02 2-1 (b) Acceleration as a function of time
Method
- If , then and .
✍️ Worked examples
Example 1:
- A particle has acceleration m/s and starts from the origin with velocity 2 m/s.
- Find and at time and their values at .
- Does the particle ever stop?
Solution:
- .
- .
- At : m/s and m.
- needs , with discriminant : there is no solution, so the particle never stops.
Example 2:
- A force N acts on a body of mass 3 kg at rest.
- Find its velocity after 4 s and the distance travelled in that time (the body moves in a straight line).
Solution:
- .
- ; at , m/s.
- ; at , m.
- Note: for , so the body first moves backwards; the displacement is not the distance if the direction reverses.
Example 3:
- A force N acts on a particle of mass 2 kg which has velocity 3 m/s at .
- Find the impulse during the interval and the velocity at .
Solution:
- Impulse N·s.
- Velocity at : m/s.
- Velocity at : , so m/s.
Change of momentum
- The change of momentum in is .
✍️ Worked examples
Example 4: A car of mass 1.5 tonnes has acceleration m/s. Find the change of momentum in the first 6 s and in the interval .
Solution:
- kg. An antiderivative of is .
- First 6 s: , so kg·m/s.
- Interval : at : ; at : .
- Difference , so kg·m/s.
Example 5: A body of mass 8 kg has . Find the change of momentum between and .
Solution:
- kg·m/s.