Does a Glider Complete Its Loop Starting at 60 m/s with 30 m/s² Acceleration?

In summary, the conversation discusses a C# programming assignment that involves calculating the position, velocity, and acceleration of a glider pilot performing a back-loop maneuver. The initial centripetal acceleration is given and the pilot must maintain constant airspeed throughout the maneuver. The conversation also mentions the use of Newton's second law, parametric equations, and the principle of conservation of energy to solve the problem. The conversation ends with a suggestion to divide time into small increments and use equations to calculate the change in acceleration, velocity, and position for each increment of time.
  • #36
Somebody suggested to me that

a_x = ( 30 (centripetal acceleration) * v * v_x1 ) / 60*60
a_y = (( 30 (centripetal acceleration) * v * v_y1 ) / 60*60 ) - 9,8

would be correct.

And
a_x = -39.8 * V_t * Vy_1 / (60 * 60);
a_y = 39.8 * V_t * Vx_1 / (60 * 60) - 9.8;
is wrong.

Why should it be like that?
Sorry guys, for dummy question, I really respect your patience with me, but .. How can I learn to understand these final equation? Where to start? Where do they come from exactly?
Voko your explanation for upper difficult equations makes sense for a start.
Where do I begin to study those final simplified equations?

For example - POSITION:
I see why there is '' x_2 = x_1 + (Vx_1) * delta_t ''
V * t = x
But how do I know V_x is constant?

VELOCITY:
Vx_2 = Vx_1 + Ax * delta_t
a * t = V ... I agree, but this time we are using equation for accelerated motion. Why? If we used an equation for constant velocity for position?

ACCELERATION:
Ax = -39.8 * V_t * Vy_1 / (60 * 60) or a_x = ( 30 (centripetal acceleration) * v * v_x1 ) / 60*60
This one I don't understand at all.
 
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  • #37
StudentTM said:
Somebody suggested to me that

a_x = ( 30 (centripetal acceleration) * v * v_x1 ) / 60*60
a_y = (( 30 (centripetal acceleration) * v * v_y1 ) / 60*60 ) - 9,8

would be correct.

As you explained earlier yourself, the initial acceleration is 30 m/s2, and because we have -9.8 m/s2 due to gravity, the lift coefficient must be 39.8 / (60*60). So these equations cannot be correct.

a_x = -39.8 * V_t * Vy_1 / (60 * 60);
a_y = 39.8 * V_t * Vx_1 / (60 * 60) - 9.8;
is wrong.

The coefficient is correct. The signs are also correct, which should be intuitively clear: as the pilot pulls up, the horizontal velocity must start decreasing, while the vertical velocity must go up.

Sorry guys, for dummy question, I really respect your patience with me, but .. How can I learn to understand these final equation? Where to start?

Newton's second law, gravity, lift. High-school material.

But how do I know V_x is constant?

It is not constant. But when you integrate differential equations using Euler's method, you assume that during the very small time interval of each integration step, all your variables do not change appreciably. This is the source of the error intrinsic to the method. You should have been paying attention to your professor, this has certainly been explained in the class.
 
  • #38
voko said:
It is not constant. But when you integrate differential equations using Euler's method, you assume that during the very small time interval of each integration step, all your variables do not change appreciably. This is the source of the error intrinsic to the method. You should have been paying attention to your professor, this has certainly been explained in the class.

Ohh, that explains a lot :) Thanks .. Yes I should be paying more attention at class for sure ;)
 

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