Today it all made sense! We continued studying motion, but this time around the big words and the subtle differences weren't quite as scary. With just a little bit of mental work and some real world logic you can understand the difference between velocity vs. time graphs and distance vs. time graphs and how what they show you relates to each other. When we applied what we were learning to word problem stories, a clearer picture was painted in my head of what we were studying. That application was the turning point in helping me understand kinematics. So, as you can see below, I decided to make my own.
This picture describes my mom's journey to her room in a velocity vs. time graph which has a slope that describes acceleration. She decided she was on her way, but before she could go I got a little hungry and asked her to get me a snack from the kitchen. She reluctantly agreed and slowly walked at a constant rate the kitchen, giving me that "mom glare" the entire way, because meant she was walking in the opposite direction of her destination from where she came from. She got the the kitchen and quickly stayed there while putting together something yummy for me! The line is short because she didn't stay there long and has no velocity (positive or negative) because she wasn't moving. When she was finished, she decided to hurry up to her room. The line is of positive velocity because she's moving away from her origin to her destination and its further away from the base line because she's moving at a faster velocity. The line is longer because her room is very far away so it took a longer time to get there.
This graph describes my journey from my bed the car in the morning when I'm on my way to summer school in a distance vs. time graph. The difference between this graph is that it's slope describes velocity and it's consistency; also this graph demonstrates position as well! I wake up and roll out of bed; tired and groggy I half sleep-walk to the bathroom to get dressed and ready. The bathroom may be close to my room but the line has a shallow slope because I'm walking so slow, and the line is long because it takes so much time to get there. Once I finally manage to trudge to the bathroom, I stay in there a little bit to get ready. Brush my teeth, change clothes, all of the things it takes to be as fabulous as me. However, halfway through I realize how tired I am and how painful this is. The line is flat because I'm staying in one place with no velocity; but the line is short because I don't stay in there for long. Like I said, I'm not a morning person, and I can get ready in 5 minutes flat, so I decide that it's back to bed with me! With all the energy I have, I dash back to the comfort of my pillows and blankets to wait out the sunrise. This line has a steeper slope because I'm moving at a higher velocity, but it has a negative slope because I'm moving back to my starting point.
Wow that's a creative way to apply physics to real life situations. I like how you graphed your data right on the pictures. It is easier to see
ReplyDeleteThanks! I just used powerpoint : ) so glad you like it!
ReplyDeleteI agree with jessica, I like how you related your graph into every day life. It gave me a better idea of what to look for in a graph. :)
ReplyDeleteHehehe, I saw through your camera trick. That was an interesting way to shoot!
ReplyDeleteYou took a picture of yourself lying on the floor (in order to make the running motions with your entire body).