Relation between acceleration and time

AI Thread Summary
The discussion focuses on the relationship between acceleration and time, particularly how to graph varying acceleration. A horizontal line indicates constant acceleration, while a negative slope shows decreasing acceleration. The user is developing an ATV and seeks to understand how to relate torque and power to acceleration, given specific torque values. It is emphasized that without knowing the torque at every moment, calculating acceleration becomes complex. The constant 'C' in the acceleration equation is derived from the assumption of initial conditions and can be calculated using specific values.
Ketan Vadher
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I have a problem. As I was finding the torque for an engine. I have. I get a question about the relation of acceleration and time.
How will be the graph of varying acceleration and time if acceleration decreases?
Will it be a straight line with negative slope or any other shape?
 
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This is impossible to tell without more information. It's like asking "here is a car, what will its speed be over time?"
 
If you are plotting acceleration on the y-axis and time on the x axis, then a horizontal line would indicate constant acceleration. Negative slope indicates decreasing acceleration, and positive slope indicates increasing acceleration.
The question is, how is your acceleration changing? Do you have a formula for it?
 
Most cars (including drag racers) have maximum acceleration near t=0. Then acceleration declines rather quickly before curving to a more gentle downward slope. You'll need data and curve-fitting techniques to find the formula for your application.
 
insightful said:
Most cars (including drag racers) have maximum acceleration near t=0.
Not if they are parking somewhere (a=0), or moving in traffic jams or whatever. That's the point, we have no idea what happens so it is impossible to know the acceleration.
 
Thank you for such a response to my first question to Physics forum.
 
Hello
Today I get the graph of acceleration and time for my engine.
It will have a shape of paarabola x=-y^2 in first qudrent from Max acceleration to a=0.

Now I have a question regarding the reletion of power and acceleration & relation of torque and acceleration.
How to get relation for my engine. having max torque 18.6 N-m @2800 rpm.
how can I accelertion from power.
 
This web page spells it out pretty simply. http://theory.uwinnipeg.ca/physics/rot/node5.html
If you know torque, ##\tau##, mass, m, and you know the radius of the thing you are rotating, ##r##, you can relate torque to acceleration by:
##\tau = m r a ##
 
Ketan Vadher said:
Hello
Today I get the graph of acceleration and time for my engine.
It will have a shape of paarabola x=-y^2 in first qudrent from Max acceleration to a=0.

Now I have a question regarding the reletion of power and acceleration & relation of torque and acceleration.
How to get relation for my engine. having max torque 18.6 N-m @2800 rpm.
how can I accelertion from power.
I assume you mean to end up with an equation like:

a = a0 - C*sqrt(t)

For example, if initial acceleration were 1 m/s2 and acceleration drops to 0 after 20 seconds, you have:

a = 1 - 0.2236*sqrt(t)

Now, if you know the torque from the engine at a point in time, you can calculate the acceleration by calculating the force the wheels are applying to the vehicle, using F = ma. In practice, this is not possible because engine torque is not known at every point in time.

(Are we talking about a vehicle, like a motorbike?)
 
  • #10
insightful said:
I assume you mean to end up with an equation like:

a = a0 - C*sqrt(t)

For example, if initial acceleration were 1 m/s2 and acceleration drops to 0 after 20 seconds, you have:

a = 1 - 0.2236*sqrt(t)

Now, if you know the torque from the engine at a point in time, you can calculate the acceleration by calculating the force the wheels are applying to the vehicle, using F = ma. In practice, this is not possible because engine torque is not known at every point in time.

(Are we talking about a vehicle, like a motorbike?)
Thank you for response...

But what is the C here?
How did you get the value of C=02236 here?

I am making an ATV car.
 
  • #11
Ketan Vadher said:
But what is the C here?
How did you get the value of C=02236 here?
C is a constant in the equation. It is found by putting my assumption in the example I gave that a=0 at t =20 s:

0 = 1 - C*sqrt(20) and solve for C.
 
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