What is the equation for calculating acceleration when lifting an object?

In summary, the conversation discusses the calculation of acceleration when lifting an object with a mass of 2kg to a height of 10m, which results in 240J of mechanical work. The correct answer is 2 m/s^2 if there is no gravity, but it may be different if gravity is present. The question does not specify the duration of the lift, so it is unclear how to accurately calculate the acceleration in this scenario.
  • #1
Ugnius
54
10
Moved from technical forums, so no template
Hi , I am trying to practice working with new exercises and I've met some problems.
Lifting object with mass of 2kg to height of 10m we do 240J mechanical work.
What is acceleration of lifting?

My calculations:
A=Fs=Fh
F=A/h = 240/10 = 24N

a= F/m = 24/2 = 12 m/s^2 , somehow it's not the right answer
 
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  • #2
There is a downward mg which compensates the mechanical work done?

your answer is correct if there is no mg force

in fact,part of the mechanical work done is to compensate the work done by the mg force
 
  • #3
No , that's all what's written in question
 
  • #5
Lifting object with mass of 2kg to height of 10m we do 240J mechanical work.
What is acceleration of lifting?

the final answer is 2 ?
 
  • #6
2 m/s^2 yes
 
  • #7
in fact

your answer is correct if there is no gravity.
 
  • #8
if there is gravity
then you will feel a "resistance" from the gravity

part of your 240J will try to compensate this "resistance" so that it is impossible that the force that you provide will be the same of the case of no gravity force
 
  • #9
garylau said:
Lifting object with mass of 2kg to height of 10m we do 240J mechanical work.
What is acceleration of lifting?

the final answer is 2 ?
How did you get 2? can you write the equation?
Was it a=F/m - g?
 
  • #10
I'm unsure how to interpret the question.

If this is in a terrestrial setting, we can calculate that part of the work that went into overcoming gravity, i.e. into achieving the PE gain. That is less than 240J. Where did the rest go? Since it asks about acceleration, maybe we are supposed to assume there is residual KE, i.e. it is still moving upwards. If so, we can compute the gained velocity, but without knowing how long this took there is no way to find the acceleration.

Alternatively, this is extraterrestrial, and all they want you to find is the local gravitational acceleration, but then that would be 12m/s2, not 2.
 
  • #11
haruspex said:
If so, we can compute the gained velocity, but without knowing how long this took there is no way to find the acceleration.
The object was lifted 10m.
 
  • #12
haruspex said:
Since it asks about acceleration, maybe we are supposed to assume there is residual KE, i.e. it is still moving upwards.
NascentOxygen said:
The object was lifted 10m.
Yes, although it isn't stated, I think maybe the solution should assume constant acceleration.
 
  • #13
TomHart said:
Yes, although it isn't stated, I think maybe the solution should assume constant acceleration.
That does seem to be the most likely error/omission in the question.
 
  • #14
Ugnius said:
How did you get 2? can you write the equation?
Was it a=F/m - g?
Yes. That is it.
 

1. What is acceleration and why is it important?

Acceleration is the rate of change of an object's velocity over time. It is important because it helps us understand how objects move and how forces affect their motion.

2. What are some common problems with acceleration?

Some common problems with acceleration include difficulty in calculating it accurately, confusion between acceleration and velocity, and understanding the concept of negative acceleration (deceleration).

3. How does acceleration affect motion?

Acceleration affects motion by either speeding up, slowing down, or changing the direction of an object's movement. This change in motion is caused by forces acting on the object.

4. What is the difference between average acceleration and instantaneous acceleration?

Average acceleration is the overall change in velocity of an object over a specific time period, while instantaneous acceleration is the change in velocity at a specific moment in time. Average acceleration is calculated using the initial and final velocities, while instantaneous acceleration is calculated using the slope of the velocity-time graph at a specific point.

5. How can we measure acceleration?

Acceleration can be measured using various tools such as accelerometers, motion sensors, and force sensors. These tools can measure the change in velocity of an object over time and calculate its acceleration.

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