01-Oct-18

PH-125 Applied Physics

Lecture – 4
Acceleration

Acceleration
 Change of velocity is accelerated motion

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1
 01-Oct-18

Acceleration

 If the velocity is positive and increasing in magnitude,

the acceleration is positive
 If the velocity is positive and decreasing in magnitude,
the acceleration is negative
 However, note that if the velocity is negative (motion
in the negative x direction) and increasing in
magnitude, that is, becoming more negative, the
acceleration is negative

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Average vs Instantaneous
acceleration

 The average acceleration for the interval from t1 = 0 to

t2 = 10.0 s is the slope of the straight line Q1Q2
 The instantaneous acceleration at t = 4 s is the slope of
the tangent at that point
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2
 01-Oct-18

Constant Acceleration
 Constant acceleration implies a constant
slope in the plot of velocity vs. time;
thus the plot is a straight line
 In this case, the velocity simply
increases (or decreases) by equal
amounts in each 1-second time interval

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Usman Younis

3
 01-Oct-18

STOPPING DISTANCES
 For an alert driver, the average reaction time is 0.75 s
 The braking deceleration of 8 m/s2 is the typical
deceleration that an automobile with good tires can
attain during sharp braking on a dry pavement

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Acceleration of freefall

 Constant acceleration

x-axis is positive
upwards

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E43-CfukEgs
 Example 10, page 52 of the book

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