Question

For no apparent reason, a poodle is running at a constant speed of 5.00 m/s in a circle with radius 2.9 m . Let v⃗ 1 be the velocity vector at time t1, and let v⃗ 2 be the velocity vector at time t2. Consider Δv⃗ =v⃗ 2−v⃗ 1 and Δt=t2−t1. Recall that a⃗ av=Δv⃗ /Δt.
A) For Δt = 0.4 s calculate the magnitude (to four significant figures) of the average acceleration a⃗ av.
B) For Δt = 0.4 s calculate the direction (relative to v⃗ 1) of the average acceleration a⃗ av.
C) For Δt = 0.2 s calculate the magnitude (to four significant figures) of the average acceleration a⃗ av.
D) For Δt = 0.2 s calculate the direction (relative to v⃗ 1) of the average acceleration a⃗ av.
E) For Δt = 7x10^-2 s calculate the magnitude (to four significant figures) of the average acceleration a⃗ av.
F) For Δt = 7x10^-2 s calculate the direction (relative to v⃗ 1) of the average acceleration a⃗ av.

Answer 1

At a constant speed of 5.00 m/s, the speed at which the poodle completes a full revolution is

$\left(5.00\,\dfrac{\mathrm m}{\mathrm s}\right)\left(\dfrac{1\,\mathrm{rev}}{2\pi(2.9\,\mathrm m)}\right)\approx0.2744\,\dfrac{\mathrm{rev}}{\mathrm s}$

so that its period is $T=3.644\,\frac{\mathrm s}{\mathrm{rev}}$ (where 1 revolution corresponds exactly to 360 degrees). We use this to determine how much of the circular path the poodle traverses in each given time interval with duration $\Delta t$. Denote by $\theta$ the angle between the velocity vectors (same as the angle subtended by the arc the poodle traverses), then

$\Delta t=0.4\,\mathrm s\implies\dfrac{3.644\,\mathrm s}{360^\circ}=\dfrac{0.4\,\mathrm s}\theta\implies\theta\approx39.56^\circ$

$\Delta t=0.2\,\mathrm s\implies\dfrac{3.644\,\mathrm s}{360^\circ}=\dfrac{0.2\,\mathrm s}\theta\implies\theta\approx19.78^\circ$

$\Delta t=7\times10^{-2}\,\mathrm s\implies\dfrac{3.644\,\mathrm s}{360^\circ}=\dfrac{7\times10^{-2}\,\mathrm s}\theta\implies\theta\approx6.923^\circ$

We can then compute the magnitude of the velocity vector differences $\Delta\vec v$ for each time interval by using the law of cosines:

$|\Delta\vec v|^2=|\vec v_1|^2+|\vec v_2|^2-2|\vec v_1||\vec v_2|\cos\theta$

$\implies|\Delta\vec v|=\begin{cases}3.384\,\frac{\mathrm m}{\mathrm s}&\text{for }\Delta t=0.4\,\mathrm s\\1.718\,\frac{\mathrm m}{\mathrm s}&\text{for }\Delta t=0.2\,\mathrm s\\0.6038\,\frac{\mathrm m}{\mathrm s}&\text{for }\Delta t=7\times10^{-2}\,\mathrm s\end{cases}$

and in turn we find the magnitude of the average acceleration vectors to be

$\implies|\vec a|=\begin{cases}8.460\,\frac{\mathrm m}{\mathrm s^2}&\text{for }\Delta t=0.4\,\mathrm s\\8.588\,\frac{\mathrm m}{\mathrm s^2}&\text{for }\Delta t=0.2\,\mathrm s\\8.625\,\frac{\mathrm m}{\mathrm s^2}&\text{for }\Delta t=7\times10^{-2}\,\mathrm s\end{cases}$

So that takes care of parts A, C, and E. Unfortunately, without knowing the poodle's starting position, it's impossible to tell precisely in what directions each average acceleration vector points.