Finding acceleration from position data with no knowledge of integrals?

In summary, the conversation was about a challenging problem involving integration for someone who has little knowledge in the subject. The solution involved using a trick to rewrite the equation and then integrating it to find the car's acceleration at 4 seconds. The person who originally posted the problem apologized for posting in multiple forums and promised to be more mindful of forum etiquette in the future.
  • #1
jjiimmyy101
74
0
Problem: A car starts from rest and moves along a straight line with an acceleration of a=(3s^-1/3)m/sec^2, where s is in metres. Determine the car's acceleration when t=4sec. ANS: 1.06 m/sec^2

Alright...I know nothing about integrals...really, nothing. I was never taught anything about integrals even though I've taken calculus courses before.

Here's what I think I should do.

Take the equation a = d^2s/dt^2 and INTEGRATE it to find the position (s) and substitute it back into the equation. But how do you do this.
 
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  • #2
This is a challenging problem for someone who knows nothing about integration. Anyway, you cannot directly integrate your equation. A trick is to first use

[tex]a={d^2s\over dt^2}={d\over dt}{ds\over dt}={ds\over dt}{d\over ds}{ds\over dt}=v {dv\over ds}[/tex]

Now you have

[tex] 3s^{-1/3}\,ds=v\,dv[/tex]

which can be integrated. Once you have v as a function of s, you can integrate again to get s as a function of t. Then plug the s at 4 sec. back into the formula for a.
 
  • #3
Originally posted by jjiimmyy101
Problem: A car starts from rest and moves along a straight line with an acceleration of a=(3s^-1/3)m/sec^2, where s is in metres. Determine the car's acceleration when t=4sec. ANS: 1.06 m/sec^2

Alright...I know nothing about integrals...really, nothing. I was never taught anything about integrals even though I've taken calculus courses before.

Here's what I think I should do.

Take the equation a = d^2s/dt^2 and INTEGRATE it to find the position (s) and substitute it back into the equation. But how do you do this.

In how many forums u have posted this Que it is already in Maths And Homework Section And in fact Krab and everyone(includin me- in General Maths forum) will give u same solution unless a Genius finds other way to do

https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=12588
 
  • #4


Originally posted by himanshu121
In how many forums u have posted this Que it is already in Maths And Homework Section And in fact Krab and everyone(includin me- in General Maths forum) will give u same solution unless a Genius finds other way to do

I agree. I like to help out, but you've posted to 4 separate forums and so my reply was a waste of time on my part. So welcome to my Ignore list.
 
  • #5
Hey Guys,

I think I've been wasting my time too.
But, let's not be too harsh on ol' jimmy. He's only posted a couple of times and might not have appreciated why double-posting is such a pain in the XXX.

Hopefully, he does now.
Paul.
 
  • #6
Sorry

I really appreciate all the help. I'm new to forum etiquette and I apologize for wasting your time. I will, in the future (hopefully I won't need anymore help, but I doubt that that will happen) not post a message numerous times like I did last time.

Once again, sorry for being a dunce. Thanks.
 

1. What is kinematics of a particle?

Kinematics of a particle is the study of the motion of a single point-like object. It involves analyzing the position, velocity, and acceleration of the object over time without considering the cause of the motion.

2. What are the three basic equations of kinematics?

The three basic equations of kinematics are:

  1. Position equation: x = x0 + v0t + 1/2at2
  2. Velocity equation: v = v0 + at
  3. Acceleration equation: v2 = v02 + 2a(x-x0)

3. What is the difference between speed and velocity?

Speed is a scalar quantity that describes how fast an object is moving, while velocity is a vector quantity that describes both the speed and direction of an object's motion.

4. How is acceleration related to the slope of a velocity-time graph?

Acceleration is equal to the slope of a velocity-time graph. A steeper slope indicates a larger acceleration, while a flatter slope indicates a smaller acceleration.

5. What is the difference between average and instantaneous velocity?

Average velocity is the total displacement of an object divided by the total time taken, while instantaneous velocity is the velocity of an object at a specific moment in time.

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