Calculating Acceleration on a Flat Surface

AI Thread Summary
The discussion focuses on calculating acceleration on a flat surface and determining the coefficient of kinetic friction. A participant initially calculated the stopping time as 10 seconds and acceleration as 0.3 m/s² but struggled to find the friction coefficient without knowing the car's mass. It was suggested that using a variable for mass would allow for cancellation in the equations. The importance of accurately converting initial speed into meters per second was highlighted as a critical step in the calculations. Ultimately, the participant acknowledged an error in their initial speed conversion and indicated they were close to resolving the problem.
KiNGGeexD
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I am a little stumped with this question:( I have attached my solution so far which has just been to deduce the acceleration on the flat surface
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I posted images?
 
KiNGGeexD said:
View attachment 65423

I am a little stumped with this question:( I have attached my solution so far which has just been to deduce the acceleration on the flat surface


View attachment 65424

Can you determine the time that the car takes to stop and the acceleration?

From that can you determine the co-efficient of kinetic friction?

Once you that you should be able to solve it.

AM
 
Ahh ok!
I determined the time to stop as 10 seconds and acceleration to be 0.3m/s^2:)

So how do I get the kinetic friction coefficient without the mass of the car?
 
KiNGGeexD said:
Ahh ok!
I determined the time to stop as 10 seconds and acceleration to be 0.3m/s^2:)
You should show us how you get that. What is the initial speed in m/s? Plot speed in m/s vs. time on a graph. What does the area under the graph represent? Work out the formula for that area and express in terms of change in speed and time.

So how do I get the kinetic friction coefficient without the mass of the car?
Work it out using m for the car mass. You will see that mass cancels out.

AM
 
Write an equation, you might find the mass cancels.
 
I got

a= g(sinθ - μcosθ)But it occurs to me I don't have the acceleration
 
KiNGGeexD said:
I got

a= g(sinθ - μcosθ)


But it occurs to me I don't have the acceleration
Determine the time it takes to stop. Your calculation of 10 seconds is wrong. How do you determine acceleration from the stopping time and initial velocity?

Show your work and we can help you. We cannot guess what you are doing if you just tell us what you "got".


AM
 
Ah I know what I have done wrong, I converted the initial speed into m/s incorrectly :)

I think I got it now
 
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