Formulas for constant power acceleration

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around deriving formulas related to constant power acceleration in mechanics. Participants explore the relationships between power, force, acceleration, velocity, and position, with a focus on mathematical derivations and expressions for these variables over time and space.

Discussion Character

  • Technical explanation
  • Mathematical reasoning
  • Exploratory

Main Points Raised

  • One participant outlines the initial conditions and relationships between power, force, and acceleration, proposing a series of equations to derive velocity and position as functions of time.
  • Another participant suggests integrating the velocity function to obtain the position function, indicating a method to derive further expressions.
  • A different participant expresses confidence that similar problems have been addressed previously, suggesting that the problem is straightforward within basic mechanics.
  • Further contributions provide detailed mathematical expressions for velocity, position, acceleration, and force as functions of time and position, including integrals for work done.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on whether the problem has been fully addressed in previous discussions. While some express confidence in the simplicity of the problem, others indicate that they have not found complete solutions in past threads.

Contextual Notes

Some mathematical steps and assumptions are not fully resolved, and there is a reliance on integration techniques that may require further clarification. The discussion includes various expressions that depend on specific definitions and conditions.

rcgldr
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This isn't homework. A friend asked about this so I decided to work out the formulas, but wanted to know if this was already done by someone here (otherwise I'll do the math).

p = power (constant)
a = acceleration
v = velocity
x = position
t = time
f = force

Assume an object is initially at rest, at position zero and time zero:

v0 = 0
x0 = 0
t0 = 0

f = m a
p = f v
f = p / v

first step

a = f / m = dv/dt = p / (m v)
v dv = (p/m) dt
1/2 v2 = (p/m) t

v = \frac{dx}{dt} = \sqrt {\frac{2\ p\ t}{m}}

This is continued to find x as a function of t, then t as a function of x

Then determine f(x) = p / v(x)

and finally show that work done is

p\ t_1 = \int_0^{x_1} f(x) dx
 
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You can simply integrate your equation for v(t) and get x(t). That can be used to get v(x) and the other expressions.
 
mfb said:
You can simply integrate your equation for v(t) and get x(t). That can be used to get v(x) and the other expressions.
I know that, was just wondering if someone here had already done this in a previous thread. The previous threads I did find never actually completed the formulas. I'll go ahead and do this later.
 
I am sure this has been done before, it is a nice and easy problem in mechanics and can be solved with very basic concepts.
 
p = f \ v
a = \frac{dv}{dt} = \frac{f}{m} = \frac {p} {m\ v}
v\ dv = \frac{p}{m}\ dt
\frac{1}{2}\ v^2 = \frac{p}{m}\ t
v = \frac{dx}{dt} = \sqrt {\frac{2\ p\ t}{m}}
dx = \sqrt {\frac{2\ p\ t}{m}}\ dt
x = \sqrt {\frac{8\ p\ t^3}{9\ m}}
t = \sqrt[3] {\frac{9\ m\ x^2}{8\ p}}
a as a function of t:
a = \frac {p} {m\ v} = \frac {p} {m\ {\sqrt {\frac{2\ p\ t}{m}}}}<br /> = \sqrt {\frac{p}{2\ m\ t}}
v as function of x:
v = \sqrt {\frac{2\ p\ \sqrt[3] {\frac{9\ m\ x^2}{8\ p}}}{m}}<br /> = \sqrt[3] {\frac{3\ p\ x}{m}}
a as a function of x:
a = \frac{p}{m \ v} = \frac{p}{m \ \sqrt[3] {\frac{3\ p\ x}{m}}}<br /> = \sqrt[3] {\frac{p^2}{3\ m^2\ x}}
f as a function of x:
f = m\ a = \sqrt[3] {\frac{m\ p^2}{3\ x}}
work done versus x:
w = \int_0^x \sqrt[3] {\frac{m\ p^2}{3\ x}} \ dx<br /> = \sqrt[3]{\frac{9\ m\ p^2\ x^2}{8}}
work done versus time:
w = \sqrt[3]{\frac{9\ m\ p^2\ \left( \sqrt {\frac{8\ p\ t^3}{9\ m}} \right )^2}{8}}<br /> = p \ t
 
Last edited:

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