A cyclist starts from rest at point A on a straight
PHYSICS · Subjective · A Level · Physics · Mechanics and materials · Mechanics and materials
Problem
A cyclist starts from rest at point A on a straight, level road. He first pedals with uniform acceleration for a certain time and then continues to ride with the constant speed he has reached.
(i) Explain the difference between uniform acceleration and uniform velocity, using the cyclist’s motion to illustrate each term.
(ii) The cyclist accelerates for 10 s and then rides at the constant speed for the next 50 s. List the physical quantities that must be known (or measured) in each time interval to calculate the displacement during that interval, and give a brief reason for each choice.
(iii) If the total displacement from A after the 60 s of motion is 400 m, describe in words a two-stage calculation that would allow you to obtain this result. Indicate clearly which time interval each stage refers to and what unknown would be calculated in each stage.