How Long Does It Take an Elevator to Travel 199 Meters from Start to Stop?

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The discussion focuses on calculating the total time for an elevator to travel 199 meters, considering its acceleration, constant speed, and deceleration phases. Participants analyze the distances and times for each stage, with one member noting that the elevator accelerates to maximum speed and then decelerates symmetrically. There is confusion regarding the time spent at maximum speed, with calculations suggesting a total time of 919.49 seconds, which seems excessively long. The group emphasizes using the correct formulas to determine the time for the constant speed phase, indicating that the calculations may need reevaluation. Accurate calculations are crucial for determining the elevator's travel time effectively.
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A certain elevator cab has a total run of 199 m and a maximum speed is 313 m/min, and it accelerates from rest and then back to rest at 1.10 m/s2. (b) How long does it take to make the nonstop 199 m run, starting and ending at rest?

How do I approach part B?
 
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What have you done so far? How quickly does it reach maximum speed? What distance does that require?
 
Doc Al said:
What have you done so far? How quickly does it reach maximum speed? What distance does that require?

Well part A was how far does the cab move while accelerating to full speed from rest?
And the answer was 12.3698 m.
That's what I've done so far.
 
mossfan563 said:
Well part A was how far does the cab move while accelerating to full speed from rest?
And the answer was 12.3698 m.
That's what I've done so far.
Good.

Treat the motion as having three stages: Accelerating to max speed; constant speed; decelerating to zero speed.

Figure out the distance and time associated with each stage of the motion.
 
Doc Al said:
Good.

Treat the motion as having three stages: Accelerating to max speed; constant speed; decelerating to zero speed.

Figure out the distance and time associated with each stage of the motion.

Well I technically have the distance and time for accelerating to max speed. I can't figure out the other two though. I tried the quadratic equation and it doesn't work.
 
mossfan563 said:
Well I technically have the distance and time for accelerating to max speed. I can't figure out the other two though. I tried the quadratic equation and it doesn't work.

What quadratic equation? You have 3 regions. There are the two - one at each end - getting to max speed and going back to 0, and you know the distances for both because they are symmetrically the same.

Since you know the distance for both, then you know what remains of the trip that you will account for with max speed. Knowing the distance and knowing the max speed then you can figure the time.

Time for the trip? Total time = Time to speed + time at max + time to slow to 0.
 
LowlyPion said:
What quadratic equation? You have 3 regions. There are the two - one at each end - getting to max speed and going back to 0, and you know the distances for both because they are symmetrically the same.

Since you know the distance for both, then you know what remains of the trip that you will account for with max speed. Knowing the distance and knowing the max speed then you can figure the time.

Time for the trip? Total time = Time to speed + time at max + time to slow to 0.

Ok I understand that the time to speed and time to slow to 0 are pretty much the same. The time at max still is still confusing me. The remaining distance would be around 174.2.
I do know the max speed. I just don't know what formula to use.
 
mossfan563 said:
Ok I understand that the time to speed and time to slow to 0 are pretty much the same. The time at max still is still confusing me. The remaining distance would be around 174.2.
I do know the max speed. I just don't know what formula to use.

V= x/t
 
Ok I used this formula.
Here are the numbers I used.
Total distance = 199 m
Remaining distance = 174.2604 m
Time of speed up and slow down = 4.742... s
Max speed = 5.21666666... m/s

Using all these numbers I got an answer of 919.49 s.
Is this off? What am I doing wrong? Are my numbers wrong?
 
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mossfan563 said:
Ok I used this formula.
Here are the numbers I used.
Total distance = 199 m
Remaining distance = 174.2604 m
Time of speed up and slow down = 4.742... s
Max speed = 5.21666666... m/s

Using all these numbers I got an answer of 919.49 s.
Is this off? What am I doing wrong? Are my numbers wrong?

Going 174 m at 5 m/sec should be accomplished considerably quicker if you managed to slow up and down in only 9 seconds over 25 feet.
 
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