the values 0 and 8.3 where used.)
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