Education Technology


Precalculus: Particle Motion 2

by Texas Instruments

Objectives

  • Students will analyze the relationship between the motion of a particle along a straight line and the behavior of the graph of a general position function.
  • Students will compare the steepness and direction of a position function to the velocity function.
  • Students will visualize total area and signed area and relate these calculations to cumulative distance and position.

Vocabulary

  • position
  • velocity
  • magnitude
  • cumulative distance
  • signed area
  • total area

About the Lesson

This lesson involves the motion of a particle along a straight, horizontal line associated with a general position function.
As a result students will:

  • Analyze the behavior of the graph of the position function as the particle moves to the left, right, and changes direction.
  • Compare the steepness of the graph of the position function to the velocity of the particle.
  • Compare and contrast total area and signed area, and relate these calculations to cumulative distance and position.
  • Use the graph of the position function to describe the general motion of a particle.
  • Create position functions which satisfy given conditions.