Question

An astronaut has left the International Space Station to test a new space scooter. Her partner measures the following velocity changes, each taking place in a time interval 11.3 s . What are the average acceleration in each interval?
1.) At the beginning of the interval the astronaut is moving toward the right along the x-axis at 15.0 m/s, and at the end of the interval she is moving toward the right at 5.30 m/s.
a = ___________-??
2.) At the beginning she is moving toward the left at 5.30 m/s. and at the end she is moving toward the left at 15.0 m/s.
a =_________ ??
3.) At the beginning she is moving toward the right at 15.0 m/s, and at the end she is moving toward the left at 15.0 m/s.
a = _________??

Answer 1

Answer

given,

time interval = 11.3 s

a) initial velocity, vi = 15 m/s

   final velocity, v_f = -5.30 m/s

      $a = \dfrac{v_f-v_i}{t}$

      $a = \dfrac{-5.30 -15}{11.3}$

             a = -1.79 m/s²

   the direction is along left side

b)  initial velocity, vi = -5.30 m/s

   final velocity, v_f = -15 m/s

      $a = \dfrac{v_f-v_i}{t}$

      $a = \dfrac{-15-(-5.30)}{11.3}$

             a = -0.858 m/s²

   the direction is along left side

c) initial velocity, vi = 15 m/s

   final velocity, v_f = -15 m/s

      $a = \dfrac{v_f-v_i}{t}$

      $a = \dfrac{-15-(15)}{11.3}$

             a = -2.65 m/s²

   the direction is along left side