How Long to Accelerate for Desired Time?

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Homework Help Overview

The problem involves a runner attempting to complete a 10,000 m run in under 30 minutes. After running for 27 minutes, the runner has 1100 m remaining and must accelerate to meet the time goal. The discussion centers around calculating the time required for acceleration given a specific acceleration rate.

Discussion Character

  • Mixed

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss the initial conditions, including the remaining distance and time, and the initial velocity of the runner. There are attempts to apply kinematic equations to find the time of acceleration and the final velocity after acceleration. Questions arise regarding the interpretation of the problem and the correct application of equations.

Discussion Status

Participants are exploring various interpretations of the problem and attempting to derive relationships between the variables involved. Some guidance has been provided regarding the use of kinematic equations, but there is no explicit consensus on the approach to take or the final solution.

Contextual Notes

Participants note the constraints of the problem, including the total time available for the remaining distance and the specific acceleration value given. There is an acknowledgment of the complexity of the equations involved and the need to clarify variable definitions.

pointintime
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Homework Statement



A runner hopes to complet the 10,000 m run in less than 30.0 min. After running at constant speed for exactly 27.0 min, there are still 1100 m to go. The runner must tehn acceelerate at .20 s^2 m for how many seconds in order to achieve the desired time?

Homework Equations



def of average velocity = t^-1 (X - Xo)

def of a = t^-1 (V - Vo)

Def of average velocity (when a is zero) = 2^-1 (V + Vo)

V = Vo + at

X = Xo + Vo t + 2^-1 a t^2

V^2 = Vo^2 + 2a(X - Xo)

The Attempt at a Solution



ok for the first part of the race I calculated his velocity has to be

5.494 s^-1 m

ok in order to calculate the time to accelerate for the last part of the race

I saw that

X = Xo + Vo t + 2^-1 a t^2

that would do me no good because I do not know the X value for we could stop accelerating and there are two t variables

V^2 = Vo^2 + 2a(X - Xo)

doesn't work becasue we don't know the V^2 at the end of the acceleration

def of a = t^-1 (V - Vo)

rearanged for t didn't work because we don't know the V at the end of the acceleration...

So I'm lost...
 
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You need to figure out the symbols that correspond to the numbers you have.

Forget the initial 27 minutes of the race.

What counts here is that he has 3 minutes left to cover 1100 meters, when his initial velocity is 5.494 m/s. So you have a displacement (1100 m), a time (3 min or 180 seconds) and an initial velocity (5.494 m/s). You need to find an acceleration. What equation do you think you should use?

By the way, when the acceleration is zero, the velocity does not change so the average velocity, the instantaneous velocity and the initial velocity are all the same, v0.
 
The question gives us his acceleration for the second part of the race

The runner must tehn acceelerate at .20 s^2 m for how many seconds in order to achieve the desired time?

were asked for time requirered for him to accelerate at the at that speed in order to achieve that desired time
 
If he accelerates at .20 s^2 for the rest 180 seconds he would travel

13130 m total which is to long

i believe the problem is asking how long must he accelerate at .20 s^2 then stop accelerating and remain at that velocity for the rest of the race...

Maybe I read it wrong... It's problem 46 in my book so the answer is not in the back of my book and it's a level (III) problem out of 3 levels...
 
30.0 min = 1800 s
27.0 min = 1620 s
 
pointintime said:
.

Maybe I read it wrong... It's problem 46 in my book so the answer is not in the back of my book and it's a level (III) problem out of 3 levels...

You didn't read it wrong, I did. Your interpretation is correct. Let's use some symbols.
Let v0=5.494 m/s

Then the distance he travels while he is accelerating (call it x1) is

x1=v0t1+(1/2)at12

The time that you want is t1 but you need one more equation to find it because you don't know x1. So note that his final speed after he is done accelerating is

vf=v0+at1

Then he travels the rest of the distance (1100 m - x1) in time t2. Then
1100 m - x1 = vf t2 = (v0+at1)t1

Do you see how to finish the solution now?
 
hmmmm let me see

How do you derive this

1100 m - x1 = vf t2 = (v0+at1)t1

ok I agree with this part...
1100 m - x1 = vf t2
because there is no acceleration after he stopped acceleration so you can just do
Vo t to find the X but why do you set it equal to (v0+at1)t1 ?

vf=v0+at1
I know were that equation comes from the definition of acceleration

I also know how to derive this
X = Xo + Vo t + 2^-1 a t^2

I'm just unsure were the equation you gave me came from... Could you please tell me how you got it?

THANKS!
 
Last edited:
After he is done accelerating, his velocity is constant. Call it vf. The distance that he has left to cover is the initial 1100 m less the distance he already covered under acceleration, 1100 m - x1. Since he travels at constant velocity he covers equal distances in equal times, therefore

1100 m - xf = vf*t2. OK so far?

Now use vf = v0 + a t1 to replace vf in the above equation.
 
hmmmm ok thanks!
 
  • #10
Wait...
Is it this
1100 m - x1 = vf t2 = (v0+at1)t1
or this
1100 m - x1 = vf t2 = (v0+at1)t2
 
  • #11
Sorry, the second one

1100 m - x1 = vf t2 = (v0+at1)t2

Too much cutting and pasting ... :redface:
 
  • #12
wait sorry I'm kinda bad

ok i actually understand that

1100 m - x1 = vf t2 = (v0+at1)t2

but how do I solve for t1 the time interval at which the acceleration occuered because I don't know t2 the time that it took to complete the rest of the run after he stopped accelerating I do not know two of the variables

don't know
X1 = the distance covered after the acceleration occuered to finish the race
vf = the velocity at the end of the acceleration
t2 = the time to complete the rest of the race after accelerating
t1 = how long the acceleration occuered

I guess I don't know how to solve for t1 not knowing those variables

know
a = the acceleration given to us in the question .20 s^-2 m
Vo = the velcoity that had to be achieved when he wasn't accelerating in order to cover the first 8900 m at which no acceleration occuered which I calculated to be 5.494 s^-1 m which would be the initial velocity before accelerating
t1 + t2 = 3.00 min sense that would include the time to accelerate and the time after accelerating sense he started to accelerate after 27.0 min and hopes to get under 30.0 min
 
Last edited:
  • #13
But you know that t1 + t2 = 3 min. So ...
 
  • #14
oh.. duh let's see here
:O
ok I would believe that I would solve for t2
right and get
t2 = 3.00 min - t1

X = Xo + Vt2 = Xo + (Vo + at1)t2
X = Xo + V(3.00 min - t1) = Xo + (Vo + at1)(3.00 min-t1)
:|
 
Last edited:
  • #15
solve for t1

X = Xo + Vt2 = Xo + (Vo + a(3.00 min - t2))t2

not sure what to do
 
  • #16
Get rid of t2

t2 = 3 min - t1.

Now you know that

1100 m - x1 = (v0+at1)t2
therefore
1100 m - x1 = (v0+at1)(3 min - t1)
and you also know that
x1=v0t1 + (1/2)at12

Take this value for x1, put it in the previous equation and solve for t1.
 
  • #17
1100 m - (Xo + Vo t + 2^-1 a t^2) = Xo + (Vo at)(3 min - t1)

OMG

I got down to this and didn't know what to do

Xo + Xo - 1100m = - Vo t - 2^-1 a t^2 - (Vo + at) (3.00 min - t)
 
  • #18
There is no x0; it is zero. Look at my previous posting and do what I suggested. Do the algebra carefully. You should end up with an equation where t1 is the only unknown quantity.
 
  • #19
ok but is this step right

1100 m - (Xo + Vo t + 2^-1 a t^2) = Xo + (Vo at)(3 min - t1)

were I just plugged in X

then take out the Xo s
is that correct and then just solve for t?
 
  • #20
Your equation is sloppy. It mixes t and t1. There is only one kind of time, and that's t1. Also you show (v0 at). It should be (v0+at1). So fix it up and solve for t1.
 
  • #21
1100 m - (Xo + Vo t + 2^-1 a t^2) = Xo + (Vo at)(3 min - t)
is there any other subsitution or is just solve for t?
 
  • #22
Please read posting #20 and fix your equation first.
 
  • #23
done to this

(3.00 min - t)^-1 (1100 m - Xo - Xo - Vo) = 2^-1 a^2 t^3 + Vo t

don't know were to go from here
 
  • #24
1100 m - (Xo + Vo t + 2^-1 a t^2) = Xo + (Vo at)(3 min - t)
I thought they were all t1 were every single t is equal to t1
 
  • #25
1100 m - x1 = (v0+at1)(3 min - t1)

subsitute in this
x1=v0t1 + (1/2)at12

gave me this did I do it wrong?

1100 m - (v0t1 + (1/2) a t1^2) = (v0+at1)(3 min - t1)
 
  • #26
t^3 = (3.00 min - t + a^2)^-1 2(1100 m - 2 Xo - Vo t - Vo)

I was going to take out the Xo s at the end
 
  • #27
rewrote for zero

0 = (2(1100 m - 2 Xo - Vo t - Vo))^-1 t^3(3.00 min - t + a^2)
 
  • #28
ok well i think i have done it wrong i believe this part however is correct

1100 m - 2Xo = (Vo + at)(3.00 min - t) + Vo t + 2^-1 a t^2
 
  • #29
anyone might know how to do this?
 
  • #30
I don't know if I can get any closer wihout pluggining in somehting which i don't know what

(1100 m - 2 Xo - Vo t - Vo) (a(3.00 min - t))^-1 = t + 2^-1 t^2
 

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