All Questions
59 questions
-2
votes
1
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58
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Need help in understanding Tangential Acceleration [closed]
I am studying Circular motion and I am confused about tangential acceleration and tangential velocity. I am studying uniform circular motion and it says the tangential acceleration is $0$ in uniform ...
9
votes
4
answers
4k
views
Is it ever possible that the object is moving with a velocity such that its rate of change of speed is not constant but acceleration is constant?
Is it ever possible that the object is moving with a velocity such that its rate of change of speed is not constant, but rate of change of velocity is constant?
Like speed is only the magnitude, so ...
-2
votes
0
answers
70
views
Use of $dv/ds$ in defining acceleration [duplicate]
We can write acceleration as either
$dv/dt$ or $v dv/ds$.
And surprisingly the work-energy theorem arrives from the second definition.
I feel it would be fundamentally understanding towards work ...
0
votes
1
answer
89
views
In $a = dv/dt$, is $a$ the net acceleration? [closed]
While going through the calculus approach to accelerate, we have,
$$a = dv/dt, $$
I think, here, v and a should be in the same axis,
is my process correct?
in a planar motion in two dimensions, it ...
- 1
-2
votes
3
answers
96
views
Why is it wrong to find centripetal acceleration using change of velocity over change of time?
This question asks to find the centripetal acceleration by giving the initial and final velocity over the change of time.
As shown, my book combined two rules to find the acceleration. I utterly ...
- 377
-2
votes
1
answer
91
views
From where does the expression of the tangential accerelation come from?
I've seen so many times that the expression of the tangential acceleration is known to be: $$a_t=\ddot{s}$$ but from the expression of the acceleration in spherical coordinates, in the tangential ...
- 69
-2
votes
2
answers
122
views
Why does $\vec{a}=\vec{\omega}\times \vec{r}$ as well as the velocity does?
Today I came in class and in one of the problems the teacher used $\vec{a}=\vec{\omega}\times \vec{r}$ which made me very confused because I don't know where it comes from, it seems pulled out of thin ...
- 69
0
votes
1
answer
48
views
In circular motion is acceleration vector and $\frac{dv}{dt}$ the same?
I was studying a book in which they have written this
$$ a = -w^{2} r \hat{e} + \frac{dv
}{dt} \ddot{e} \tag{1} \label{1}$$
Where $a$ is acceleration vector $\hat{e}$ is unit radial vector and $\ddot{...
0
votes
0
answers
45
views
Physical and Diagrammatic representation of $a$=undefined when $v$=0 according to $a$=$vdv$/$dx$
$a$=acceleration
$v$=velocity
$x$=position along x axis
$t$=time instant
My teacher derived the $a$=$v$$dv$/$dx$ formula as follows
Assume a particle at time $t$ is at $x$ position having $v$ velocity
...
- 31
0
votes
2
answers
414
views
Why does tangential acceleration become 0 when the velocity is max? [closed]
I know that tangential acceleration equal to zero when the circular motion is uniform, but why is it equal to zero, when the velocity is max or min? Because there is no relation between the value of ...
- 11
0
votes
1
answer
43
views
Are terms tangential acceleration and normal acceleration only used for instantaneous velocity?
Are terms tangential acceleration and normal acceleration only used
for instantaneous velocity?
- 23
-1
votes
2
answers
67
views
Instantanous and uniform velocity and acceleration [closed]
If the mathemical expression of instantanous velocity is $d/t$, what is the mathematical expression of uniform velocity.
If the mathematical expression of instantanous acceleration is $v/t$, what is ...
- 107
1
vote
6
answers
113
views
If a body moves along a path (any path, not just circular) with constant speed, is it's tangential acceleration necessarily zero?
If a body moves along a path (any path, not just circular) with constant speed, is it's tangential acceleration necessarily zero?
I could only find general proofs for the case of circular motion and ...
1
vote
7
answers
293
views
I'm having trouble understanding the intuition behind why $a(x) = v\frac{\mathrm{d}v}{\mathrm{d}x}$ [duplicate]
I was shown
\begin{align}
a(x) &= \frac{\mathrm{d}v}{\mathrm{d}t}\\
&= \frac{\mathrm{d}v}{\mathrm{d}x}\underbrace{\frac{\mathrm{d}x}{\mathrm{d}t}}_{v}\\
&= v\frac{\mathrm{d}v}{\mathrm{d}x}
...
- 339
0
votes
1
answer
87
views
How do I reconcile these two definitions of acceleration?
How do I reconcile these two definitions of acceleration?
$$a=\frac{d\bar{v}}{dt}=(\frac{dv^k}{dt}+v^i v^j \Gamma^k_{ij})\bar{e}_k \tag{1}$$
and
$$a^k=v^{\small\beta} \nabla_{\small\beta} v^k.\tag{2}$$...
- 971
3
votes
2
answers
160
views
Acceleration in terms of displacement
I am having problems understanding the derivation of acceleration in terms of displacement. The first step is fine:
$$a(x) = \frac{\mathrm dv(x)}{\mathrm dt}
= \frac{\mathrm dv(x)}{\mathrm dx} \frac{\...
- 131
2
votes
1
answer
435
views
When exactly does velocity increase or decrease on an acceleration time graph? [closed]
How does the acceleration time graph show if and object is speeding up or slowing down?
Is it possible to find the answer without any deep calculations? If yes then how?
Like how can I find the ...
- 137
0
votes
0
answers
55
views
What do you call $ \frac{d^2 r}{dt^2}$ in polar coordinates? [duplicate]
In polar coordinates, one finds centripetal acceleration as:
$$ a_c = \frac{d^2 r}{dt^2}- \frac{v^2}{r}$$
Where $|r|$ is distance from center to particle, $v$ is tangential velocity.
My question is ...
- 8,040
0
votes
2
answers
353
views
Why isn't tangential acceleration just always 0?
This is probably a very stupid question but I can't help me.
Tangential acceleration is $\vec{a_t}=\frac{dv}{dt}\frac{\vec{v}}{v}=\frac{\vec{v} \cdot \vec{a}}{v} \frac{\vec{v}}{v}$. Since $\vec{a}$ is ...
- 15
1
vote
2
answers
159
views
One object moves along the cycloid at a constant rate, how about its acceleration? [closed]
We know that the parametric equation:
$$x=R(\theta+\sin(\theta))$$
$$y=-R(1+\cos(\theta))$$
and the constant velocity $c$.
How do I prove that the acceleration of the object in the $y$ direction is ...
- 21
0
votes
1
answer
129
views
Why intuitively is the tangent vector the derivative of velocity of position with respect to their modulus?
When trying to find the tangential velocity, many textbooks define the tangent direction as one of the following:
or
Intuitively, why is the tangent vector the derivative of the position with ...
- 849
0
votes
1
answer
42
views
Is such a situation realistically possible where $v$-$t$ graph is continuous but $a$-$t$ graph is not?
Taking for example $v = \cos(t-1)$ from $t \in [0,1]$ and $v = e^{t-1}$ from $t \in (1,\infty)$ and $t \ge 0$. At $t = 1$, the function shifts from cosine to exponential, but remains continuous since ...
3
votes
2
answers
233
views
Generalization of straight line motion under constant acceleration
My question is that, we all know the three equations of straight line motion under constant acceleration,
\begin{align}
x & =x_{\rm o}+v_{\rm o}\,t+\tfrac12 \mathrm a\,t^2
\tag{1d-a}\label{1d-a}\\
...
1
vote
1
answer
458
views
Expressing acceleration in terms of velocity and derivative of velocity with respect to position
we know that
$$a = \dfrac{dv}{dt}$$
dividing numerator and denominator by $dx$, we get $$a=v\dfrac{dv}{dx}$$ provided that $dx$ is not equal to zero or instantaneous velocity not equal to zero
when I ...
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4
votes
2
answers
312
views
Force and Accleration
It's just a basic question I had when I was studying physics years back,
So acceleration have two equations
$$a=\frac{F}{m}$$
and
$$a=\frac{\text{d}v}{\text{d}t}$$
So by the first equation, if I'm ...
- 171
1
vote
2
answers
167
views
Velocity and acceleration in special relativity
I would like to compute what the constant acceleration trajectories are in the Minkowski spacetime $(t, x)$ with $d\tau^2 = dt^2 - dx^2$. So given some trajectory $x(t)$ I know the velocity vector is ...
- 592
0
votes
3
answers
232
views
Are acceleration and velocity simultaneous? [closed]
I would think yes because, if a rope tied to a swinging rock breaks, the rock flies off in the direction that is perpendicular to the direction of the last instant of the acceleration. The ...
- 71
1
vote
2
answers
557
views
In the equation: $a = dv/dt$ , is $dt$ the time taken to achieve that instantaneous acceleration?
If you solve for $dt$ from $a = \frac{dv}{dt}$ , is it the time taken to to achieved that instantaneous acceleration?
$a$ : acceleration
$v$ : velocity
$t$ : time
- 87
9
votes
4
answers
2k
views
Can I find the acceleration or velocity when my displacement-time graph is discontinuous?
Today, I encountered the problem where I was asked to find the velocity and acceleration from displacement-time graph but the displacement-time graph was discontinuous. So I am unable to find the ...
- 123
1
vote
4
answers
58
views
Can we calculate centripetal acceleration by using this method $\frac{\mathbf v_2-\mathbf v_1}{T}$?
If we know the angle between two velocity vectors $\mathbf v_1$ and $\mathbf v_2$, and if we know the time $T$ it takes for the velocity to change from $\mathbf v_1$ to $\mathbf v_2$,then is it ...
- 315
0
votes
3
answers
511
views
Can you use $a=$$\frac{\Delta v}{\Delta t}$ instead of $\frac{dv}{dt}$ to find instantaneous acceleration?
Can you use $\frac{\Delta v}{\Delta t}$ instead of $\frac{dv}{dt}$ to find instantaneous acceleration?
- 502
1
vote
2
answers
133
views
Related to the information contained in $a = v \frac {dv}{ds}$
While studying kinematics I came to the definition of acceleration which is $a = \frac {dv}{dt}$. But from this equation we can derive that $ a = v \frac {dv}{ds} $ which when I evaluate at $v=0ms^{-1}...
user238497
11
votes
4
answers
3k
views
When the direction of a movement changes, is the object at rest at some time?
The question I asked was disputed amongst XVIIe century physicists (at least before the invention of calculus).
Reference: Spinoza, Principles of Descartes' philosophy ( Part II: Descartes' Physics, ...
user229097
1
vote
1
answer
554
views
Meaning of normal acceleration?
acceleration means the rate of change in velocity (vector quantity) and the differentiation means to divide a certain quantity into small elements (i.e $dx$) as we do to find the acceleration at any ...
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5
votes
2
answers
2k
views
How does instantaneous velocity or acceleration have any other numerical value than 0? [duplicate]
Instantaneous velocity is defined as the limit of average velocity as the time interval ∆t becomes infinitesimally small. Average velocity is defined as the change in position divided by the time ...
- 163
6
votes
6
answers
1k
views
Question about derivation of kinematics equations
Apologies if this has been asked before, but I browsed the sub and couldn't find something specific.
I understand the derivation for one of the equations as follows:
\begin{gather}
\frac{dv}{dt} = a ...
- 69
6
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Terminology for time derivative of speed (not velocity)
Is there any standard terminology for the derivative of the magnitude of velocity with respect to time (suitable for use in first-year Calculus)? The word ‘acceleration’, in its technical sense, is ...
- 201
1
vote
5
answers
158
views
Equation of distance and time
How is this equation derived?
$$r = r_0 + ut + at²/2$$
where $r_0$ is the initial position of particle and $r$ is the position of the particle after all the motion it has undergone, $a$ and $t$ ...
- 131
0
votes
1
answer
56
views
Change of variable in function
Suppose I have a function $h(\theta)$ measuring the height of a piston, with $\theta = \omega t$. I would like to know the vertical acceleration of this piston as $\omega$ changes at the point $\theta ...
- 1,420
1
vote
0
answers
74
views
Does the proper four-acceleration $A^{\mu} = (0,0)?$
Let the proper four-position vector $x^{\mu}(\tau) = (0, \tau)$. Differentiating this successively wrt $\tau$ I get the four-velocity $u^{\mu}(\tau) = (0, 1)$ and then the four-acceleration $A^{\mu}(\...
- 3,148
13
votes
7
answers
3k
views
Can we divide a vector by another vector? How about this: $a = vdv/dx?$
My physics teacher told us that we can’t divide vectors, that vector division has no physical meaning or significance. How about this: $$a = vdv/dx.$$
It says acceleration vector equals velocity (as ...
- 876
0
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Confused with derivative and partial derivative
suppose $x=f(t)$ with a constant acceleration.
Then does $\frac{\text d x}{\text d t} = \frac{\partial (x)}{\partial(t)}$ since the position in $x$ only changes with time?
Then the acceleration in ...
0
votes
3
answers
1k
views
How to determine the direction of instantaneous acceleration in a 2D motion? [duplicate]
How do we determine the direction of instantaneous acceleration when the body is moving in a plane (or a 3D space)? This question has been truly bothering me for nearly two weeks. I looked it up, ...
- 876
0
votes
2
answers
84
views
Acceleration in a non-inertial reference frome - derevation
The general velocity equation for a point B in on body rotating and translating about point A with respect to the inertial reference frame say 'xyzo' can be expressed as,
$\vec{r_{B/o}} = \vec{r_{A/o}...
- 17
0
votes
3
answers
38
views
Why the acceleration is specified if I know the coordinates and velocity?
And I don’t understand why the acceleration can be specified if we know the coordinates and velocity
- 11
1
vote
1
answer
483
views
Why acceleration is positive in this graph?
Please explain this graph to me as why acceleration is positive
-1
votes
1
answer
3k
views
How to find Net Force with constant velocity? [closed]
Does having a constant velocity always make the acceleration equal zero?
For example: A 5 kg ball is moving at constant velocity of 15 m/s. What is the net force on the ball?
If the formula is $F_{...
-1
votes
2
answers
121
views
Acceleration and velocity
I'm a freshmen student, I got this question in my mind why we consider acceleration based on velocity not speed.
as far as I know, velocity will be zero if we go and back from A to B although speed ...
- 3
0
votes
4
answers
5k
views
Sign of acceleration from position-time graph
These three graphs are from my textbook. It states that the acceleration in 1) is positive, 2) is negative and 3) is zero and can be told by looking at the slope.
What I understand from the graph is ...
- 493
1
vote
2
answers
3k
views
Velocity time graph analysis: what does a concave downward $v$-$t$ curve mean?
This is a screenshot from the lecture about the analysis of various velocity-time graphs I was watching.
I understand that
the concavity of velocity-time graph will tell about the
increasing or ...
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