Calculating the Speed of a Space Shuttle After 55.2 Seconds

[Goopy17]

Homework Statement

The space shuttle undergoes an acceleration of 53.9 m/s^2. How fast is it traveling at the end of 55.2 s?

Homework Equations

The Attempt at a Solution

I have no clue. I am doing a summer assignment and it is very poorly explained by the teacher.

 

[PeterO]

Homework Statement

The space shuttle undergoes an acceleration of 53.9 m/s^2. How fast is it traveling at the end of 55.2 s?

Homework Equations

The Attempt at a Solution

I have no clue. I am doing a summer assignment and it is very poorly explained by the teacher.

Are you familiar with equations summarising motion with constant acceleration?
An example of the set is

v = u + at
s = ut + (1/2).a.t^2
s = vt - (1/2).a.t^2
v^2 = u^2 +2as
s = [(u+v)/2]*t

some people/texts use different symbols

 

[Goopy17]

What is u? v is velocity, a is acceleration, and t is time, but what is u?

 

[PeterO]

What is u? v is velocity, a is acceleration, and t is time, but what is u?

u is the initial velocity, v is the final velocity [like in the alphabet u comes before v]

s is displacement

with those symbols you don't need subscripts on the letters

 

[Goopy17]

Could you help me work it out?

 

[Goopy17]

What is the value for initial velocity?
V= 53.9 m/s^2
A= 53.9m/s^2
T= 55.2s
S= ?
I got distance as 2975.28 but I don't know if that is correct

 

[Goopy17]

Or are we looking for velocity?

 

[PeterO]

Could you help me work it out?

Firstly you identify the value of the three properties you know - like u = 0

Then you identify which variable you are trying to find. That part is easy. You find the question mark in the question, then move back through the text until you find the previous punctuation mark. Then you read the words between that punctuation mark and the question mark.

You then choose the equation that connects those 4 variables, substitute and solve.

 

[Goopy17]

So we are looking for speed, right?

 

[Goopy17]

I got 2975.28 m/s, but I am not sure if that is correct.

 

[PeterO]

I got 2975.28 m/s, but I am not sure if that is correct.

Which formula did you use?

 

[PeterO]

So we are looking for speed, right?

Given that we have u = initial speed, & v = final speed you should be more specific, but yes we are looking for speed.

 

[PeterO]

I got 2975.28 m/s, but I am not sure if that is correct.

Why were you not sure it was correct?