Calculate speed 5 meters from the end of path

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on calculating the instantaneous speed of a wheelchair that maintains a steady speed of 2 m/s while traveling a circular path of 25 meters. Participants agree that the instantaneous speed, when 5 meters from the end, is 2 m/s, as the wheelchair maintains this constant speed throughout its journey. However, confusion arises regarding the total distance covered, as calculations suggest a discrepancy between the stated distance and the time taken, leading to questions about the validity of the problem statement.

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  • #31
gijoel said:
Oh that's easy : Patient is 60kg and the wheelchair is 8kg.

Your original problem statement didn't mention the mass of the patient. As far as I can see 60kg is only implied by Q6 posted by "chap". Please post the exact problem statement next time. Thanks.
 
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  • #32
haruspex said:
How would you show 600 to 2 significant digits?
Rounded to the nearest tens, so 590N
 
  • #33
gijoel said:
Rounded to the nearest tens, so 590N
No, that shows some number between 585 and 595 to two sig figs. I asked how you would show a value of 600 to two sig figs.
 
  • #34
60x10^1
 
  • #35
gijoel said:
60x10^1
That's not consistent with the way you wrote 60 to 2 sig figs. Seems to me you'd have to write either 60.*101 or, better, the standard scientific notation 6.0*102.
 
  • #36
My mistake 6.0x 10^2
 
  • #37
I also have an assignment like this and you guys are confusing as
 
  • #38
These are the questions that are being asked:

1. Differentiate between ‘speed’ and ‘velocity’. (2 marks)
2. Define the term ‘instantaneous speed’ and deduce what its value will be when the wheelchair is 5m away from the Examination Room. Justify your answer. (3 marks)
3. Using justification(s), comment on the velocity of the wheelchair as it is being pushed along the circular path. (2 marks)
4. Express the average speed of the wheel chair during its movement from the Reception area to the Examination Room. Ensure that your final answer reflects the correct number of significant digits and units of measurement. (3marks)
5. Calculate the weight of the patient. Include definition(s), formula, correct number of significant digits and units of measurement in your answer. (4 marks)
6. Would it take a larger or a smaller pulling force on the wheelchair handles to stop the wheelchair within a certain period of time if the patient were 80 kg instead of 60 kg? Justify your answer. (3 marks)
7. Explain how Newton’s Third Law of Motion applies to the wheelchair as it is pushed along the corridor.
(3 marks)
 
  • #39
barofsoap69 said:
These are the questions that are being asked:

1. Differentiate between ‘speed’ and ‘velocity’. (2 marks)
2. Define the term ‘instantaneous speed’ and deduce what its value will be when the wheelchair is 5m away from the Examination Room. Justify your answer. (3 marks)
3. Using justification(s), comment on the velocity of the wheelchair as it is being pushed along the circular path. (2 marks)
4. Express the average speed of the wheel chair during its movement from the Reception area to the Examination Room. Ensure that your final answer reflects the correct number of significant digits and units of measurement. (3marks)
5. Calculate the weight of the patient. Include definition(s), formula, correct number of significant digits and units of measurement in your answer. (4 marks)
6. Would it take a larger or a smaller pulling force on the wheelchair handles to stop the wheelchair within a certain period of time if the patient were 80 kg instead of 60 kg? Justify your answer. (3 marks)
7. Explain how Newton’s Third Law of Motion applies to the wheelchair as it is pushed along the corridor.
(3 marks)
And your attempts at answers are?
 
  • #40
Section A (20 marks)

1. Differentiate between ‘speed’ and ‘velocity’. (2 marks)
The difference between speed and velocity is that; speed is a scalar quantity that refers to the rate at which an object covers a distance regardless of its speed, whereas velocity is a vector quantity that refers to the rate at which an objects position changes (https://www.physicsforums.com/file:///D:/Garcia/Desktop/CQU%20Courses/Semester%202/MEDI11002/S0271038.docx#_ENREF_1 ).

2. Define the term ‘instantaneous speed’ and deduce what its value will be when the wheelchair is 5m away from the Examination Room. Justify your answer. (3 marks)
-
3. Using justification(s), comment on the velocity of the wheelchair as it is being pushed along the circular path. (2 marks)
The velocity of the wheelchair is not in a straight pathway it is in a semicircular direction from the reception area to the examination room (https://www.physicsforums.com/file:///D:/Garcia/Desktop/CQU%20Courses/Semester%202/MEDI11002/S0271038.docx#_ENREF_1 ).
4. Express the average speed of the wheel chair during its movement from the Reception area to the Examination Room. Ensure that your final answer reflects the correct number of significant digits and units of measurement. (3marks)

https://www.physicsforums.com/file:///C:/Users/Garcia/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image002.png

https://www.physicsforums.com/file:///C:/Users/Garcia/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image004.png

https://www.physicsforums.com/file:///C:/Users/Garcia/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image006.png

https://www.physicsforums.com/file:///C:/Users/Garcia/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image008.png

∴ The average speed of the wheelchair is 31meters per second (https://www.physicsforums.com/file:///D:/Garcia/Desktop/CQU%20Courses/Semester%202/MEDI11002/S0271038.docx#_ENREF_1 ).

5. Calculate the weight of the patient. Include definition(s), formula, correct number of significant digits and units of measurement in your answer. (4 marks)
-
6. Would it take a larger or a smaller pulling force on the wheelchair handles to stop the wheelchair within a certain period of time if the patient were 80 kg instead of 60 kg? Justify your answer. (3 marks)
-
7. Explain how Newton’s Third Law of Motion applies to the wheelchair as it is pushed along the corridor. (3 marks)
Newton’s third law of motion is applied to the wheel chair as it is being pushed down the corridor as an external force is needed to move the wheelchair that is stationary to be in a state of motion (https://www.physicsforums.com/file:///D:/Garcia/Desktop/CQU%20Courses/Semester%202/MEDI11002/S0271038.docx#_ENREF_1 ) as also quoted; “When one object exerts a force on another, the second object exerts an equal and opposite force on the first object” (https://www.physicsforums.com/file:///D:/Garcia/Desktop/CQU%20Courses/Semester%202/MEDI11002/S0271038.docx#_ENREF_1 ).
 
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  • #41
barofsoap69 said:
Section A (20 marks)

1. Differentiate between ‘speed’ and ‘velocity’. (2 marks)
The difference between speed and velocity is that; speed is a scalar quantity that refers to the rate at which an object covers a distance regardless of its speed, whereas velocity is a vector quantity that refers to the rate at which an objects position changes (https://www.physicsforums.com/file:///D:/Garcia/Desktop/CQU%20Courses/Semester%202/MEDI11002/S0271038.docx#_ENREF_1 ).
You quote "Falconi and Reshmi" a number of times, but the link is broken. You are expected to show your own work, not to produce references to someone else's.

In the passage above, the definition of speed mentions "regardless of its speed". That amounts to a circular definition. Possibly some other word was intended. Maybe "direction"?
 
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  • #42
The reference is from the lecturer (video), I'm showing where i got the information from to prove it's not bull. The final answer is; "The difference between speed and velocity is that; speed is a scalar quantity that refers to the rate at which an object covers a distance regardless of its speed but time, whereas velocity is a vector quantity that refers to the objects speed and direction of motion "
 
  • #43
The only questions that I do not understand are;
2. Define the term ‘instantaneous speed’ and deduce what its value will be when the wheelchair is 5m away from the Examination Room. Justify your answer. (3 marks)

and

5. Calculate the weight of the patient. Include definition(s), formula, correct number of significant digits and units of measurement in your answer. (4 marks)
 
  • #44
barofsoap69 said:
The velocity of the wheelchair is not in a straight pathway it is in a semicircular direction from the reception area to the examination room
Nonsense statement. A velocity cannot have a curved direction, that doesn't mean anything. The velocity can change with time so as to produce a semicircular path.

barofsoap69 said:
‘instantaneous speed’ and deduce what its value will be when the wheelchair is 5m away from the Examination Room.
You didn't post an answer to this.

barofsoap69 said:
The average speed of the wheelchair is 31meters per second
I do not begin to see how that could follow from the information given. Do you mean 3.1?
If you want any useful responses, you will need to take the trouble to copy out all the working and post it. None of your links work for me.
 
  • #45
barofsoap69 said:
The reference is from the lecturer (video), I'm showing where i got the information from to prove it's not bull. The final answer is; "The difference between speed and velocity is that; speed is a scalar quantity that refers to the rate at which an object covers a distance regardless of its speed but time, whereas velocity is a vector quantity that refers to the objects speed and direction of motion "
And, as I pointed out, that answer is flatly wrong.
 
  • #46
This is a perfect example of a physics forum thread (and it happens all the time) where people who are supposed to be trying to help are deliberately making something more difficult.

Bending over backwards to be as abstract and difficult as possible (so as not to give a hint of an answer) is not teaching; its the opposite of teaching; and has the opposite effect of teaching; and its not in the spirit of education. Yes, telling the answer is not a good idea. Coaxing is a good idea. Being contrary is not a good idea.If somebody is confused about the difference between speed and velocity; just tell them what the bloody difference is!Speed has a magnitude. You can say you are driving with a speed of 80 mph

Velocity has a magnitude and a direction. You can say you are driving with a velocity of 80 mph northwards.
 
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  • #47
William White said:
This is a perfect example of a physics forum thread (and it happens all the time) where people who are supposed to be trying to help are deliberately making something more difficult.
Refer to post #41. Coaxing did not work.
 
  • #48
sure, I get that.

What I don't like is deliberate obfuscation; it's horrible.

Good teachers don't do that. And this is about teaching.

Several posts bickering about significant figures? Why? The poor kid had trouble understanding the concept. Just explain it rather than making post after post, the end result of which is to make something that should be easy, very difficult! I understand these things, and when I read the help here I end up being confused. God help the kid that doesn't understand.

Why not just define significant figures and say why they are important?
 
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  • #49
barofsoap69 said:
Calculate the weight of the patient. Include definition(s), formula, correct number of significant digits and units of measurement in your answer. (4 marks)

The point about significant figures is that you should not give an answer with unjustified accuracy.

The answer is given to the same number as significant figures as the lowest number of figures given in the data.

So, if a box had a mass of 8 kg and the acceleration due to gravity is given as 9.81 m/s^2 then the weight of the box can only be given to ONE sig figure. Becaus the mass is only given to one figure.

If the box had a mass of 8.00kg you can give the answer to 3 sig figures
If the box had a mass of 8.000kg you can give the answer to 3 sig figures. Why only 3? Because the acceleration due to gravity is only given to 3 sig figures. You have to use the lowest number of sig figures from the data.
What if the box was 80 kg and acceleration is 9.81 m/s^2 ? The least number of sig figures is now two.

The weight is 80kg x 9.81m/s^2 = 784.8 N

You should write this as

A) 780 N (to two sig figures) (because mass is given to two sig figures)

or

B) 7.8 x 10^2 N (because mass is given to two sig figures)Both are correct (be sure if you use method A, to write in brackets (as I have done) the number of sig figures so that the 0 obviously seen as not significant. I think (A) looks neater, for a final answer and less fussy than (B); but B is useful in calculations)

Sig figures are a constant source of pain; and sometimes counter intuitive and a headache.

If you measure an angle, to the nearest angle, with your protractor you can write

–1° (1 sig figure)
or
359° (3 sig figures).

both are correct, but one looks like it is 3 times more accurate than the other, which it is not! You would not be justified making 1° into 1.00°; nor rounding 359° to 400° (or 0°)! Both would be very wrong. You need to make an educated decision about what number is justified and say that in the answer.And
Generally, zeros AFTER a decimal point are significant. Zeroes BEFORE are not. However, it is not easy! If your instrument is correct to five decimal places, which is more "accurate":

1.00001 Amps is 6 sig figures

0.00001 Amps is 1 sig figure

you could - as far as I am concerned - be justifed in saying that both are as accurate as each other - as long as you explain why you think that.Be sure to put in your answer WHY you have used the number of significant figures.
 
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  • #50
Closed pending moderation.
 
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