Which equation do I use to find time to a certain speed?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Diresu
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Speed Time
AI Thread Summary
To determine the time it takes for a train to accelerate to 100 meters per second, first calculate the acceleration using the net force, which is the engine's force minus the drag force. The drag force increases with speed, but for basic calculations, it can often be approximated as constant or ignored if it simplifies the problem. Once the acceleration is known, use the formula time equals final velocity divided by acceleration to find the time required to reach the desired speed. Understanding that drag is not constant during acceleration is important, but it may not significantly affect the basic calculation. This approach provides a straightforward method to solve the problem.
Diresu
Messages
28
Reaction score
0
The question
A train is at rest and it accelerates to a velocity of 100 meters per second. How long does it take to reach that speed?

I can do the work, I just don't know what equation to use.

I know the constant force being created by the train's engine (10,000 Newtons)
I know the mass of the train (5,000 Kg)
I can find out the drag force working against the train at 100 meters per second by using the Drag equation at Wikipedia D=.5pV^2ACd = 150 Newtons

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drag_equation

Force ----> (object @ 100 M/S velocity) <----Drag+Mass

The thing that kind of confuses me is that drag isn't constant from 0 to 100 M/S. It's steadily increasing. I know this isn't a hard one but it is for me.

Thanks,

Al
 
Physics news on Phys.org
The drag would depend on the shape of the train. A race car would have less drag than a truck, even if they had the same mass. In questions like this you normally don't need to take it into account.

Calculate the acceleration of the train, then calculate how long it will take to reach 100m/s.
 
Thread 'Variable mass system : water sprayed into a moving container'
Starting with the mass considerations #m(t)# is mass of water #M_{c}# mass of container and #M(t)# mass of total system $$M(t) = M_{C} + m(t)$$ $$\Rightarrow \frac{dM(t)}{dt} = \frac{dm(t)}{dt}$$ $$P_i = Mv + u \, dm$$ $$P_f = (M + dm)(v + dv)$$ $$\Delta P = M \, dv + (v - u) \, dm$$ $$F = \frac{dP}{dt} = M \frac{dv}{dt} + (v - u) \frac{dm}{dt}$$ $$F = u \frac{dm}{dt} = \rho A u^2$$ from conservation of momentum , the cannon recoils with the same force which it applies. $$\quad \frac{dm}{dt}...
Back
Top