Position Time Graphs—Displacement 8

In the position vs. time graphs below, all the times are in seconds (s), and all the positions are in meters
(m). Rank these graphs on the basis of which graph indicates the greatest displacement from beginning to
end of motion. Give the highest rank to the one(s) with the greatest displacement, and give the lowest
rank to the one(s) indicating the least displacement. If two graphs indicate the same displacement, give
them the same rank. Note: Zero is greater than negative, and ties are possible.
x x x

30 10

5
3
t t t
A 10 B 10 C 5 10

x x x

30
8
5

2
t t t
D 10 10 10
E F

Greatest 1 2 3 4 5 6 Least

Or, none of these graphs indicate any displacement at all. ____________

Or, all of the displacements are the same. _____________

Please carefully explain your reasoning.

How sure were you of your ranking? (Circle one)

Basically Guessed Sure Very Sure
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

8 K. W. Nicholson
Physics Ranking Tasks 9 Mechanics
 Position Time Graphs—Average Speed 10

In the position vs. time graphs below, all the times are in seconds (s), and all the positions are in meters
(m). Rank these graphs on the basis of which graph indicates the greatest average speed, where the
average speed is calculated from the beginning to the end of motion. Give the highest rank to the one(s)
with the greatest average speed, and give the lowest rank to the one(s) indicating the least average speed.
If two graphs indicate the same average speed, give them the same rank.
x x x

30 10

5
3
t t t
A 10 B 10 C 5 10

x x x

30
8
5

2
t t t
D 10 10 10
E F

Greatest 1 2 3 4 5 6 Least

Or, none of these are moving at all. _____________

Or, the average speed is the same for all of these. ____________

Please carefully explain your reasoning.

How sure were you of your ranking? (circle one)

Basically Guessed Sure Very Sure
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

10 K. W. Nicholson
Physics Ranking Tasks 11 Mechanics
 Motion Diagrams—Displacement 11

Flash strobe photographs were taken every second of a set of spheres moving from left to right. The
diagram below shows the location of each sphere when each photograph was taken. The total time
intervals shown vary among the spheres. All the displacements are in meters. Rank these spheres on the
basis of the greatest displacement over the first 3 seconds. Give the highest rank to the one(s) with the
greatest displacement, and give the lowest rank to the one(s) indicating the least displacement. If two
motion diagrams indicate the same displacement for the 3-second interval, give them the same rank.

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 m

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 m

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 m

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 m

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 m

F
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 m

Greatest 1 2 3 4 5 6 Least

Or, none of these motion diagrams indicate any displacement at all. ___________
Or, the displacement is the same for all of these. ___________

Please carefully explain your reasoning.

How sure were you of your ranking? (circle one)

Basically Guessed Sure Very Sure
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

11 K. W. Nicholson, C. Hieggelke, D. Maloney

Physics Ranking Tasks 12 Mechanics
 People on Trains—Speed Relative to Ground 13

Shown below are six situations where people are walking or running through train cars. The people are
walking/running at various speeds either in the direction the train is traveling or opposite to the direction
of travel of the train. The speed of the train and the speed and direction of each person are given in each
figure. An observer is standing beside the track watching the train go by.

Rank these walkers/runners, from greatest to least, on the basis of how fast they are moving relative to the
observer standing beside the tracks. That is, put first the person the observer would say is going fastest
and put last the person the observer would say was the slowest.

A v p = 8 m/s B v p = 10 m/s C v p = 4 m/s

v t = 24 m/s v t = 30 m/s v t = 20 m/s

D v p = 12 m/s E v p = 4 m/s F v p = 8 m/s

v t = 20 m/s v t = 16 m/s v t = 16 m/s

Greatest 1________ 2________ 3________ 4________ 5________ 6_______ Least

Or, all six of these people have the same speed according to the observer. _________
Please carefully explain your reasoning.

How sure were you of your ranking? (circle one)

Basically Guessed Sure Very Sure
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

13 C. Hieggelke, D. Maloney, T. O’Kuma

Physics Ranking Tasks 14 Mechanics
 Motion Diagrams—Average Velocity 12

Flash strobe photographs were taken every second of a set of spheres moving from left to right. The
diagram below shows the location of each sphere when each photograph was taken. The total time
intervals shown vary among the spheres. All the displacements are in meters. Rank these spheres on the
basis of the greatest average velocity over the first 3 seconds. Give the highest rank to the one(s) with the
greatest average velocity, and give the lowest rank to the one(s) indicating the least average velocity. If
two diagrams indicate the same average velocity for the 3-second interval, give them the same rank.

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 m

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 m

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 m

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 m

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 m

F
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 m

Greatest 1 2 3 4 5 6 Least

Or, none of these are moving at all. ____________

Or, the average velocity is the same for all of these. ____________

Please carefully explain your reasoning.

How sure were you of your ranking? (circle one)

Basically Guessed Sure Very Sure
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

12 K. W. Nicholson, C. Hieggelke, D. Maloney

Physics Ranking Tasks 13 Mechanics
 Cars—Change of Velocity 9

The eight situations below show before and after "snapshots" of a car's velocity. Rank these situations, in
terms of the change in velocity, from most positive to most negative. All cars have the same mass and
they traveled the same distance. Negative numbers, if any, rank lower than positive ones (-20 m/s < -10
m/s < 0< 5).

BEFORE AFTER BEFORE AFTER

A E

+10 m/s +20 m/s +20 m/s +30 m/s

B F

+10 m/s 0 m/s +30 m/s +20 m/s

C G

+10 m/s -10 m/s -10 m/s -20 m/s

D H

+20 m/s +20 m/s +30 m/s -20 m/s

Most Most
Positive 1_____ 2_____ 3_____ 4_____ 5_____ 6_____ 7_____ 8_____ Negative

Or, the change in velocity is the same (but not zero) for all of these. _________

Or, the change in velocity is zero for all of these. _________

Or, it is not possible to determine the change in velocity for all of these. _________

Please carefully explain your reasoning.

How sure were you of your ranking? (circle one)

Basically Guessed Sure Very Sure
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

9 J. Cole, D. Maloney, C. Hieggelke

Physics Ranking Tasks 10 Mechanics