How to Calculate Acceleration on the Hellevator Ride?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around calculating the acceleration experienced during the initial upward motion of a ride called the "hellevator" at an amusement park. Participants explore different approaches to determine this acceleration based on the ride's height and velocity changes, focusing on both theoretical and practical aspects of the problem.

Discussion Character

  • Technical explanation
  • Mathematical reasoning
  • Homework-related

Main Points Raised

  • One participant asks how to calculate the upward acceleration during the first 5 meters of the ride.
  • Another participant suggests that knowing the initial velocity and the time taken to reach that velocity is sufficient for calculating acceleration.
  • A different viewpoint proposes that the maximum height reached (H) is crucial for determining acceleration, presenting a formula involving gravitational acceleration (g) and height.
  • Another participant elaborates on the need to find the initial velocity at the end of the first 5 meters, indicating a two-part analysis of the ride's motion.
  • They suggest using kinematic equations to relate initial and final velocities, distance, and acceleration for both segments of the ride.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants present multiple competing views on how to approach the calculation of acceleration, with no consensus reached on a single method or formula.

Contextual Notes

Assumptions regarding the neglect of friction and air resistance are mentioned, as well as the dependence on the maximum height attained (H) for some calculations. The discussion does not resolve the mathematical steps involved in the proposed approaches.

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Went to an amusment park yesterday for physics class. Went on a ride called the "hellevator" where you sit down and it shoots up a certain distance then let's you free fall. My question is if the acceleration upwards occurs in the first 5 meters how do you figure out that acceleration?
 
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Acceleration=change in velocity/time.
Format said: Went to an amusment park yesterday for physics class. Went on a ride called the "hellevator" where you sit down and it shoots up a certain distance then let's you free fall. My question is if the acceleration upwards occurs in the first 5 meters how do you figure out that acceleration?
So, All you need to know is how fast you were going in the first five meters, and how long it took you to reach your final velocity.

Punch in the numbers and whalla! !Y voy!

Paden Roder
 
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lol k i think i got it. Thx :biggrin:
 
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I think the real problem involves figuring out the acceleration using the maximum height reached, H. You'll find that (the acceleration),
a = g*(H-5)/5, where g = 9.8 m/s^2.
 
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Hi,

To find the acceleration for the first five metres, we need to know the velocity at the end of that upward acceleration. Two parts to the trip: the first five metres, and the rest of the distance up. If max height attained from take off is H, then, for the second part of the trip:

v (initial) = what we need to find out
v (final) = zero (at max height)
a = 9.8 m/s^2 [down] (if friction and air resistance can be ignored, only gravity acts)
d = (H-5) [up]

solve for v (initial) using vf^2 - vi^2 = 2ad

The v (initial) you just discovered is the v (final) for the 5 metres of acceleration at the beginning. You now use:

v (initial) = zero
v (final) = v (initial) from calculation above
d = 5.0 m [up]

and solve for acceleration using

vf^2 - vi^2 = 2ad

Hope this helps.

Minstrel
 

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