OpenQuery6

course PHY 121

8/14

006. `query 6*********************************************

Question: Given uniform acceleration 2 m/s^2, displacement 125 meters and final velocity 30 m/s, a student finds that the initial velocity is zero and the time interval is 10 seconds.

• Using the initial velocity and time interval obtained by the student, along with the 30 m/s final velocity, quickly reason out the acceleration and the displacement in terms of the definitions of average velocity and/or average acceleration and the assumption of uniform acceleration.

• State whether the student's solutions are consistent with the originally given information.

• Compare with your solution to this problem.

YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

Your solution: if the change in velocity is (30-10) = 20m/s, and it happens over 10 seconds, then the average change per second would be 2m/s^2.

confidence rating: 3

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

.............................................

Given Solution: The student obtained initial velocity zero and time interval 10 seconds. Along with the given 30 m/s final velocity this would lead to the following conclusions:

• the average velocity is 15 m/s, which since acceleration is uniform is simply the average of the initial and final velocities

justification in terms of definitions: if acceleration is uniform, then the v vs t graph is linear so that the average velocity is equal to the average of initial and final velocities

• multiplying the 15 m/s average velocity by the 10 s time interval interval we get displacement 150 m

justification in terms of definitions: ave velocity is ave rate of change of position with respect to clock time, so vAve = `ds / `dt, from which it follows that `ds = vAve * `dt

• the change in velocity would be 30 m/s, since the velocity changes on this interval from 0 m/s to 30 m/s; so the acceleration would be aAve = `dv / `dt = 30 m/s / (10 s) = 3 m/s^2

justification in terms of definitions: ave acceleration is ave rate of change of velocity with respect to clock time, so aAve = `dv / `dt.

in this situation acceleration is uniform, so we can if we wish use just plain a instead of aAve

The student's solution is not consistent with the given information, which specified acceleration 2 m/s^2 and displacement 125 meters.

A solution to the problem:

Using the fourth equation of motion with the given information (`ds, a and vf) we have

vf^2 = v0^2 + 2 a `ds , which we solve for v0 to get

v0 = +- sqrt( vf^2 - 2 a `ds) =

+- sqrt( (30 m/s)^2 - 2 * (2 m/s^2) * (125 m) ) =

+- sqrt( 900 m^2 / s^2 - 500 m^2 / s^2) =

+- sqrt( 400 m^2 / s^2) =

+- 20 m/s.

If vf = 20 m/s then we could directly reason out the rest (vAve would be 25 m/s, so it would take 5 s to go 125 m), or we could use the first or second equation of motion to find `dt

The first equation `ds = (vf + v0) / 2 * `dt gives us `dt = 2 * `ds / (vf + v0) = 2 * 125 m / (20 m/s + 30 m/s) = 5 s.

Alternatively the second equation vf = v0 + a `dt gives us `dt = (vf - v0) / a = (30 m/s - 20 m/s) / (2 m/s^2) = 10 m/s / (2 m/s^2) = 5 s.

If vf = -20 m/s then we could directly reason out the rest (vAve would be (-20 m/s + 30 m/s) / 2 = 5 m/s, so it would take 25 s to go 125 m), or we could use the first or second equation of motion to find `dt

The first equation `ds = (vf + v0) / 2 * `dt gives us `dt = 2 * `ds / (vf + v0) = 2 * 125 m / (-20 m/s + 30 m/s) = 25 s.

Alternatively the second equation vf = v0 + a `dt gives us `dt = (vf - v0) / a = (30 m/s - (-20 m/s) ) / (2 m/s^2) = 50 m/s / (2 m/s^2) = 25 s.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Self-critique (if necessary): Umm, evidently I did NOT understand the problem.. even looking back, I’m still not sure how everything in the question exactly relates to the answer. I understand the given answer and what it means, but the original questions are very confusing to me!

You asserted that

'the change in velocity is (30-10) = 20m/s'.

You didn't place units on the 30 or the 10. There is a final velocity of 30 m/s, and this is apparently what your 30 means. However there is no velocity equal to 10 m/s, and specifically the initial velocity is not 10 m/s.

Had the initial velocity been 10 m/s then your conclusion about the acceleration would have been correct.

Using the initial velocity obtained by the student the change in velocity would be 30 m/s and the acceleration would be 3 m/s^2.

This of course contradicts the given acceleration, which was 2 m/s^2. The point is that the student's solutions are inconsistent with the given information.

Using the initial velocity obtained by the student, the change in velocity would be 30 m/s and the acceleration would be 3 m/s^2.

This of course contradicts the given acceleration, which was 2 m/s^2. So the student's solution contradicts the given information.

------------------------------------------------

Self-critique Rating:

----

*********************************************

Question: An automobile coasts at high speed down a hill, speeding up as it goes. It encounters significant air resistance, which causes it to speed up less quickly than it would in the absence of air resistance.

If the positive direction is down the hill, then

• Is the direction of the automobile's velocity positive or negative?

• Is the direction of the air resistance positive or negative?

If the positive direction is up the hill, then

• Is the direction of the automobile's velocity positive or negative?

• Is the direction of the automobile's acceleration positive or negative?

YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

Your solution: The velocity is positive, while the air resistance is negative. The velocity is negative, the acceleration is negative.

confidence rating: 3

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

.............................................

Given Solution: If you are riding in the car your perception is that the forward direction is the one in which you are moving. You can stick your hand out the window and feel that the air resistance is in the 'backward' direction. Since the automobile is speeding up its acceleration is in its direction of motion.

The velocity is down the hill.

Thus the direction of the velocity and acceleration are both down the hill, and the direction of the air resistance is up the hill.

Therefore

• If the direction down the hill is positive then the velocity is positive, the acceleration is positive and air resistance is negative.

• If the direction down the hill is negative then the velocity is negative, the acceleration is negative and air resistance is positive.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Self-critique (if necessary): OK

------------------------------------------------

Self-critique Rating:

&#Good work. See my notes and let me know if you have questions. &#