How Do You Calculate River Flow Velocity in a Kinematics Problem?

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SUMMARY

The discussion focuses on calculating the flow velocity of a river in a kinematics problem involving a motorboat and a raft. The motorboat travels downstream, overtakes the raft, and then returns to meet the raft again 6 km downstream after 60 minutes. The key equations established are based on the velocities of the stream (v0) and the motorboat (v'), leading to the relationship d = vt0 = v0t + (v - v0)t, where L = v0(t + t0). The flow velocity can be derived from these equations.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of kinematics principles
  • Familiarity with velocity and time equations
  • Basic algebra for solving equations
  • Knowledge of relative motion concepts
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  • Study the concept of relative velocity in fluid dynamics
  • Learn how to apply kinematic equations in real-world scenarios
  • Explore the derivation of flow velocity in river problems
  • Investigate the effects of constant engine duty on boat speed
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Students studying physics, particularly those focusing on kinematics and fluid dynamics, as well as educators looking for practical examples of velocity calculations in river flow scenarios.

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Homework Statement



A motorboat going downstream overcame a raft at a point A;
• = 60 min later it turned back and after some time passed the raft
at a distance l = 6.0 km from the point A. Find the flow velocity
assuming the duty of the engine to be constant.



Homework Equations



---------------------------------

The Attempt at a Solution



I assumed the stream velocity as v0 and the velocity of the motorboat with respect to water as v' . The motorboat reached point B while going downstream with velocity (v0 + v') and then returned with velocity (v' - v0) and passed the raft at point C . Then I assumed t to be the time for the raft to move from point A to C , during which the motorboatboat moves from A to B and then from B to C .

But after this I have no idea how to proceed .
Pls Help!
 
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Let v_{0} be the velocity of the stream, v velocity of the motorboat, t_{0} time after the motorboat changes direction (60 minutes) and L distance form point A (6 km).

After 60 minutes, distance between boats is

d=vt_{0}.

At that moment, motorboat is at point B. After time t passes, the boats meet at point C. So, they travel their own distances in the same time interval t. Therefore

d=vt_{0}=v_{0}t+(v-v_{0})t.

And we also know

L=v_{0}(t+t_{0}).

v_{0} is easy to obtain from those equations.
 
ArkaSengupta said:

Homework Statement



A motorboat going downstream overcame a raft at a point A;
• = 60 min later it turned back and after some time passed the raft
at a distance l = 6.0 km from the point A. Find the flow velocity
assuming the duty of the engine to be constant.



Homework Equations



---------------------------------

The Attempt at a Solution



I assumed the stream velocity as v0 and the velocity of the motorboat with respect to water as v' . The motorboat reached point B while going downstream with velocity (v0 + v') and then returned with velocity (v' - v0) and passed the raft at point C . Then I assumed t to be the time for the raft to move from point A to C , during which the motorboatboat moves from A to B and then from B to C .

But after this I have no idea how to proceed .
Pls Help!

But the motorboat is only an observer, otherwise irrelevant. The raft traveled 6 km in 60 minutes.
 

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