A question about acceleration and displacement

In summary, the conversation is about a person who is new to physics and has a question about calculating displacement using acceleration. They first tried using the formula d=tv, but realized it was incorrect because it did not take into account the acceleration. They were then given the correct equation d=1/2*a*t^2 to use and were able to calculate the displacement accurately.
  • #1
pphysics
1
0
Hey everyone. I'm sort of new to the whole physics world (I'm doing it in highschol currently).
I have one question that I apparently can't figure out.

An object accelerates uniformly from rest. After 7.50s, the velocity is 53.2m/s north. What is the displacement?
I first did d=tv and got 399m north. But I know that isn't right because I didn't use any acceleration. I know that a=7.09m/s^2 north, but I'm not sure how to factor that into the 399m...
 
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  • #2
try this equation:

d = v(0)*t + 1/2*a*t^2

v(0) is the initial speed which in this case is zero so the equation simplifies to:

d = 1/2*a*t^2

Plug in the acceleration you found (which is correct) and the time (7.5s) and you should get the correct answer.
 

FAQ: A question about acceleration and displacement

What is acceleration?

Acceleration is the rate at which an object's velocity changes over time. It is a vector quantity, meaning it has both magnitude (speed) and direction.

How is acceleration calculated?

Acceleration can be calculated by dividing the change in velocity by the change in time. The formula for acceleration is a = (vf - vi) / t, where a is acceleration, vf is final velocity, vi is initial velocity, and t is time.

What units are used to measure acceleration?

The SI unit for acceleration is meters per second squared (m/s²), but other commonly used units include kilometers per hour squared (km/h²) and feet per second squared (ft/s²).

What is displacement?

Displacement is the change in an object's position from its starting point to its ending point. It is a vector quantity, meaning it has both magnitude (distance) and direction.

How is displacement related to acceleration?

Displacement and acceleration are related through the fundamental kinematic equation, d = vi*t + (1/2)*a*t², where d is displacement, vi is initial velocity, a is acceleration, and t is time. This equation shows that displacement is directly proportional to time and acceleration, and inversely proportional to initial velocity.

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