Acceleration simulator - instructions and tips
Learn by doing it! Press the accelerator (arrrow keys) and observe how velocity and position progress. Try to get the ball back on the screen!
You start the animation by pressing the arrow keys (left or right). Then you can observe the ball starting to move and the motion parameters - acceleration, velocity and position - being recorded on the graphs.
There are three graphs that register the motion as it occurs . The first, from left to right, records acceleration, the second velocity and the third position. It provided only qualitative information (without numbers): it is important to get acquainted with the shapes of these graphs.
The right arrow key provides a positive acceleration and movement to the right. The left key does the opposite.
I suggest you first try to use a small acceleration (press the right arrow 3 or 4 times and leave it for a while). You will see a constant acceleration on the corresponding graph (a line parallel to the time axis). The velocity graph shows a straight line with positive gradient (velocity increasing) and the position graphs also show an increase, but it is not linear. It is a parabola with an upward concavity.
After a while you can apply an acceleration on the opposite direction (by pressing the left arrow). You will notice that the velocity graph is again a straight line, but this time with a negative gradient, because it is decreasing. The position graph will also move to the opposite direction. It will be a parabola, again, but with a downward concavity (image above). Observe that the highest point on the position graph (inflection point) corresponds to the zero velocity (point where the velocity graph crosses the time axis).
When the position graph crosses the time axis (position zero), the ball is again at the center of the screen.
Play with it, and you will understand this ideas and get familiar with all the relevant graphs.
Press s to stop the simulation or F5 (refresh) to start over.
Have fun!!
Check also the projectile simulator>>
::::::::::::::::::::Ricardo Esplugas 2017::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::