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Distance, VeIocity, and AcceIeration

The indefinite integral is commonly applied in problems involving distance,
velocity, and acceleration, each of which is a function of time. In the discussion
of the applications of the derivative, note that the derivative of a distance
function represents instantaneous velocity and that the derivative of the velocity
function represents instantaneous acceleration at a particular time. In
considering the relationship between the derivative and the indefinite integral as
inverse operations, note that the indefinite integral of the acceleration function
represents the velocity function and that the indefinite integral of the velocity
represents the distance function.
In case of a free-falling object, the acceleration due to gravity is -32 ft/sec
2
. The
significance of the negative is that the rate of change of the velocity with respect
to time (acceleration), is negative because the velocity is decreasing as the time
increases. Using the fact that the velocity is the indefinite integral of the
acceleration, you find that

Now, at t = 0, the initial velocity ( v
0
) is

hence, because the constant of integration for the velocity in this situation is
equal to the initial velocity, write
Because the distance is the indefinite integral of the velocity, you find that
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Now, at t = 0, the initial distance ( s
0
) is

hence, because the constant of integration for the distance in this situation is
equal to the initial distance, write
Example 1: A ball is thrown downward from a height of 512 feet with a velocity
of 64 feet per second. How long will it take for the ball to reach the ground?
From the given conditions, you find that



The distance is zero when the ball reaches the ground or



hence, the ball will reach the ground 4 seconds after it is thrown.
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Example 2: In the previous example, what will the velocity of the ball be when
it hits the ground?
Because v( t) = -32( t) - 64 and it takes 4 seconds for the ball to reach the
ground, you find that

hence, the ball will hit the ground with a velocity of -192 ft/sec. The significance
of the negative velocity is that the rate of change of the distance with respect to
time (velocity) is negative because the distance is decreasing as the time
increases.
Example 3: A missile is accelerating at a rate of 4 t m/sec
2
from a position at
rest in a silo 35 m below ground level. How high above the ground will it be after
6 seconds?
From the given conditions, you find that a( t) = 4 t m/sec
2
, v
0
= 0 m/sec
because it begins at rest, and s
0
= -35 m because the missile is below ground
level; hence,

After 6 seconds, you find that
hence, the missile will be 109 m above the ground after 6 seconds.