- #1
Matt2411
- 33
- 1
Member advised to use the homework template for posts in the homework sections of PF.
x = x0 + v0 * t + 1/2 * constant acceleration * t^2
So this is supposed to be very very simple physics, but I still feel like there's a part of this equation I don't fully understand. The first term is the initial position of the body at t=0. The second term is the initial velocity at t=0, multiplied by the time elapsed since then. So far so good. Now, it's the third term I have trouble interpreting. I know it comes from integrating the acceleration function, but why exactly is it so?
I tried to reason it the following way: Let's assume a=2 m/s^2, and for the sake of simplicity make both the initial position and velocity zero. Ok, so if I want to know the position of this body at t=1, then given that constant acceleration, velocity at t=1 will be 2 m/s. So the body should have had a displacement of 2 metres, right?
But if I plug in the values in the formula, I'd get x = 1/2 * 2 m/s^2 * 1 s^2 = 1 metre. Why is this the case?
I know it must be pretty stupid, but I can't figure out what's wrong with my reasoning.
Thanks in advance!
So this is supposed to be very very simple physics, but I still feel like there's a part of this equation I don't fully understand. The first term is the initial position of the body at t=0. The second term is the initial velocity at t=0, multiplied by the time elapsed since then. So far so good. Now, it's the third term I have trouble interpreting. I know it comes from integrating the acceleration function, but why exactly is it so?
I tried to reason it the following way: Let's assume a=2 m/s^2, and for the sake of simplicity make both the initial position and velocity zero. Ok, so if I want to know the position of this body at t=1, then given that constant acceleration, velocity at t=1 will be 2 m/s. So the body should have had a displacement of 2 metres, right?
But if I plug in the values in the formula, I'd get x = 1/2 * 2 m/s^2 * 1 s^2 = 1 metre. Why is this the case?
I know it must be pretty stupid, but I can't figure out what's wrong with my reasoning.
Thanks in advance!