Acceleration: guy and a student are competing against each other

In summary, the student has to run twice as fast to finish at the same time as the guy. They have the same speed when they both start, but they do not start at the same time.
  • #1
Julia Maria
4
0

Homework Statement


A guy and a student are competing against each other in a 100m long race. The guy start before the student. When the guy is halfway the student start running. They are finishing at the same time. We assume that at any time we can talk about their speed.

Show that you and the guy have exactly the same rate of at least one time point after the boy started to run.
How much information do you need to complete the task?

Homework Equations



S`(t) = G`(t)

The Attempt at a Solution



Since the guy started before the student. The student has to run twice as fast to finish at the same time. So his acceleration has to pass the guy acceleration at one time. ( Imagine a graph.
and when they finish at the start line.
They also have the same speed when they both start, but they do not start at the same time. So it is not valid since its not at the same time.

So how can I show this and when do they have the same speed. Am I on the right track?
 
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  • #2
Julia Maria said:

Homework Statement


A guy and a student are competing against each other in a 100m long race. The guy start before the student. When the guy is halfway the student start running. They are finishing at the same time. We assume that at any time we can talk about their speed.

Show that you and the guy have exactly the same rate of at least one time point after the boy started to run.
How much information do you need to complete the task?

Homework Equations



S`(t) = G`(t)

The Attempt at a Solution



Since the guy started before the student. The student has to run twice as fast to finish at the same time. So his acceleration has to pass the guy acceleration at one time. ( Imagine a graph.
and when they finish at the start line.
They also have the same speed when they both start, but they do not start at the same time. So it is not valid since its not at the same time.

So how can I show this and when do they have the same speed. Am I on the right track?
Hello Julia Maria. Welcome to PF!

The guy travels 50m in the same time that the student 100m. How do their average velocities compare over this time interval?
 
  • #3
Average velocity is the rate of change of displacement with time.
Δr=50m
v=Δr/Δt Average velocity for the boy
v=(2*Δr)/Δt For the student

So the students average velocity. is twice the boys.

So how do I show when they have the same rate?
And Î`m missing the time to complete the task?
 

FAQ: Acceleration: guy and a student are competing against each other

What is acceleration?

Acceleration is a measure of the rate at which an object's velocity changes. It is typically measured in meters per second squared (m/s^2).

How is acceleration 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.

What is the difference between average and instantaneous acceleration?

Average acceleration is the overall change in an object's velocity over a period of time, while instantaneous acceleration is the acceleration at a specific moment in time. Average acceleration can be found by calculating the slope of the velocity vs. time graph, while instantaneous acceleration can be found by calculating the slope of the tangent line at a specific point on the graph.

How does acceleration relate to force?

According to Newton's Second Law of Motion, force is equal to an object's mass multiplied by its acceleration. This means that a greater force will result in a greater acceleration, and a smaller force will result in a smaller acceleration.

How can acceleration be affected by air resistance?

Air resistance, also known as drag, can have a significant impact on an object's acceleration. As an object moves through the air, it experiences a force in the opposite direction of its motion due to air resistance. This force can decrease the object's acceleration, and in some cases, even cause it to decelerate.

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