Question

The black dots at the top of Fig. represent a series of high-speed photographs of an insect flying in a straight line from left to right (in the positive x-direction). Which of the graphs in Fig. most plausibly depicts this insect’s motion?

Short answer

Fig (d) depicts the most plausible motion of the insect because velocity increases with time.

Step-by-step solution

Explanation

a) In the graph it is shown that the velocity of the insect is not changing with time, and two black dots represent the insect’s motion is constant with time; this means that the velocity is constant in the graph (a).

b) Here, the acceleration is decreasing with time at a constant rate but there is only one black dot, so we can not say that this is the most plausible motion of the insect.

c) The graph shows that the position of the insect is changing continuously but in a descending order, which contradicts the statement given in the question.

d) The velocity of the insect is increasing but there is one black dot, which shows its position. So, this is not the actual motion of the insect in graph(c).

e) The velocity of the insect is decreasing but there is again one black dot showing its position, therefore it can not be the most plausible motion of the insect.