Quick question about instantaneous velocity and acceleration

In summary, the conversation is about a physics problem involving solving for t^2 using the quadratic formula. The person initially tried using an equation with an acceleration of zero, but it did not lead to the correct answer. They eventually used a different approach and wondered if there was a way to use the quadratic formula in this situation.
  • #1
User72564
2
0

Homework Statement


[/B]
6nunow.jpg


Homework Equations



ezyno.jpg


The Attempt at a Solution



[/B]
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?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #2
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.
 
  • #3
You can't use the one dimensional equation you have given in the first post as in this case the acceleration is not constant.
 

What is instantaneous velocity?

Instantaneous velocity refers to the speed and direction of an object at a specific moment in time. It is the rate of change of an object's displacement over a very small time interval.

How is instantaneous velocity different from average velocity?

Instantaneous velocity is the velocity at a specific point in time, whereas average velocity is the total displacement of an object divided by the total time it took to travel that distance.

What is the formula for calculating instantaneous velocity?

The formula for instantaneous velocity is v = limΔt→0 (Δx/Δt), where v is velocity, Δx is displacement, and Δt is time.

What is acceleration?

Acceleration is the rate of change of an object's velocity over time. It can be positive (speeding up) or negative (slowing down).

How is instantaneous acceleration different from average acceleration?

Instantaneous acceleration is the acceleration at a specific point in time, whereas average acceleration is the total change in velocity divided by the total time it took to change that velocity.

Similar threads

  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
7
Views
270
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
5
Views
1K
Replies
12
Views
632
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
8
Views
354
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
3
Views
791
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
5
Views
2K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
7
Views
1K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
3
Views
1K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
11
Views
984
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
6
Views
5K
Back
Top