If a plot of displacement versus time is a straight line, what does that say about the object's acceleration?
AThe acceleration is zero
BThe acceleration is nonzero
CThe acceleration is always positive
DThe acceleration is always negative
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: A. The acceleration is zero
1. A straight-line displacement graph has a constant slope, meaning constant velocity.
2. Acceleration measures how much the velocity itself is changing.
3. Since the velocity here never changes, the acceleration must be zero.
_Source: OpenStax Physics (CC BY 4.0), Ch 3 "Acceleration", section 3.2 Representing Acceleration with Equations and Graphs_
Related questions
When air resistance is not a factor, all objects near Earth's surface in free fall accelerWhat is the SI unit of acceleration?The same subway train later slows from 30.0 km/h (8.333 m/s) to a complete stop in 8.00 s.A subway train accelerates from rest to 30.0 km/h (8.33 m/s) in 20.0 s. What is its averagA car's speed decreases as the driver brakes. Everyday language calls this "deceleration."Pushing the gas pedal of a car increases its velocity. In physics terms, this change in veDrag racers compete over a standing start on a track of what length?During launch and reentry, about how many g's does the space shuttle produce for its occup