Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
In chemistry, slope refers to the steepness or incline between two points on a graph. It represents how much one variable changes with respect to another variable.
Related terms
Rise over run: In mathematics, rise over run is used to calculate slope by dividing the change in vertical distance (rise) by the change in horizontal distance (run).
Positive slope: When a line on a graph goes upward from left to right, it has positive slope indicating an increasing trend between two variables.
Negative slope: When a line on a graph goes downward from left to right, it has negative slope indicating a decreasing trend between two variables.