Dealing with mass, acceleration and velocity

In summary, the problem involves determining the necessary barrier thickness to safely stop a car traveling at 110 km/h, given that a person wearing a seatbelt can withstand an acceleration of -0.030 m/s2. The formula that can be used is s = \frac{1}{2}at^2 + vt, where a is the deceleration, v is the initial speed, t is the time, and s is the distance.
  • #1
bree
2
0

Homework Statement


Problem: A person wearing a seatbelt can withstand an acceleration of -0.030 m/s2. How thick should barriers be to safely stop a car that hits a barrier at 110 km/h?


Homework Equations


F=m*a?


The Attempt at a Solution


I so far have no attempt. I do not know what sort of formula can be used or what type of problem it is ie. constant velocity, displacement, friction so on. The sort of help that I need is a possible formula you might know of or even what kind of problem this is.
 
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  • #2
I think the key formula is, with a=acceleration, v=initial speed, t=time and s=distance,

[tex]s = \frac{1}{2}at^2 + vt[/tex]

Assume the barrier applies a constant deceleration.
 
  • #3
Thank you Mentz114. That is very helpful! I'll try the problem using that formula now. Thanks again!
 

FAQ: Dealing with mass, acceleration and velocity

What is the relationship between mass, acceleration, and velocity?

The relationship between mass, acceleration, and velocity is described by Newton's second law of motion, which states that the force acting on an object is equal to its mass multiplied by its acceleration. This means that the greater the mass of an object, the more force is needed to accelerate it, and the faster an object is accelerated, the higher its velocity will be.

How do you calculate acceleration?

Acceleration is calculated by dividing the change in velocity by the change in time. This can be represented by the equation a = (v2 - v1)/t, where a is acceleration, v2 is the final velocity, v1 is the initial velocity, and t is the time interval.

How does mass affect an object's acceleration?

Mass has a direct effect on an object's acceleration. The greater the mass of an object, the more force is needed to accelerate it. This is because a larger mass has more inertia, meaning it is harder to change its state of motion. Therefore, objects with greater mass will have a slower acceleration compared to objects with less mass.

What is the difference between speed and velocity?

Speed and velocity are often used interchangeably, but they have distinct meanings in physics. Speed is the measure of how fast an object is moving, while velocity is the measure of how fast an object is moving in a specific direction. Velocity takes into account both the speed and direction of an object's motion, making it a vector quantity.

How do you convert between units of mass, acceleration, and velocity?

To convert between units of mass, acceleration, and velocity, you can use conversion factors. For example, to convert from kilograms to pounds, you can multiply the mass in kilograms by 2.2. To convert from meters per second to miles per hour, you can multiply the velocity in meters per second by 2.237. It is important to keep track of units when performing calculations to ensure accurate results.

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