ACCELERATION IN ONE DI1\1ENSION

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1. A ball rolls up, then down an incline. Sketch an acceleration diagram for the entire motion. (An .
acceleration diagram is similar to a velocity diagram; however, thevectors on an acceleration
diagram represent the acceleration rather than the velocity of an object.)

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Uphill

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Highest point
(same instant
on uphill and
downhill
figures)

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Downhill

2. Sketch x versus t, v versus t, and a versus t graphs for the entire motion of a ball rolling up and
then d~wn an incline.
a.

Use a coordinate system in which the positive x-direction is down the track.
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b. Use a coordinate system in which the positive x-direction is up the track.

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c.

Can an object have a negative acceleration and be speeding up? If so, describe a possible
physical situation and a corresponding coordinate system. If not, explain why not.

.Tutorials in lntfoductory P
McDermott, Shaffer, & P.E.G., U. Wash.

Mech
HW-14

Acceleration in one dimension

Describe the motion of an object:

a. for which the direction of the acceleration is the same as the direction of motion of the object.

b. for which the direction of the acceleration is opposite to the direction of motion of the object.

c. for

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w~ich

the change in velocity is zero.

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d. for which the initial velocity is zero Qut the aCceleration is riot zero:

4. Two carts roll toward each other on a level table. The vectors represent the velocities of the carts
just before and just after they collide.

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,a. Draw and label a vector for each cart to representthe change in velocity from before to after
the collision. Make the magnitude and direction of your vectors consistent with the vectors
drawn above.

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b. How does the direction of the average acceleration of cart A compare to the direction of the
average acceleration of cart B over the time interval shown? Explain.

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c. For the time interval shown, is tIl~' magnitude of the av.~rage acceleration of cart A greater
than, less than, or equal to the magnitude of the average acceleration of cart B? Explain;

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Tutormls in Introductory Physics

McDermott, Shaffer, & P.E.G., U. Wash.

Prehtiee Hall, me.

First Editiori,2002

ACCELERATION IN ONE DIMENSION

Mech
HW-15

Name

5. In this problem, a cart moves in various ways on a horizontal track. A coordinate system with the
positive x-direction to the right is used to measure each motion. For each motion, one of five
different representations is given: a strobe diagram, a velocity versus time graph, a set of
instantaneous velocity vectors, a written description, or a pair of arrows representing the
directions of the velocity and acceleration.
Give the remaining four representations for each motion."The first exercise has been worked as
an example.
. Given:

velocity vectors

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V

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v3 4-

V4

written description

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cart.

arrows

The cart moves in the

positive direction and
speeds up.

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direction of v:

clirection of a:

The cart moves in the negative direction with constant speed.

velocity vectors

VI
v2

top view strobe diagram

--------
a. Given:

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v4

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graph of v vs t

strobe diagr~

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tt

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direction of v:
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direct; of a:

track

b. Given: top view strobe diagrarri-

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cart.
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velocity vectors

written description,

v2 ~
v3 ~
v4 -'"

graph of V vs t

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arrows
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t

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,

direction of a:
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velocity vectorS
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v2

strobe diagram

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written description

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Tutorials in Introductory Physics

track

direction of v:

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arrows

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Prentice Hall,Inc.
First Edition,2002

Mech
HW-16

Acceleration in one dimension

6. Carts A and B move along a horizontal track. The strobe diagram shows the locations of the carts
at instants 1-5, separated by equal time intervals.
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lem

, a.

CartA

CartB

At instant 3:

oving with constant sed? Explain.

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is cart B

eeding up, lowing down, or moving with constant speed? Explain.

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b. -Is the speed of cart B greater than, le~s than, or equal to the-speed of cart A:

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. at instant 2? Explain.

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is cart A speeding up, slowing down, or

b .

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c., During a small time interval from just before in tant 2 until just 'after instant 2, does th~.

c. distance between
A arid cart Bincrease aecrease, or reJn{lin the same? Explain.

cart

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Consider the following response to the above question:

"For the small intervai containing instant 2, cart B is ah~ad and speedingup"so the
distance between the carts: must be increasing."

Do you agree or disagree?

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Explain~

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d. Is th~e-~yti;;e' inPerval during which cart

c~ B have the same average velocity? If
so, identify t,he interval(s) and explain. If not, explain why not. f\.\l.
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Is there any instant at which cart A and cart B have the same instantaneous velocity? If so,

identify the instant(s) (e.g., "at instant 1," or "at an instant between 2 and 3") and explain:.. If
not, explain why not..
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McDermott, Shaffer, & P.E.G., U. Wash.

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