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Sect. 2-5: Motion at Constant Acceleration
Sect. 2-5: Motion at Constant Acceleration
– Average velocity:
v = (x - x0)/t (1)
– Acceleration (average = instantaneous):
a = (v - v0)/t (2)
– Average velocity (another form):
v = (½)(v + v0) (3)
Derivation on the board!
Constant Acceleration Equations
• Results (one dimensional motion only!):
v = v0 + at (1)
x = x0 + v0 t + (½)a t2 (2)
v2 = (v0)2 + 2a (x - x0) (3)
v = (½) (v + v0) (4)
THINK!
DO NOT BLINDLY
APPLY FORMULAS!!!!
Example 2-6: Runway Design
You’re designing an airport. A plane that will use this airport must reach a speed
of vmin = 100 km/h (27.8 m/s). It can accelerate at a = 2 m/s2. (a) If the runway
is x = 150 m long, can this plane reach the speed of before it runs off the end of
the runway? (b) If not, what is the minimum length required for the runway?
Solutions Table of Knowns & Unknowns
(a) Use Eq. (3):
v2 = (v0)2 + 2a(x – x0)
v2 = 0 + 2(2.0)(150 – 0) = 600 m/s2
So v = (600)½ = 24.5 m/s
Note that this means take the
square root! That matters!
(b) Use Eq. (3) again with
v = vmin = 27.8 m/s. Solve for (1)
x – x0 = [v2 – (v0)2]/(2a) (2)
x = [(27.8)2 – 0]/[2(2.0)]
(3)
So x = 193 m.
To be safe, make the runway (4)
200 m long!
Example 2-7: Acceleration of a Car
How long does it take a car to cross a 30 m wide intersection after
the light turns green if it accelerates at a constant 2.0 m/s2?
Obviously, it
starts from rest!!
Known: x0 = 0, x = 30 m, v0 = 0, a = 2.0 m/s2
Wanted: t. Use: x = x0 + v0t + (½)at2 = 0 + 0 + (½)at2
t = (2x/a)½ = 5.48 s
NOTE! The square root matters!
Example 2-8: Air Bags
You need to design an air bag system that can protect the driver at a
speed of 100 km/h = 28 m/s (60 mph) if the car hits a brick wall.
Estimate how fast the air bag must inflate to effectively protect the
driver. How does the use of a seat belt help the driver?
Known: x0 = v0 = 28 m/s v=0
Car obviously stops when crash ends!
Wanted unknown: t.
But we don’t know acceleration a or
distance x either! Estimate x = 1.0 m
This has to be a 2 step problem! First, use
(2) to solve for a: 0 = (v0)2 + 2a(x – 0) so
a = - (v0)2∕(2x) = - (28)2 ∕(2) = - 390 m/s2 (1)
This is a HUGE acceleration!! (2)
Now, use (1) to solve for t: 0 = v0 + at so (3)
t = - (v0) ∕a = 0.07 s !!!
(4)
Example 2-9: Estimate Breaking Distances
v = v0 = constant = 14 m/s a = - 6.0 m/s2, x0 = 7 m
t = 0.50 s, a = 0, x = v0t = 7 m v decreases from 14 m/s to zero
v0 = 14 m/s, v = 0
Note: The 2nd time interval is the
v2 = (v0)2 + 2a(x – x0)
actual braking period when the car
x = x0 + [v2 - (v0)2]/(2a)
slows down & comes to a stop.
x = 7 m + 16 m = 23 m
Stopping distance depends on 1)
driver’s reaction time, 2) car’s
initial speed, 3) car’s acceleration.
Example 2-9: Braking distances continued
v = const.
v = v0 + at
Plots for this case:
v(t)
Velocity vs time v(t)
x = x0 + v0t + (½)at2