Linear Acceleration

Graphical Analysis of Acceleration : Velocity vs Time Graphs

1. For the v vs t graph shown below,

2
(a) find the acceleration from t = 4 sec to t = 6 sec (-15/2 m/s )
2
(b) find the acceleration from t = 8 sec to t = 10 sec (5 m/s )
(c) circle areas of + acceleration on the graph. In a different color show – acceleration.

v (m/s)

15

t (sec)

2 4 6 8 10
-10

2. For the v vs t graph shown below,

2
(a) find the acceleration between t = 0 sec and t = 3 sec (-20/3 m/s )
2
(b) find the acceleration between t = 5 sec and t = 9 sec (30/4 m/s )

v (m/s)
30

20

10

t (sec)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
-10

-20

-30

3. For the v vs t graph shown below,

 2
(a) find the acceleration from t = 1 sec to t = 4 sec (2/3 m/s )
2
(b) find the acceleration from t = 5 sec to t = 7 sec (-4 m/s )

v (m/s)
6

t (sec)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7
-2

-4

Graphical Analysis of Acceleration : Position vs Time Graphs

For each graph, describe the nature of the velocities and accelerations seen.

Reference : Visually Identifying Acceleration on v vs t and x vs t Graphs

t
 Case 1 : acceleration = 0

 Slope of v vs t = 0 … no Δv

 There is no change in the slope of x vs t

v v x x

Case 2 : acceleration is (+)

 Slope of v vs t is (+)

 The slope of x vs t gets more (+) or less (-)

v v x Speeds up in the x Slows down in the

Slows down in (+) direction (-) direction
the (-) direction

Speeds up in
the (+) direction

Case 3 : acceleration is (-)

 Slope of v vs t is (-)

 The slope of x vs t gets less (+) or more (-)

v v x
Speeds up in Slows down in x Speeds up in the
the (-) direction the (+) direction (-) direction

Slows down in
the (+) direction
Linear Acceleration – Mathematical Equations built from understanding graphs

Most understand acceleration commonly as ‘speeding up’. But in physics, we know

acceleration means more than just that. An acceleration is any change in velocity over an
interval of time. So, an object can be said to accelerate when it speeds up, slows down, or
changes direction (as in circular motion).

The relationship we found from graphical analysis is :

2
a = Δv/Δt (since it is the slope of the v vs. t graph, with units of m/sec )

if we rearrange this equation, using Δv = vf - vi we get

vf = vi + at equation #1

Try the following set of problems based on these ideas:

1. What is the acceleration of Richard’s car that goes from 0 to 27 m/sec (i.e., 60 mph) in 6 seconds?

2
(4.5 m/s )

2
2. If Jacob starts from rest and accelerates uniformly at 3 m/s , how fast is he going after 2.4 seconds?

(7.2 m/s)

2
3. A rocket accelerates at 34 m/s , from a speed of 3500 m/s to 5200 m/s. How much time did it take?

(50 seconds)

4. A running back needs to come to a stop, from a speed of 9 m/s. If this takes 0.25 seconds, what is his
acceleration?
2
(-36 m/s )

2
5. Kayla, a motorcyclist, accelerates at 2 m/s for 10 seconds, starting at speed = 5 m/sec.
(a) What speed does she reach at the end of the 10 seconds?
(b) How far did she ride in this time????

(25 m/s ; 150 m)

Linear Acceleration – Finding Displacement from v vs. t graphs

30

20
10

v (m/s)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 t (sec)
-10

Look at the v vs. t graph above. We can see that an object traveled at a velocity of +20 m/s
for 5 seconds. Can we use this information to determine the displacement of the object?

A quick look will allow us to see that the object displaced 100m, using v = Δx/Δt, and
solving for Δx.

This result can be also be calculated graphically by finding the area ‘under’ the curve!

30 x is the area ‘under the

v vs. t curve!

20
10

v (m/s)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 t (sec)
-10
Let’s try one more, this time including negative velocity too….

30 x for the first 5 seconds is the

area under the v vs. t curve,
which is 100m.
20
6 7 8 9 10
10

v (m/s)

-10
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
x for the tnext
9 (sec)
5 seconds is the area
under the v vs. t curve, which is
-50 m!
So over the entire 10 seconds the total displacement is [100m + -50m] = +50 m.

Questions:

a. What is the displacement from t = 4 to t = 8 seconds? (-10 m)

b. What is the displacement from t = 2 to t = 7 seconds? (40 m)

c. If the object begins at position x = 43, where will it be after 7 seconds? (@ x=123)

d. If the object is at position x = 10 at 5 sec, where is it when t=8? (@ x=-20)

This graphical method of analysis can be used for v vs. t graphs, even when v is not constant!

30

20
10

v (m/s)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 t (sec)
For the constant acceleration
-10 from 0 to 10 m/s2 as shown, the displacement over 6 seconds is
the area of the shaded triangle. A = ½ bh = ½ (6 sec)(10 m/s) = 30 m!
Interestingly, we can use this method of analysis to create mathematical equations!

vf

vi
v (m/s)
t t (sec)

The line represents a constant acceleration from any velocity vi to any velocity vf over time t.
As before, the area under the curve represents displacement of the object over the time
interval!

Since the shaded area is a trapezoid, we can use Atrapezoid = ½ (b1 + b2)h to find the area.
The trapezoid area equation becomes:

Equation #2 ∆x= ½ (vi + vf) t (based on area under v vs t graph)

Try the next two problems using this relationship.

6. Emily steals Bryson’s car and takes it on a joyride at 9 m/s (20 mph) when she sees Michael asleep in the
road. She slams on the brakes, coming to a stop in 2 seconds, leaving Mike unharmed. Find

(a) the car’s acceleration

(b) how far the car traveled in coming to a halt.

2
(-4.5 m/s ; 9 m)

7. Repeat part (b) of problem #6 (same brakes, same rate of slow down) if Emily’s car is initially moving
(a) 4.5 m/s (half as fast)
(b) 27 m/s (3 times as fast)

(2.25 m, 81 m)

Exercise : In the space below, derive the 3rd and 4th formulas shown below by algebraically
combining equations #1 and #2 (we did it in class together too!)
 Equation #3 Equation #4

∆x = vit + (1/2)at2 vf2 = vi2 + 2a∆x

Using these 4 equations of constantly accelerated motion, finish the rest of the problem set.

note - When using these formulas, we must have 3 given values. Look for “hidden givens”
based on the wording of the problem, if not given them directly.

8. On the way to the movies, Emily’s car runs out of gas. Her car, initially moving at a speed of 60 m/s
2
gradually slows down at a rate of 0.5 m/s for a period of 1 minute. Find:

(a) how far the car moved in this time

(b) the car’s speed at the end of this time

(2700 m ; 30 m/s)

9. Eiron’s bicycle crests a hill with a speed of 2 m/s. He moves with constant acceleration until the bottom of
the hill when his speed reaches 8 m/s. If the hill is 12 m long, what was his acceleration?

(2.5 m/s2)

10. Rachel’s car starts from rest and travels for 5.0 s with a uniform acceleration of +1.5 m/s2. She then applies
the brakes, causing an acceleration of -2.0 m/s2. If the brakes are applied for 3.0 s, what speed is the car going
at the end of the 3s and how far is it from the point it started from?
 (1.5 m/s, 32.25 m total)

11. Ask Eisner to put up the Roadrunner problem!

12*. Alex stands on his ice skates on a frozen lake, when Elijah skates by with a puck at 12 m/s. Alex takes 3s
to make up his mind to chase him. If he accelerates uniformly at 4 m/s2

a) how long does it take for him to catch up?

b) how far away from his starting point are they when they’re even?

(8.2 s, 134 m)
Gravitational Acceleration

12. Kevin has had it, and finally drops Jacob down a well. How far will he fall in the first 4
seconds of free fall? How fast will he be going then?

(-80 m, -40 m/s)

13. How fast is Sarah moving after stepping off an Olympic diving platform when she hits
the water? (The platform is 10 meters above the water.)

(-14 m/s)

14. Fed slingshots a water balloon upward with an initial velocity of 50 m/s. What is the
maximum height it achieves?
(125 m)

15. John rolls a ball at 8 m/sec up an incline. If it takes the ball 3 seconds to stop while
rolling up the incline, determine the length of the incline.
The acceleration along an incline
is NOT –10 m/s2. Why? Because
the motion is not due to gravity
only. .. the inclination matters as
well!!! Think about it !
 (12 m)
16. Douaa and Hannah want to find out how tall a building is. So Douaa climbs to the roof
and drops a pumpkin over the edge. Hannah times it with a stopwatch. If the pumpkin
took 1.45 seconds to fall, how high is the building? With what velocity did it splat?
(about 10.5 m high, -14.5 m/s

17. Hunter serves a ball straight up in the air with a speed of 20 m/sec.
(a) How long is it in the air (assuming it returns to its starting point)?
If the motion ends where it started, the displacement is 0!!!

(b) How high does it rise?

(c) What is the ball’s displacement between t = 1.5 sec and t = 3 sec?

(4 sec ; 20 m ; -3.75 m)

18. He then throws it down from a bridge with a speed of 30 m/sec.

(a) How far away will it be after 2 seconds?
(b) How fast is it moving after 4 seconds?

(-80 m ; -70 m/s)

19. Bored, Nik goes to the top of the Empire State Building, which is about 330 meters high,
and drops a coin. Neglect air resistance. How fast is it moving when it hits the ground?

(-81 m/s)

20. Jay takes a ball and places it at rest, allowing it to roll down an incline that is 3 meters
long. It requires 4 seconds to reach the bottom. Find the ball’s
(a) speed at the bottom of the incline
(b) acceleration
(c) displacement between t = 3 s and t = 4 s

(1.5 m/s ; 0.38 m/s2 ; 1.3 m)

21. Molly is running at 5 m/s when she accelerates uniformly for 6 seconds,
reaching a speed of 15 m/s. Find her
(a) acceleration
(b) displacement between t = 3 sec and t = 5 sec.

(1.67 m/s2 ; ~ 23 m)

22. Matt wants to throw a ball to Hannah who is up on the third floor. If Rob is 15 meters
up, how fast must Mark throw the ball so that it just reaches him?
 (17.32 m/s)

ADVANCED GRAVITATIONAL ACCELERATION PROBLEMS – For the Brave!

1. A superball is dropped from 2m above the ground. On its first bounce, it rises to a height
of 1.85 m, where it is caught. Find the speed of the ball

a) just upon impact with the ground, and

b) just after it leaves the ground on the bounce.

c) neglecting the time the ball is in contact with the ground, find the total time it takes for the
ball to move from the dropping point to the point where it is caught.

2. A mountain climber stands at the edge of a sheer cliff. 50 m straight below, there is a
clear pond. He throws one stone straight down, then another one 1 s later. He notices they
make a single splash.

a) if the first stone was thrown at 2 m/s downward, how long after the first stone was thrown
will they both hit the water?

b) What was the vi of the second stone, seeing that they made a single splash?

c) With what speed will each stone strike the surface of the water?

3. A Rocket accelerates upwards at a rate of 29.4 m/s 2 for 30 seconds. After the 30 second
burn, the fuel runs out and the rocket continues solely under the influence of gravity.

a) How high is the rocket once the fuel runs out?

b). How fast is it moving then?

c) What maximum height does the rocket achieve during its trip?

d) How long will it take from liftoff to touchdown?