Problem 1.

[Difficulty: 3]

Given:

Small particle accelerating from rest in a fluid. Net weight is W, resisting force FD = kV, where V is speed.

Find: Solution:

Time required to reach 95 percent of terminal speed, Vt. Consider the particle to be a system. Apply Newton's second law.

Basic equation: Fy = may Assumptions: 1. 2. W is net weight Resisting force acts opposite to V

FD = kV Particle y W

Then

F
or

= W kV = ma y = m

dV W dV = dt g dt

dV k = g(1 V) dt W

Separating variables,

dV = g dt k 1 W V

Integrating, noting that velocity is zero initially,

t dV W k ( ) = ln 1 V = W 0 gdt = gt k 1 W V k

or

kgt kgt W k W 1 V = e ; V = 1 e W k W
V = 1 e W Vt kgt

But VVt as t, so Vt =
kgt W

W k

. Therefore

When

V Vt

= 0.95 , then e

= 0.05 and

kgt W

= 3. Thus t = 3W/gk