Title: Reflecting on the X vs T Graph of Four Moving Carts

Question:

Which of the following cart configurations could produce the x vs t graph shown?

a. Cart A
b. Cart B
c. Cart C
d. Cart D

Answer:

The x vs t graph shows a straight line, which indicates that the velocity of the carts is constant. Cart A is positioned at a certain point, while carts B, C, and D all start at the same initial position and move to the right at the same velocity as cart A. Therefore, the configuration that could produce this graph would be four carts in a row, with cart A leading the way followed by carts B, C, and D, all moving at the same velocity to the right.

This specific arrangement ensures that the distance covered by each cart at any given time remains equal, resulting in a straight line on the x vs t graph. When the velocity is constant, the position of an object changes linearly with time, leading to a straight line on the graph.

Option a, which is Cart A, is the correct answer in this case. The consistent velocity and initial positions of the carts align perfectly with the characteristics of the shown x vs t graph.