Free fall physics expression

In summary, an object is released from rest and falls through the air with a resistive force of a = g - bv. The possible expression for the speed of the object as a function of time is v = gt - bt^2. For the second problem, the acceleration a of a particle with velocity v = at - bt^3 can be calculated by finding the maximum displacement in the positive x direction, which occurs when the velocity is 0.
  • #1
pringless
43
0
An object is releaseed from rest at time t = 0 and falls through the air, which exerts a resistive force such that the acceleration a of the object is given by a = g - bv, where v is the object's speed and b is a constant. If limiting cases for large and small values of t are considered, which of the following is a possible expression for the speed of the object as an explicit function of time?

a) v = g(1-e^bt) / b
b) v = (g+a)t / b
c) v = (ge^bt) / b
c) v = gt - bt^2
d) v = v_0 + gt, v_0 does not = 0

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The velocity of a particle moving along the x-axis is given by:

v = at - bt^3 for t > 0

a = 31m/s^2, b = 2.5 m/s^4, and t is in seconds.

What is the acceleration a, of the particle when it achieves its maxiumum displacement in the positive x direction? Answer in units of m/s^2.
 
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  • #2
For the first problem,the main thing you need to think about is "will the speed get greater or less? Which of the possible answer gives that?


For the second problem, as long as the velocity is positive, the particle is still moving forward. When the velocity is negative, it's already going to the left. The largest value of x 0ccurs when the veocity is 0.
 
  • #3


The acceleration of the particle at its maximum displacement in the positive x direction can be found by taking the derivative of the velocity function with respect to time:

a = dv/dt = a - 3bt^2

At the maximum displacement, the velocity is 0, so we can set v = 0 and solve for t:

0 = at - bt^3
t = a/b

Substituting this value of t into the acceleration function, we get:

a = a - 3b(a/b)^2
a = a - 3a^2/b

Simplifying, we get:

a = a(1 - 3a/b)

Thus, the acceleration at the maximum displacement in the positive x direction is given by a(1 - 3a/b) m/s^2.
 

1. What is the formula for calculating free fall?

The formula for calculating free fall is d = 1/2gt^2, where d is the distance traveled, g is the gravitational acceleration (9.8 m/s^2), and t is the time in seconds.

2. How does air resistance affect free fall?

Air resistance, also known as drag force, acts in the opposite direction of motion and reduces the acceleration of an object in free fall. This means that objects with larger surface areas experience more air resistance and will have a slower rate of free fall compared to smaller objects.

3. What is terminal velocity in free fall?

Terminal velocity is the maximum velocity an object can achieve in free fall when the drag force of air resistance is equal to the force of gravity. At this point, the object will no longer accelerate and will fall at a constant speed.

4. How does the mass of an object affect its free fall acceleration?

The mass of an object has no effect on its free fall acceleration. In a vacuum, all objects, regardless of their mass, will fall with the same acceleration due to gravity. However, in the presence of air resistance, objects with larger masses will experience a greater drag force and therefore have a slower rate of free fall.

5. What factors can affect the accuracy of free fall experiments?

Some factors that can affect the accuracy of free fall experiments include air resistance, human error in timing, and variations in gravitational acceleration due to location or altitude. It is important to control for these factors and repeat experiments multiple times to ensure accurate results.

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