Determining the final velocity and acceleration magnitude traveling along an arc

Join the discussion
Registration is free. Start your own thread to ask a follow-up.
3 replies · 7K views
HRubss
Messages
66
Reaction score
1
Homework Statement
The motorcycle is traveling at 40 m/s when it is at A. If the speed is then decreased at [tex]v'=-(0.05s)m/s^2[/tex], where s is in meters measured from A, determine its speed and acceleration when it reaches B. I attached a picture of the problem.
Relevant Equations
[tex]S = S_0 + v_0(t) + \frac{1}{2}at^2[/tex]
[tex] v^2 = (v_0)^2 + 2a(\Delta S)[/tex]
[tex]s = r\theta[/tex]
[tex]a_n = \frac{v^2}{\rho}[/tex]
[tex]a_t = v'[/tex]
Problem Statement: The motorcycle is traveling at 40 m/s when it is at A. If the speed is then decreased at [tex]v'=-(0.05s)m/s^2[/tex], where s is in meters measured from A, determine its speed and acceleration when it reaches B. I attached a picture of the problem.
Relevant Equations: [tex]S = S_0 + v_0(t) + \frac{1}{2}at^2[/tex]
[tex]v^2 = (v_0)^2 + 2a(\Delta S)[/tex]
[tex]s = r\theta[/tex]
[tex]a_n = \frac{v^2}{\rho}[/tex]
[tex]a_t = v'[/tex]

I figured since the motorcycle travels along an arc, I needed to get the arc length. [tex]s = 150m(60*\frac{\pi}{180}) = 157.08[/tex] .
Then since the tangential acceleration is constant, using the constant acceleration formula to find final velocity...
[tex]v = \sqrt{(40)^2+2(-0.05(157.08))(157.08)}[/tex] but that gave me an imaginary number since the acceleration is negative? I'm not sure if this is the correct process. Any help is appreciated!
 
Attachments
  • 12.138.PNG
    12.138.PNG
    10.2 KB · Views: 893
Physics news on Phys.org
Can this be moved to introduction physics homework help forum? I think its better suited for there, even though this from an Engineering Dynamics textbook.

EDIT: Thank you!
 
Last edited:
HRubss said:
since the tangential acceleration is constant,
It isn't, and your first two Relevant Equations aren't, since they only apply to constant acceleration.
I do not understand your calculation for "v". Although the label v is used it represents speed here, not velocity. What is the speed at A?
 
haruspex said:
It isn't, and your first two Relevant Equations aren't, since they only apply to constant acceleration.
I do not understand your calculation for "v". Although the label v is used it represents speed here, not velocity. What is the speed at A?

Oh! I see, because its a function of distance? So would [tex]ads = vdv[/tex] be more appropriate?
My "v" came from the constant acceleration formula but since it isn't constant, this will not work.
The speed at A is 40 m/s?

EDIT:
Wait I figured it out!
Since acceleration isn't constant and we're given the acceleration as a function of time.
[tex]ads = vdv[/tex]
Integrating both sides,
[tex]\int ads = \int vdv[/tex]
which gives me the final velocity and to find the acceleration magnitude, I used
[tex]a = \sqrt{a_t^2 + a_n^2}[/tex]

Thanks for the help!
 
Last edited: