Instantaneous Acceleration Calculation

  • Context: Undergrad 
  • Thread starter Thread starter cb. ram
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Acceleration Force
Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the calculation of instantaneous acceleration when a force acts on a body, particularly in the context of a mass of 10 kg subjected to a force of 100 N. Participants explore the definitions and implications of instantaneous versus actual acceleration, as well as the equations of motion relevant to these concepts.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested
  • Mathematical reasoning

Main Points Raised

  • One participant inquires about how to calculate instantaneous acceleration when a force is applied, using a specific example of a 10 kg mass and a 100 N force.
  • Another participant asserts that the acceleration of 10 m/s² is indeed the instantaneous acceleration.
  • It is suggested that this acceleration can also be considered the actual acceleration, provided friction is negligible and can be calculated using the equations of motion.
  • A participant notes that if the force is instantaneous, the acceleration will also be instantaneous, but highlights that real-world forces are rarely instantaneous due to factors like material compressibility.
  • There is a mention of "jerk," the rate of change of acceleration, as a relevant concept in this context.
  • One participant expresses confusion, stating that if a velocity-time graph shows a constant increase, then the instantaneous acceleration equals the actual acceleration, implying that both force and acceleration would change continuously if the force is not constant.
  • A later post reiterates that acceleration at any instant is determined by the net force and mass, represented by the equation a = f / m.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the nature of instantaneous acceleration and its relationship to applied forces. While some agree on the definitions, others challenge the implications of instantaneous versus actual acceleration, indicating that the discussion remains unresolved.

Contextual Notes

There are limitations regarding the assumptions made about the nature of forces and accelerations, particularly in real-world scenarios where forces may not be instantaneous. The discussion also touches on the dependence of acceleration on net force and mass, with unresolved aspects regarding the role of friction.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be of interest to students and enthusiasts of physics, particularly those exploring concepts of motion, forces, and acceleration in both theoretical and practical contexts.

cb. ram
what will be the instantaneous acceleration when a force act on a body and how to calculate it?for ex if a body of mass 10kg is acted upon by a force of 100N then it accelerate by 10ms^-2 by it take some time to reach this acceleration which can be found out by equation of laws of motion but i want to find out the instantaneous acceleration after the body is subjected to a force ?how to calculate it?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
cb. ram said:
if a body of mass 10kg is acted upon by a force of 100N then it accelerate by 10ms^-2 by it take some time to reach this acceleration
No, this is the instantaneous acceleration.
 
this can also be the actual acceleration .can be found out by the equation of motion(if the friction is negligible)
 
If the force is instantaneous, so is the acceleration. Of course in the real world forces are never instantaneous (due to slack in the system, compressibility of materials etc.) so if you want to know how long it takes to reach this acceleration you need to know how long it takes to reach this force.

Note that the rate of change of acceleration is sometimes called "jerk", which is fairly appropriate.
 
cb. ram said:
can be found out by the equation of motion(if the friction is negligible)
The equation (Newtons 2nd) relates instantaneous acceleration to instantaneous net force, which includes friction.
 
sorry friends i just confused it .in the v-t graph if the plot is constantly increasing then the acceleration is constant so instantaneous acceleration should be=actual acceleration .so if the force continuously changes the acceleration should also be continuously changing(both force and the acceleration are then instantaneous).thank you friends am i right
 
Last edited by a moderator:
acceleration (a) at any instant depends on net force (f) and mass (m):
a = f / m
 

Similar threads

High School Question about Newton's 3rd law: Two boxes sliding toward each other and colliding
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
2K
High School Normal force in case of inclined plane and banked turn
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
2K
High School Does weight affect the acceleration of an object?
  • · Replies 9 ·
Replies
9
Views
2K
Undergrad Express drag force/acceleration/velocity as function of time
  • · Replies 14 ·
Replies
14
Views
2K
High School Force equation: use mass or weight?
  • · Replies 32 ·
2
Replies
32
Views
4K
Undergrad What is the acceleration at the contact point between a wheel and surface?
  • · Replies 17 ·
Replies
17
Views
4K
High School Confusion while trying to build intuition of centripetal force
  • · Replies 15 ·
Replies
15
Views
4K
Undergrad How do we analyze collisions involving accelerating objects?
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
3K
High School Confused about force body diagram for 2 body collision
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
2K
Undergrad Uniquely Defined Accelerations
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
1K