The figure shows the position of an object (moving along a straight line)as a function of time.Assume two significant figures in each number.Which of the following statements about this object is true over the interval shown?
A)The object is accelerating to the left.
B)The object is accelerating to the right.
C)The acceleration of the object is in the same direction as its velocity.
D)The average speed of the object is 1.0 m/s.

Question

The figure shows the position of an object (moving along a straight line)as a function of time.Assume two significant figures in each number.Which of the following statements about this object is true over the interval shown? 
A)The object is accelerating to the left. 
B)The object is accelerating to the right. 
C)The acceleration of the object is in the same direction as its velocity. 
D)The average speed of the object is 1.0 m/s.

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The slope of the position vs. time graph gives the velocity, and since the slope is decreasing (i.e. becoming more negative), the velocity is decreasing, which means that the object is accelerating to the left. Additionally, the acceleration is in the same direction as the velocity because they both point to the left. There is not enough information to determine the average speed of the object over the interval.

The Figure Shows the Position of an Object (Moving Along