A skateboarder starts from rest at t=0 and moves east. The skateboarder accelerates uniformly, reaching a speed of 6m/s at t=2s. Without stopping, the skateboarder then slows down uniformly to rest at t=5s. Which of the following qualitative descriptions best matches the skateboarder’s velocity–time graph for the entire 0–5s interval?
(a) A horizontal line at 6m/s from t=0 to 2s, followed by a straight line sloping down to 0 at t=5s
(b) A smooth curved (parabolic) rise from 0 to 6m/s by t=2s, then a similar curved return to 0 by t=5s
(c) A straight line rising from 0 to 6m/s between t=0 and 2s, followed by a straight line sloping back down to 0 at t=5s
(d) A straight line rising from 0 to 6m/s between t=0 and 2s, followed by a horizontal line at 6m/s until t=5s