Solving Velocity & Acceleration - A Physics Challenge

AI Thread Summary
The discussion revolves around calculating the total time a bus takes to travel 400 meters, starting from rest, accelerating at 1.5 m/s² to a velocity of 9 m/s, maintaining that velocity, and then decelerating at -2 m/s² to a stop. Participants emphasize breaking the problem into three phases: acceleration, constant velocity, and deceleration. They suggest using basic kinematic equations to find the time and distance for each phase, ultimately summing these times to arrive at the total. The correct answer is determined to be 50 seconds. The conversation highlights the importance of understanding motion equations in physics.
wells=mvp
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Hi, I just had a question i had trouble answering, I am sure its an easy one, but i can't get it, (since I am just starting physics):

a bus starts at rest and accelerates at 1.5m/s^2 until it reaches a velocity of 9m/s. The bus continues at this velocity and then decelerates at -2m/s^2 until it comes to a stop 400m from its starting point. How much time did the bus take to cover the 400m? (ans: 50 seconds)

Im using basic velocity and acceleration formulas and I can't get the answer.
 
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wells=mvp said:
Hi, I just had a question i had trouble answering, I am sure its an easy one, but i can't get it, (since I am just starting physics):

a bus starts at rest and accelerates at 1.5m/s^2 until it reaches a velocity of 9m/s. The bus continues at this velocity and then decelerates at -2m/s^2 until it comes to a stop 400m from its starting point. How much time did the bus take to cover the 400m? (ans: 50 seconds)

Im using basic velocity and acceleration formulas and I can't get the answer.

show us how you work the problem. Have you ever used latex?
 
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wells=mvp said:
Hi, I just had a question i had trouble answering, I am sure its an easy one, but i can't get it, (since I am just starting physics):

a bus starts at rest and accelerates at 1.5m/s^2 until it reaches a velocity of 9m/s. The bus continues at this velocity and then decelerates at -2m/s^2 until it comes to a stop 400m from its starting point. How much time did the bus take to cover the 400m? (ans: 50 seconds)

Im using basic velocity and acceleration formulas and I can't get the answer.

there are three types of movement: the acceleration phase, the movement woth constant velocity and the decceleration.

1.To calculate the time and distance during the acceleration and decceleration use:

a = \frac {\Delta v} {\Delta t}

--> distance at these phases: s = \bar{v} \cdot t with

\bar{v} = \frac {1} {2} (v_{2} - v_{1})

2. To calculate the time of the remaining distance with constant velocity use s = v \cdot t

3. Then sum the calculated times to get to the answer: t = t_{acc} + t_{cst. v} + t_{dec}
 
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Alternatively, one could use equations of uniform acceleration.
 
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