- #1
bob4000
- 40
- 0
how would i find acceleration if a squash ball is traveling at 9m/sec horizontally to the right and is stopped by a racket in 0.003 secs?
Calculating Acceleration of a Squash Ball Stopped by a Racket
- Context: High School
- Thread starter bob4000
- Start date
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- Tags
- Acceleration Ball
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Discussion Overview
The discussion revolves around calculating the acceleration of squash and tennis balls when impacted by a racket, focusing on the application of kinematic equations and the concept of acceleration as a change in velocity over time. Participants seek clarification on the calculations involved in these scenarios.
Discussion Character
- Homework-related
- Mathematical reasoning
- Conceptual clarification
Main Points Raised
- One participant asks how to find the acceleration of a squash ball traveling at 9 m/s that is stopped by a racket in 0.003 seconds.
- Another participant provides the formula for acceleration as a = (V_final - V_initial) / t, suggesting to substitute the variables.
- A different participant expresses confusion and requests step-by-step instructions for calculating acceleration, also presenting a scenario involving a tennis ball moving at 5 m/s to the right and being accelerated to -25 m/s to the left over 0.012 seconds.
- One participant explains that acceleration is the rate of change of velocity and describes how to calculate it, noting that the total change in velocity will be negative when considering direction.
- A participant questions their calculation, suggesting they may have made an error in determining the change in velocity.
- Another participant confirms the calculation method, clarifying the initial and final velocities and the resulting average acceleration, emphasizing that it is negative, indicating direction to the left.
- A participant expresses gratitude for the assistance received in the discussion.
Areas of Agreement / Disagreement
Participants generally agree on the method for calculating acceleration, but there is some uncertainty regarding specific calculations and interpretations of velocity direction. No consensus is reached on the exact numerical results, as participants express differing views on their calculations.
Contextual Notes
Some participants may have missing assumptions regarding the definitions of positive and negative velocities, and there are unresolved steps in the calculations presented.
Who May Find This Useful
This discussion may be useful for students learning about kinematics, particularly in understanding how to calculate acceleration in scenarios involving changes in direction and velocity.
- #2
Nenad
- 698
- 0
[tex]a = \frac{V_{final} - V_{initial}}{t}[/tex]
sub in your variables and voila.
sub in your variables and voila.
- #3
bob4000
- 40
- 0
i still don't get it, I am new to this stuff, ur going to have to tell me step by step... and also anotha question - a tennis ball moving to the right at 5m/sec is hit by a racket and accelerated to the left leaving the tennis racket at a speed of 25m/sec to the left. if the contact time is 0.012 secs, calculate the average acceleration - again i need step by step instructions to understand
- #4
Chi Meson
Science Advisor
Homework Helper
- 1,891
- 11
Acceleration is the rate of change of velocity, or, the total change in velocity over the time it takes to make that change.
As a ball approaches a racket, it goes from a positive velocity to a stop. Then as it rebounds it goes from zero to a negative velocity. THe total change in velocity is the amound of positive velocity it lost, plus the subsequent negative velocity it gained. In formula form it is v(final) - v (initial). If initial is a positive value, and final is a negative value, notice that your total change in velocity will be negative.
Take the total change in velocity and divide it by the time given, and you will have your acceleration. If you do it right , you will see that the acceleration is a negative quantity.
As a ball approaches a racket, it goes from a positive velocity to a stop. Then as it rebounds it goes from zero to a negative velocity. THe total change in velocity is the amound of positive velocity it lost, plus the subsequent negative velocity it gained. In formula form it is v(final) - v (initial). If initial is a positive value, and final is a negative value, notice that your total change in velocity will be negative.
Take the total change in velocity and divide it by the time given, and you will have your acceleration. If you do it right , you will see that the acceleration is a negative quantity.
- #5
bob4000
- 40
- 0
thankx for the help, but i think i got it wrong, cos i got -1666.6666... Should I be doing (5-25) divided by 0.012?
- #6
Doc Al
Mentor
- 45,584
- 2,460
Follow exactly what Chi Meson explained...
Think this way:
initial velocity = +5 m/s (let positive mean to the right)
final velocity = -25 m/s (to the left)
change in velocity = final - initial = -25 - 5 = - 30 m/s
time = 0.012 s
average acceleration = - 30/0.012 m/s/s (note that acceleration is negative, meaning: to the left)
Think this way:
initial velocity = +5 m/s (let positive mean to the right)
final velocity = -25 m/s (to the left)
change in velocity = final - initial = -25 - 5 = - 30 m/s
time = 0.012 s
average acceleration = - 30/0.012 m/s/s (note that acceleration is negative, meaning: to the left)
- #7
bob4000
- 40
- 0
thanks to everyone for the help, really appreciate it. 
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