What Software Can Create Smooth d/t and v/a Graphs with Tangents?

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In summary: Maple, Mathematica, and Matlab will all do this. You can also tinker with GnuPlot and get some very nice graphs. Excel was never made for mathematical applications, and so has some major short comings with making nice graphs with tangent lines and such.Thnx.
  • #1
Nx2
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Hi guys, I am doing a lab in physics, which requires me to make d/t and v/a graphs. Our teacher wants the graphs to be nice and smooth with tangent lines and everything, thing is, i don't know what prgram to use. He said no excel because they don't give u smooth lines. Any ideas?... Any help would be appreciated. Thnx.

- Tu
 
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  • #2
Maple, Mathematica, and Matlab will all do this. You can also tinker with GnuPlot and get some very nice graphs. Excel was never made for mathematical applications, and so has some major short comings with making nice graphs with tangent lines and such.

The downside is that most of the best programs are not free. GnuPlot is free, and good, but it's tricky to learn how to use properly. It can, however, do best fit lines, calculate slopes between given points, and (I think) create tangent lines.
 
  • #3
Nx2 said:
Hi guys, I am doing a lab in physics, which requires me to make d/t and v/a graphs. Our teacher wants the graphs to be nice and smooth with tangent lines and everything, thing is, i don't know what prgram to use. He said no excel because they don't give u smooth lines. Any ideas?... Any help would be appreciated. Thnx.

- Tu
You may want to do Regression (also called "Curve Fitting") on your data. These mathematical routines determine and graph a smooth "Best-Fit Curve" thru your data points. The type of curve is selectable, usually ranging from Linear to Polynomials of various degrees. For your lab, it appears you might want Linear Regression ("Linear Curve Fitting") for the "v/a" data, and Polynomial Degree 2 ("Quadratic") Regression for the "d/t" data.

If your lab cannot provide Regression programs, try the following site, which offers no-frills Regression capabilities thru your browser. Scroll all the way down the page for the program. Enter your data in the top panel, select Regression type ("Polynomial") and Degree ("1" for Linear, and "2" for Quadratic), and the program will graph the Best-Fit smooth curve thru your data. Formulas for the smooth curve are provided in the bottom panel, and you can determine tangent lines by differentiating these formulas. (For report purposes, you'll may want to "Screen Capture" the results.) Good Luck!
http://www.arachnoid.com/polysolve/

~~
 
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  • #4
Hey neat link xanthym. :smile:
 
  • #5
If you have access to it, there's a program called Graphical Analysis that was specifically designed for graphing physics labs on the computer. It calculates the Best Fit curve for you using either direct or indirect equations and then tells you what the lowest MSE is so you can pick the best fits for that particular set of data
 
  • #6
Nx2 said:
He said no excel because they don't give u smooth lines.
- Tu

He would also be wrong if that is what he said. There are certain graph types you would have to choose, but it is definitely do-able in Excel. You can do a fair amount of regression analysis with Excel by using their included regression tool. If you do it by hand you can do whatever you like.
 
  • #7
thnx a lot guys... i'll deffinitely tryout some of these programs.

- Tu
 

FAQ: What Software Can Create Smooth d/t and v/a Graphs with Tangents?

What are d/t and v/a graphs?

D/t and v/a graphs are graphical representations of the relationship between distance and time, and velocity and acceleration, respectively. They are commonly used in physics and other scientific fields to analyze motion and changes in motion.

How do I make a d/t or v/a graph?

To make a d/t or v/a graph, you will need to collect data points for both distance and time (for d/t) or velocity and time (for v/a). Then, plot the data points on a coordinate plane with time on the x-axis and distance or velocity on the y-axis. Finally, connect the data points with a line to create the graph.

What is the purpose of a d/t or v/a graph?

The purpose of a d/t or v/a graph is to visualize the relationship between distance and time, or velocity and acceleration. It allows scientists to analyze and understand the behavior of an object in motion and make predictions about its future motion.

How can I interpret a d/t or v/a graph?

To interpret a d/t or v/a graph, look at the slope of the line. A steeper slope indicates a faster rate of change, while a flatter slope indicates a slower rate of change. Also, pay attention to the shape of the graph - a curved line may indicate changes in acceleration, while a straight line may indicate constant acceleration.

Can d/t and v/a graphs be used for non-linear motion?

Yes, d/t and v/a graphs can be used for both linear and non-linear motion. For non-linear motion, the graph may not be a straight line, but the same principles of interpreting slope and shape still apply.

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