Average Acceleration Problem checking answer

In summary, the sports car's average acceleration is 1.5 m/s^2, calculated by converting 98 km/hr to 98000 m/hr and then dividing by 60 twice to get m/s, and then dividing by 18 seconds. This answer takes significant figures into account.
  • #1
fattydq
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0
A sports car accelerates from rest to 98 km/hr in 18 s. What is its average acceleration in m/s^2?NOTE: Do NOT include units in your answer, just type in the number value!

What I did was immediately make 98 km into 98000 meters. I then took 98000 and divided it by 60 twice (once would make it m/minute, again to make it m/second) and got 27.222222. I took this final answer, divided it by 18 seconds, got 1.512345679, and changed it to 1.5 taking significant figures into account.

So would my final answer of 1.5 m/s^2 be correct?
 
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  • #2
As far i as know your working looks fine:biggrin:
 
  • #3


Yes, your final answer of 1.5 m/s^2 is correct. The average acceleration can be calculated by dividing the change in velocity (98 km/hr) by the time interval (18 s). By converting the velocity to meters per second and dividing it by the time interval, you have correctly calculated the average acceleration in m/s^2.
 

What is average acceleration?

Average acceleration is the rate of change of velocity over a period of time. It is calculated by dividing the change in velocity by the change in time.

How do you calculate average acceleration?

To calculate average acceleration, you need to know the initial and final velocities, as well as the time interval. The formula for average acceleration is (final velocity - initial velocity) / time interval.

What are some real-life examples of average acceleration?

Some examples of average acceleration in real life include a car accelerating from 0 to 60 mph in a certain amount of time, a rollercoaster accelerating from the top of a hill to the bottom, or a person running and gradually increasing their speed.

What is the difference between average acceleration and instantaneous acceleration?

Average acceleration is the overall change in velocity over a period of time, while instantaneous acceleration is the acceleration at a specific moment in time. Average acceleration takes into account the entire motion, while instantaneous acceleration focuses on a specific point.

How do you check if your answer to an average acceleration problem is correct?

To check your answer to an average acceleration problem, you can use the formula (final velocity - initial velocity) / time interval and compare it to your calculated answer. You can also use a graph to visualize the motion and see if your answer makes sense.

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