High school physics basic question about two dimensional motion (WITH PICTURE)

In summary, the conversation is about someone seeking help with a physics problem involving acceleration. They mention that the acceleration is approximately 0.4m/s^2 but they are struggling to find the direction. They believe they need to use the sine or cosine law and provide a link to the question. The response suggests resolving the velocities into x and y components to find the average acceleration and direction.
  • #1
lanvin
17
0
Stuck on this problem.

I think acceleration is about 0.4m/s^2, but having the worst time trying to find direction. I think the sine or cosine law is supposed to be used?? Here's the question:

http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm286/lanvin12/physics.jpg [Broken]
 
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  • #2
lanvin said:
Stuck on this problem.

I think acceleration is about 0.4m/s^2, but having the worst time trying to find direction. I think the sine or cosine law is supposed to be used?? Here's the question:

http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm286/lanvin12/physics.jpg [Broken]

Welcome to PF.

I think you will need to treat your acceleration here as the difference of the vectors of velocity divided by time. This would mean that you need to resolve each of your velocities into its x,y components and then take the difference. This will give you a resulting velocity vector that when divided by the scalar of time should yield both the average acceleration (the magnitude) and of course the direction.
 
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  • #3
Double thanks for the welcome and physics help! :D
 

1. What is the definition of two-dimensional motion in high school physics?

Two-dimensional motion refers to the movement of an object in a plane, where the object is able to move along two different axes, typically the x-axis and the y-axis.

2. How do you calculate the displacement of an object in two-dimensional motion?

The displacement of an object in two-dimensional motion is calculated by finding the difference between its initial position and its final position, taking into account both the x and y components of the displacement.

3. What is the difference between speed and velocity in two-dimensional motion?

Speed is a measure of how fast an object is moving, while velocity is a measure of both the speed and direction of an object's motion. In two-dimensional motion, velocity includes both the x and y components of an object's speed.

4. How does acceleration affect an object's motion in two-dimensional space?

Acceleration is defined as the rate at which an object's velocity changes. In two-dimensional motion, acceleration can affect an object's motion by changing its speed, direction, or both.

5. Can an object have different velocities in the x and y directions in two-dimensional motion?

Yes, an object can have different velocities in the x and y directions in two-dimensional motion. This is known as vector addition, where the overall velocity of the object is the combination of its x and y components.

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