Problem 12DQ An automobile is traveling west. Can it have a velocity toward the west and at the same time have an acceleration toward the east? Under what circumstances?
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Textbook Solutions for University Physics
Question
A ball moves in a straight line (the x-axis). The graph in Fig. E2.9 shows this ball’s velocity as a function of time.
(a) What are the ball’s average speed and average velocity during the first 3.0 s?
(b) Suppose that the ball moved in such a way that the graph segment after 2.0 s was -3.0 m/s instead of +3.0 m/s. Find the ball’s average speed and average velocity in this case.
Solution
Step 1 of 4
a) Average speed, s = Total distance travelled by the object/Total time
In this problem, the velocity of the ball in first two seconds is, \(\mathrm{v}_{1}=2 \mathrm{~m} / \mathrm{s}\)
Therefore, the total distance travelled by the object at first two seconds, \(\mathrm{d}_{1}=\mathrm{v}_{1} \mathrm{t}_{1}\)
\(\mathrm{d}_{1}=2 \mathrm{~m} / \mathrm{s} \times 2 \mathrm{~s}=4 \mathrm{~m}\)
The total distance travelled by the object in between 2nd and 3rd second is, \(\mathrm{d}_{2}=\mathrm{v}_{2} \mathrm{t}_{2}\)
\(\mathrm{d}_{2}=3 \mathrm{~m} / \mathrm{s} \times 1 \mathrm{~s}=3 \mathrm{~m}\)
Therefore, the total distance travelled by the object, \(d=d_{1}+d_{2}=4 m+3 m=7 m\)
Total time taken, \(\mathrm{t}=\mathrm{t}_{1}+\mathrm{t}_{2}=2 \mathrm{~s}+1 \mathrm{~s}=3 \mathrm{~s}\)
Average speed of the ball, s = 7 m / 3 s = 2.33 m/s
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