1D Kinematics - Integration of the Equations of Motion

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Homework Help Overview

The problem involves two planes traveling towards each other from two airports, with a total distance of 1286 km between them. Plane A departs first and travels north, while Plane B departs later and travels south. The task is to determine where and when the two planes meet based on their speeds and departure times.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Problem interpretation, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss the distances traveled by each plane over time and how these relate to the total distance. There are attempts to set up equations based on their speeds and the time of travel. Some participants question the initial distance due to the staggered departure times.

Discussion Status

The discussion includes various attempts to analyze the problem, with some participants providing calculations and others clarifying the requirements for the time of meeting. There is acknowledgment of the need to consider the time difference in departures, and some guidance has been offered regarding the interpretation of the results.

Contextual Notes

Participants are working under the constraints of a homework problem, which may limit the information available and the methods they can use. The problem setup includes specific speeds and a total distance, but the exact time of meeting is still under discussion.

bearjew11
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1. The distance from two airports is 1286 km by air. Plane A leaves the first airport at 10:00a heading north toward the second airport, another plane leaves from the second airport at 11:00a heading south towards the destination plane A originally departed from. Plane A travels at 720km/h, and plane B, slowed by a headwind, travels at 640km/h. Where do the planes meet? At what time?

Given:
Δy= 1286km
Vp1 = 720km/h
Vp2 = 640km/h
Δt = ?
??




2. Not quite sure yet.



3. I tried to draw a graph but it, unfortunately, got me no where.
 
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If t is the clock time, how far north has the first plane traveled by time t?
How far south has the second plane traveled by time t?

When the two planes meet, how are their distances from their respective starting points related to the total distance 1286 km?
 
Chestermiller said:
If t is the clock time, how far north has the first plane traveled by time t?
How far south has the second plane traveled by time t?

When the two planes meet, how are their distances from their respective starting points related to the total distance 1286 km?

Well, if plane A left an hour before plane B, then the distance is no longer 1286km, (assuming that the position of plane A is 0). The two planes have to, instead, cover 566km to meet, 1286 - 720* 1 = 566km

After 1 hour, or 3600s, plane A has traveled north 720,000m and plane B is beginning to cover distance.

My attempt at a solution:
Knowns and unknowns:
For plane A:
VA = 720km/h = 200m/s - velocity
xA = 0km - position
VB = 640km/h ~~ 178m/s
xB = 1268km - (720km*1h) = 566km = 566000m
xm = ? - position where planes meet

Equations used:
t = xB/[VA + VB] = 566000/(200+178) ~~ 1,497.35s - when they meet
xm = VA*(t) = 200*(1497.35) = 299,470m - where they meet
 
Nice job.

I think they were asking for the clock time that they meet. 1495.35 sec ~ 25 minutes, so they meet at ~11:25.

Chet
 

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