A student is revising the motion of bodies under uniform acceleration in a straight line.
PHYSICS · Multi-part · A Level · Physics · Mechanics and materials · Mechanics and materials
Problem
A student is revising the motion of bodies under uniform acceleration in a straight line.
(i) Write down the three standard algebraic relations that connect the quantities initial velocity u, final velocity v, acceleration a, time t and displacement s for such motion.
(ii) For each relation, briefly describe the set of known and unknown variables that makes it the most convenient choice in a numerical problem. Illustrate your answer with one practical example for each relation (no calculations required).
(iii) A car moves with a known initial speed and a known uniform acceleration, but its displacement is not required. Which one of the relations would you select to obtain the speed of the car after a specified time? Justify your choice in about three sentences.