Help with Problem: Find Distance Travelled in First 5.0s

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Homework Help Overview

The problem involves determining the distance a ball rolls during the first 5.0 seconds of its motion, given that it rolls 150m during the second 5.0 seconds with uniform acceleration. The context is kinematics, specifically dealing with motion under constant acceleration.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking, Problem interpretation

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss the use of kinematic equations to relate distance, velocity, and acceleration. Some express confusion over the number of unknowns in their equations, particularly regarding initial velocity and acceleration. Others suggest writing the displacement equation for the second interval and relating it to the first interval to find the unknowns.

Discussion Status

The discussion is ongoing, with participants exploring different approaches to express the problem's variables. Some have attempted to manipulate the equations to isolate unknowns, while others are questioning the assumptions made about initial velocity and acceleration. There is no explicit consensus yet, but guidance has been offered on how to relate the two intervals of motion.

Contextual Notes

Participants note the challenge of having multiple unknowns in their equations, which complicates finding a solution. There is also mention of needing to express initial velocity in terms of acceleration and time, indicating a potential gap in the information provided by the problem statement.

Alanf718
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I was doing this problem, and now I wonder where I went wrong

The problem states
A ball starts from rest and rolls down a hill iwth uniform acceleration, traveling 150m during the second 5.0s of its motion. How far did it roll during the first 5.0s of motion.

This is what I did

x = 150m
t = 5.0s
with that data I got the velocity for stage 2
v = 30m/s

with that I tried to determine the acceleration so
V = Vo + at
30m/s = 0m/s + a(10s);
I got a = 3m/s

then I tried getting the x with
X = Xo + volt + 1/2(a*t^2);
X = 0 + 0 + 1/2(3m/s*(5^2));
and I got X to be 37.5m but the book says the answer is 50m where did I go wrong?
 
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Alanf718 said:
...This is what I did

x = 150m
t = 5.0s
with that data I got the velocity for stage 2
v = 30m/s

This would be correct if there was no acceleration, i.e. if the velocity had been constant. Write down the equation of displacement for the second interval of 5 seconds first. Then see which parts of the equation you can (and need) to express with information you know about the first 5 seconds. You'll end up having only one unknown, which will be the acceleration. Then you can easily calculate the displacement in the first 5 seconds.
 
Iam ending up with 2 unknowns
writing it as
X- Xo = volt + 1/2(a*t^2);

That leaves me with Vo unknown as well as the a, I can't solve it with 2 unkowns :-( and I don't know How I would get the initial velocity at stage two to solve this.[EDIT]
Forget it i got the answer I replace Vo with a*t in other words a*5 thanks for the help!
 
Last edited:
Alanf718 said:
Iam ending up with 2 unknowns
writing it as
X- Xo = volt + 1/2(a*t^2);

That leaves me with Vo unknown as well as the a, I can't solve it with 2 unkowns :-( and I don't know How I would get the initial velocity at stage two to solve this.

Okay, the equation of displacement for the 'second' 5 sec is x = x0 + v0*t + 1/2*a*t^2, hence 150 = x0 + v0*5 + 1/2*a*5^2. What does xo equal? And what about v0?
 

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