Acceleration and velocity problem.

In summary, the father will catch his son in 4 seconds, not 2 seconds. This is because the father needs to not only match the son's velocity, but also catch up to his position in order to catch him. This requires additional time, resulting in a longer time of 4 seconds.
  • #1
kencamarador
33
0
[STRIKE]A boy is running a a constant velocity of 3.0 m/s [E] and passes his father who is standing still. The father immediately starts to chase his son with a constant acceleration of 1.5m/s at the instant his that his son reachers him

How long does it take the father to catch his son?

So to find time. I did

T= vf - vi/aav

Vf is final velocity (3.0-0)
Vi is initial velocity (0)
Aav is average velocity (1.5)

I got 2 Seconds? But the correct answer is 4? How?
 
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  • #2
You found the time when the father has the same velocity as the boy. But you need to find the time that the father has the same position as the boy. In order for the father to catch his son, the father will need to end up running faster than the son.
 

FAQ: Acceleration and velocity problem.

What is acceleration?

Acceleration is the rate of change of velocity over time. It is a vector quantity, meaning it has both magnitude and direction. In other words, it measures how quickly an object's velocity is changing and in what direction.

What is velocity?

Velocity is the rate of change of an object's position over time. It is also a vector quantity, as it includes both speed and direction. In other words, velocity measures how fast an object is moving and in what direction.

How are acceleration and velocity related?

Acceleration and velocity are closely related, as acceleration is the change in velocity over time. If an object's velocity is increasing, it is said to have positive acceleration, while if it is decreasing, it has negative acceleration. If an object's velocity is constant, its acceleration is zero.

What are some common units for acceleration and velocity?

The most common unit for acceleration is meters per second squared (m/s^2), while the most common unit for velocity is meters per second (m/s). However, other units such as kilometers per hour (km/h) and miles per hour (mph) can also be used for both acceleration and velocity.

How can acceleration and velocity be calculated?

Acceleration can be calculated by dividing the change in an object's velocity by the time it took to change. Velocity can be calculated by dividing the change in an object's position by the time it took to change. Both of these calculations require the use of a formula and the known values of the variables involved.

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