Quick question about instantaneous velocity and acceleration

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on solving for instantaneous velocity and acceleration in a physics problem involving non-constant acceleration. The user initially attempted to apply the quadratic formula but struggled with determining the correct values for acceleration and initial velocity. Ultimately, they successfully differentiated the equation 0.36T^2 - 4.8T = 0 to find the solution. The consensus is that the quadratic formula is not applicable in cases of non-constant acceleration, emphasizing the need for differentiation instead.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of instantaneous velocity and acceleration concepts
  • Familiarity with the quadratic formula
  • Knowledge of differentiation techniques in calculus
  • Basic principles of kinematics, particularly in non-constant acceleration scenarios
NEXT STEPS
  • Study the application of differentiation in physics problems involving variable acceleration
  • Learn about kinematic equations for non-constant acceleration
  • Review examples of solving physics problems using the quadratic formula
  • Explore advanced calculus techniques relevant to physics applications
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Students studying physics, particularly those tackling kinematics and calculus, as well as educators looking for effective problem-solving strategies in non-constant acceleration scenarios.

User72564
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Homework Statement


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Homework Equations



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The Attempt at a Solution



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Hey, I did part a and b. Although I need a little help with part c.
I know you're supposed to solve for t^2 but I don't know what value to use for acceleration.
I'd use the quadratic formula to solve for t^2, but I'm just not sure which values to use...
At first I thought the initial velocity would be zero and the acceleration would be zero but then that left me with:

-1/2 * (4.8 m/s^2) = 0 which doesn't lead to the right answer. Could you guys point me in the right direction?
 
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I ended up just differentiating then doing 0.36T^2 - 4.8T = 0 ---> (0.36T^2) / (0.36T) = (4.8t)/ (0.36T) which gave the right answer, but I wanted to know if there was a way to use the quadratic formula and the above equation since that's how the example in the book was done. I guess at this point its kind of an algebra question than a physics question.
 
You can't use the one dimensional equation you have given in the first post as in this case the acceleration is not constant.
 

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