- #1
Blixt
- 11
- 0
Hi there!
I'm working (programming) on a little project where I want to be able to get the position of an object at any point in time assuming its acceleration doesn't change. The object has an initial position and velocity.
It's very easy to extrapolate the position after x time given a constant velocity, but now the velocity will be changing over time as well, which is where I'm having problems. Would anyone be so kind and point me in the right direction? =)
If my question wasn't clear, here's an example that describes it more practically: I have a ship in space (far out, practically unaffected by gravity) and it's floating in one direction and pointing in another. Now I start the forward thrusters which accelerate the ship constantly. From this point on, I want to be able to get the position and velocity of the ship at any time forward.
Also, does this ship ever reach a maximum speed (assuming its thrusters do not exert any force stronger than what we have today)? Or will it slowly creep up in speed until it is disintegrated (assuming the ship has unlimited fuel and a constant mass)? The second case seems unlikely to me, but I've never had a physics class so what do I know? =)
If the first case is true, how do I implement this into the formula (if possible)?
I'm working (programming) on a little project where I want to be able to get the position of an object at any point in time assuming its acceleration doesn't change. The object has an initial position and velocity.
It's very easy to extrapolate the position after x time given a constant velocity, but now the velocity will be changing over time as well, which is where I'm having problems. Would anyone be so kind and point me in the right direction? =)
If my question wasn't clear, here's an example that describes it more practically: I have a ship in space (far out, practically unaffected by gravity) and it's floating in one direction and pointing in another. Now I start the forward thrusters which accelerate the ship constantly. From this point on, I want to be able to get the position and velocity of the ship at any time forward.
Also, does this ship ever reach a maximum speed (assuming its thrusters do not exert any force stronger than what we have today)? Or will it slowly creep up in speed until it is disintegrated (assuming the ship has unlimited fuel and a constant mass)? The second case seems unlikely to me, but I've never had a physics class so what do I know? =)
If the first case is true, how do I implement this into the formula (if possible)?