The graph in the figure shows the position of a particle as it travels along the x-axis. What is the magnitude of the average velocity of the particle between t = 1.0 s and t = 4.0 s?
A) 0.25 m/s
B) 0.50 m/s
C) 0.67 m/s
D) 1.0 m/s
E) 1.3 m/s

Question

The graph in the figure shows the position of a particle as it travels along the x-axis. What is the magnitude of the average velocity of the particle between t = 1.0 s and t = 4.0 s? 
A) 0.25 m/s 
B) 0.50 m/s 
C) 0.67 m/s 
D) 1.0 m/s 
E) 1.3 m/s

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The average velocity between two time intervals is equal to the displacement during that time interval divided by the time interval. From the graph, we can see that the displacement between t = 1.0 s and t = 4.0 s is approximately 0.67 m (since the particle moves from x = 0.5 m to x = 1.17 m). The time interval is 3.0 s. Therefore, the average velocity is:
average velocity = displacement / time interval = 0.67 m / 3.0 s ≈ 0.67 m/s
So, the best choice is C.

The Graph in the Figure Shows the Position of a Particle