Physics mechanics kinematics question?

Click For Summary

Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around a kinematics problem involving the motion of a bullet within a rifle barrel. The original poster seeks to determine the acceleration and position of the bullet as functions of time, as well as the duration of acceleration, the bullet's exit speed, and the barrel's length. The provided velocity function is time-dependent, and the poster is uncertain about the relevant given information for solving the problem.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Conceptual clarification, Mathematical reasoning, Problem interpretation

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss the relationship between velocity and acceleration, noting that acceleration is the derivative of the velocity function. There are attempts to derive the acceleration function and the position function through integration. Questions arise about the interpretation of the given information and how to extract the necessary variables for kinematic analysis.

Discussion Status

Some participants have provided guidance on deriving the acceleration and position functions from the velocity function. There is acknowledgment of the need to integrate the velocity function to find the position. Multiple interpretations of the problem are being explored, particularly regarding the conditions under which acceleration becomes zero and how that relates to the bullet's motion.

Contextual Notes

Participants are grappling with the specifics of the problem setup, including the definitions of variables and the implications of the given velocity function. There is a focus on understanding the relationship between acceleration, velocity, and position without reaching a definitive conclusion on the overall problem.

fatherlewis
Messages
12
Reaction score
0
The speed of a bullet as it travels down the barrel of a rifle toward the opening is given by v=(-5.00x10^7)(t^squared)+(3.00x10^3)(t)... v=m/s, and t=s. Acceleration of the bullet just as it leaves the barrel is 0m/s^squared.

Questions is: How do i find the acceleration and position of the bullet as a function of time when the bullet is in the barrel?
length of time the bullet is accelerated?
the speed at which the bullet leaves the barrel?
what is the length of the barrel?

that is the complete question: however what i really want to know is what are the actual givens so i can carry out the kinematics? I can't figure out what to take out from what is given to me.
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Acceleration is the derivative of the velocity function, it is just the rate of change of velocity. See if you can work from there.
 
k i got
a=-(10.00x10^7m/s^3)(t)+(3.00x10^5m/s^2) as the derivative
 
The answers, respectively, are:
a: x=-(1.67x10^7m/s^3)t^3 + (1.50x10^5m/s^2)t^2
b: 3.00x10^-3s
c:450m/s
d:0.900m

I need help finding out how to solve this problem, so far I've got a=-(10.00x10^7)(t)+(3.00x10^5) as the derivative (don't understand how it's 1.67...)
and that the acceleration of the bullet just as it leaves the barrel is 0.

ok for b i figured out that when the bullet leaves the barrel the acceleration is 0, so if i set the derivative of the function given to equal to 0 i will have the time, i did that and got .003s which is good.
 
Last edited:
fatherlewis said:
The speed of a bullet as it travels down the barrel of a rifle toward the opening is given by v=(-5.00x10^7)(t^squared)+(3.00x10^3)(t)... v=m/s, and t=s. Acceleration of the bullet just as it leaves the barrel is 0m/s^squared.

Questions is: How do i find the acceleration and position of the bullet as a function of time when the bullet is in the barrel?
length of time the bullet is accelerated?
the speed at which the bullet leaves the barrel?
what is the length of the barrel?

that is the complete question: however what i really want to know is what are the actual givens so i can carry out the kinematics? I can't figure out what to take out from what is given to me.

You've been given the Velocity function as a function of time.

As already noted the derivative of the velocity function is the acceleration function, which apparently is still time variant.

If velocity is the derivative of position, then ... you simply integrate the Velocity function to derive the position function with respect to time.

Now the length of the barrel requires thinking about the problem a bit. For instance when will acceleration be 0 from the propelling gas pressure in the barrel? (Hint: Maybe when there is no more barrel?)

And at what time will that be? Won't that time plugged in the velocity equation then describe its velocity of exit and likewise plugging into the position equation yield the barrel length?
 
LowlyPion said:
You've been given the Velocity function as a function of time.

As already noted the derivative of the velocity function is the acceleration function, which apparently is still time variant.

If velocity is the derivative of position, then ... you simply integrate the Velocity function to derive the position function with respect to time.

Now the length of the barrel requires thinking about the problem a bit. For instance when will acceleration be 0 from the propelling gas pressure in the barrel? (Hint: Maybe when there is no more barrel?)

And at what time will that be? Won't that time plugged in the velocity equation then describe its velocity of exit and likewise plugging into the position equation yield the barrel length?

I manage to understand everything except on how to get the position function with respect to time.
 
fatherlewis said:
I manage to understand everything except on how to get the position function with respect to time.

You know that velocity is dx/dt.

What then is the position? Isn't it the product of velocity and time? And if you add up all the instantaneous time segments and multiply each segment by the velocity at that instant, you are left with little areas that represent this velocity*time product. The sum of those areas then from any given time to any other given time is the summation of all the infinitesimal area elements and this sum is the area under the v-curve and hence your distance.

So if you take the integral of V, from T=0 to T=t, then you should get as a result X (the area under the V curve) as a function of "t".

Is taking the Integral of V your problem?
 
Last edited:
LowlyPion said:
You know that velocity is dx/dt.

What then is the position? Isn't it the product of velocity and time? And if you add up all the instantaneous time segments and multiply each segment by the velocity at that instant, you are left with little areas that represent this velocity*time product. The sum of those areas then from any given time to any other given time is the summation of all the infinitesimal area elements and this sum is the area under the v-curve and hence your distance.

So if you take the integral of V, from T=0 to T=t, then you should get as a result X (the area under the V curve) as a function of "t".

Is taking the Integral of V your problem?

Yes it's taking the integral my problem...:shy:
 
fatherlewis said:
Yes it's taking the integral my problem...:shy:

Easily solved then.

Your equation: v=(-5.00x10^7)(t^squared)+(3.00x10^3)(t)

Let's rewrite that as:

v_{(t)} = \frac{dv}{dt} = A*t^2 + B*t

Where A and B are constants. Integrating that then

x_{(t)} = \int dv = \int (A*t^2 + B*t) dt = \frac{A*t^3}{3} + \frac{B*t^2}{2} + C

C is a constant of integration that we know is 0, because at t=0, x=0

So ...:

x_{(t)} = \frac{A*t^3}{3} + \frac{B*t^2}{2}
 
  • #10
LowlyPion said:
Easily solved then.

Your equation: v=(-5.00x10^7)(t^squared)+(3.00x10^3)(t)

Let's rewrite that as:

v_{(t)} = \frac{dv}{dt} = A*t^2 + B*t

Where A and B are constants. Integrating that then

x_{(t)} = \int dv = \int (A*t^2 + B*t) dt = \frac{A*t^3}{3} + \frac{B*t^2}{2} + C

C is a constant of integration that we know is 0, because at t=0, x=0

So ...:

x_{(t)} = \frac{A*t^3}{3} + \frac{B*t^2}{2}

Woah thanks a lot for your help.
 

Similar threads

  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
1K
Replies
1
Views
2K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
6K
Replies
14
Views
3K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
6K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
2K
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
3K
  • · Replies 10 ·
Replies
10
Views
10K
  • · Replies 9 ·
Replies
9
Views
4K