Physics 71

Second Semester AY 2010-2011

Problem Set 1

Name:

Instructions: (22 points) Solve each of the following problems without error. Show all details. Box in your
answers . Use good notation, you will be marked o for bad notation. (22 pts total)
1. An object travels in a straight line. Its position with respect to a another
may
[ ]stationary
[ cm ] object
2
bedescribed as a function of time t by the equation: x(t) = 3.00 [cm] + 4.00 cm
t

1
t
.
s
s2
(a) (1 pt)Calculate the average velocity for the time interval t = 0.00 [s] to t = 2.00 [s]

6 pts

(b) (1 pt)Calculate the average velocity for the time interval t = 1.00 [s] to t = 4.00 [s]

(c) (1 pt)Calculate the average velocity for the time interval t = 4.00 [s] to t = 8.00 [s]

(d) (1 pt)Calculate the instantaneous velocity at t = 0.00 [s].

(e) (1 pt)Calculate the instantaneous velocity at t = 3.00 [s].

(f) (1 pt)Calculate the instantaneous velocity at t = 6.00 [s].

6 pts

Physics 71/

Page 2 of 2

Name:

2. Consider a car moving along a highway. Answer the following questions, giving an explanation of your
answer in each case. Sketch at least one possible set of a versust t, v versus t, and x versust t graphs
corresponding to your description in each case.

16 pts

(a) (2 pts) If the acceleration a of the car is zero, what are the possible values of the velocity?

(b) (3 pts) If the car is moving, is it necessarily accelerating?

(c) (3 pts) If the car is not accelerating, is it necessarily standing still?

(d) (4 pts) Under what circumstances is the acceleration in the opposite direction to the velocity?

(e) (2 pts) How might you drive a car so that the acceleration would go through zero (from positive to
negative) while the velocity remains positive?

(f) (2 pts) How might you drive a car so that the velocity would go through zero (from negative to
positive) while the acceleration remains positive?

16 pts