Acceleration/deceleration questions

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In summary, the conversation revolved around questions about a spaceship's acceleration and speed in relation to time and distance. The individual asked about the time and distance it would take for a spaceship to reach 0.9, 0.92, and 0.95 of the speed of light with a constant acceleration of 1g, both on-board and off-ship. They also mentioned a resource, the Usenet Physics FAQ, which provides a framework for answering these types of questions.
  • #1
JSEBorg
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First of all, a hearty hello to everyone! New poster on this board, though I've been reading this forum quite a bit lately. A bit too much, if you ask my spouse. The questions I want to ask are these:

1) If a ship accelerates at 1g, how long would it take for it to reach .9 of light speed? How much time would've passed, onboard as well as off-ship, until it reaches its cruising speed?
2) How far would that spaceship have traveled from zero to reach .9 the speed of light, if it maintained an acceleration of 1g?

What if you increase the speed to .92 the speed of light - how long will it take (on-board and off-ship) to reach .92? How far would that ship have traveled before reaching that speed?

Or how about .95 the speed of light? How long would it take for a ship to get to that speed at a constant 1g thrust - and again, I'm asking about both on-board-time and off-ship-time. How far would the ship have traveled during this phase to reach "cruising speed"?
 
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  • #3
[tex]gt=\frac{v}{\sqrt{1-v^2}}[/tex], (with c=1).
[tex]x=\frac{\sqrt{1+g^2t^2}-1}{g}[/tex].
 
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FAQ: Acceleration/deceleration questions

What is acceleration and deceleration?

Acceleration is the rate at which an object's velocity changes over time. It is measured in units of distance per time squared, such as meters per second squared. Deceleration, on the other hand, is the negative acceleration or the rate at which an object's velocity decreases over time.

How is acceleration and deceleration calculated?

Acceleration can be calculated by dividing the change in an object's velocity by the time it takes for that change to occur. 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. Deceleration is calculated in the same way, but the value is negative.

What are some real-life examples of acceleration and deceleration?

Acceleration and deceleration can be observed in many everyday situations. For example, when a car speeds up or slows down, it is experiencing acceleration or deceleration. Similarly, when a roller coaster goes up or down a hill, it is accelerating or decelerating. In sports, when a pitcher throws a ball or a runner sprints, they are both accelerating. When a car comes to a stop at a red light, it is decelerating.

How do acceleration and deceleration affect motion?

Acceleration and deceleration can change the speed and direction of an object's motion. When an object experiences acceleration, its speed increases or decreases, depending on the direction of the acceleration. If the acceleration is in the same direction as the object's motion, it will speed up. If the acceleration is in the opposite direction, it will slow down. Deceleration always causes an object to slow down.

What factors can affect acceleration and deceleration?

The factors that can affect acceleration and deceleration include the mass of the object, the force applied to the object, and the presence of friction or air resistance. Heavier objects require more force to accelerate or decelerate compared to lighter objects. In addition, friction or air resistance can slow down an object's acceleration or cause it to decelerate more quickly.

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