Calculus 1 : How to find acceleration

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for Calculus 1

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Example Questions

Example Question #711 : Calculus

The position of \displaystyle t=1 is given by the following function: 

\displaystyle p(t) = 10t^6 - 6t^4 - 5t^2 - 1000t

Find the acceleration.

Possible Answers:

Answer not listed

\displaystyle 873

\displaystyle 127

\displaystyle 456

\displaystyle 218

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 218

Explanation:

In order to find the acceleration of a certain point, you first find the derivative of the position function to get the velocity function. Then find the derivative of the velocity function to get the acceleration function: \displaystyle p''(t)= v'(t) = a(t)

In this case, the position function is: \displaystyle p(t) = 10t^6 - 6t^4 - 5t^2 - 1000t

Then take the derivative of the position function to get the velocity function: \displaystyle v(t) = 60t^5 - 24t^3 - 10t - 1000

Then take the derivative of the velocity function to get the acceleration function: \displaystyle a(t) = 300t^4 - 72t^2 - 10

Then, plug \displaystyle t=1

 into the acceleration function: \displaystyle a(1) = 300({\color{Blue} 1})^4 - 72({\color{Blue} 1})^2 - 10

Therefore, the answer is: \displaystyle 218

Example Question #321 : Acceleration

The position of \displaystyle t=0 is given by the following function: 

\displaystyle p(t) = \sin(3t)

Find the acceleration.

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle -1

\displaystyle 0

\displaystyle 1

\displaystyle 2

Answer not listed

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 0

Explanation:

In order to find the acceleration of a certain point, you first find the derivative of the position function to get the velocity function. Then find the derivative of the velocity function to get the acceleration function: \displaystyle p''(t)= v'(t) = a(t)

In this case, the position function is: \displaystyle p(t) = \sin(3t)

Then take the derivative of the position function to get the velocity function: \displaystyle v(t) = 3\cos(3t)

Then take the derivative of the velocity function to get the acceleration function: \displaystyle a(t) = -9\sin(3t)

Then, plug \displaystyle t=0 into the acceleration function: \displaystyle a(0) = -9\sin(3({\color{Blue} 0}))

Therefore, the answer is: \displaystyle 0

Example Question #321 : Acceleration

The position of \displaystyle t=0 is given by the following function: 

\displaystyle p(t) = \frac{e^{3t}}{3}

Find the acceleration.

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 0

\displaystyle -1

\displaystyle 1

\displaystyle 3

Answer not listed

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 3

Explanation:

In order to find the acceleration of a certain point, you first find the derivative of the position function to get the velocity function. Then find the derivative of the velocity function to get the acceleration function: \displaystyle p''(t)= v'(t) = a(t)

In this case, the position function is: \displaystyle p(t) = \frac{e^{3t}}{3}

Then take the derivative of the position function to get the velocity function: 

Then take the derivative of the velocity function to get the acceleration function: \displaystyle a(t) = 3e^{3t}

Then, plug \displaystyle t=0 into the acceleration function: \displaystyle a(0) = 3e^{3({\color{Blue} 0})}

Therefore, the answer is: \displaystyle 3

Example Question #321 : Acceleration

The position of \displaystyle t=1 is given by the following function: 

\displaystyle p(t) = (5t^3 - 8t^6)^2

Find the acceleration.

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 675

\displaystyle 575

Answer not listed

\displaystyle 1194

\displaystyle 2343

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 1194

Explanation:

In order to find the acceleration of a certain point, you first find the derivative of the position function to get the velocity function. Then find the derivative of the velocity function to get the acceleration function: \displaystyle p''(t)= v'(t) = a(t)

In this case, the position function is: \displaystyle p(t) = (5t^3 - 8t^6)^2

Then take the derivative of the position function to get the velocity function: \displaystyle v(t) = 2(5t^3 - 8t^6)(15t^2 - 48t^5)

Then take the derivative of the velocity function to get the acceleration function: \displaystyle a(t) = 2(15t^2-48t^5) + 2(30t - 240t^4)(5t^3-8t^6)

Then, plug \displaystyle t=1 into the acceleration function: \displaystyle a(1) = 2(15(1)^2-48(1)^5) + 2(30(1) - 240(1)^4)(5(1)^3-8(1)^6)

Therefore, the answer is: \displaystyle 1194

Example Question #322 : Acceleration

The position of \displaystyle t=1 is given by the following function: 

\displaystyle p(t) = -\sin(2t)

Find the acceleration.

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 5.89

\displaystyle 3.78

\displaystyle 3.64

Answer not listed

\displaystyle 3.86

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 3.64

Explanation:

In order to find the acceleration of a certain point, you first find the derivative of the position function to get the velocity function. Then find the derivative of the velocity function to get the acceleration function: \displaystyle p''(t)= v'(t) = a(t)

In this case, the position function is: \displaystyle p(t) = -\sin(2t)

Then take the derivative of the position function to get the velocity function: \displaystyle v(t) = -2\cos(2t)

Then take the derivative of the velocity function to get the acceleration function: \displaystyle a(t) = 4\sin(2t)

Then, plug \displaystyle t=1 into the acceleration function: \displaystyle a(1) = 4\sin(2({\color{Blue} 1}))

Therefore, the answer is: \displaystyle 3.64

Example Question #322 : Acceleration

The position of \displaystyle t=1 is given by the following function: 

\displaystyle p(t) = ln(7t^2 - \sin (2))

Find the acceleration.

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 4.77

Answer not listed

\displaystyle 1.75

\displaystyle -4.44

\displaystyle 2.98

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 2.98

Explanation:

In order to find the acceleration of a certain point, you first find the derivative of the position function to get the velocity function. Then find the derivative of the velocity function to get the acceleration function: \displaystyle p''(t)= v'(t) = a(t)

In this case, the position function is: \displaystyle p(t) = ln(7t^2 - \sin (2))

Then take the derivative of the position function to get the velocity function: \displaystyle v(t) = \frac{14t}{7t^2 - \sin 2}

Then take the derivative of the velocity function to get the acceleration function: \displaystyle a(t) = \frac{14(7t^2+\sin(2))}{(7t^2 - \sin 2)^2}

Then, plug \displaystyle t=1 into the acceleration function: \displaystyle a(1) = \frac{14(7({\color{Blue} 1})^2+\sin(2))}{(7({\color{Blue} 1})^2 - \sin 2)^2}

Therefore, the answer is: \displaystyle 2.98

Example Question #712 : Calculus

If v(t) is a function which models the velocity of a wave as a function of time, find the function which models the wave's acceleration.

\displaystyle v(t)=5cos(t)+4t^2-5t

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle a(t)=5sin(t)+8

\displaystyle a(t)=-5sin(t)+8t-5

\displaystyle a(t)=-sin(t)+8t

\displaystyle a(t)=-5sin(t)+3

Correct answer:

\displaystyle a(t)=-5sin(t)+8t-5

Explanation:

If v(t) is a function which models the velocity of a wave as a function of time, find the function which models the wave's acceleration.

\displaystyle v(t)=5cos(t)+4t^2-5t

We are given velocity and asked to find acceleration. To do so, we need to find the derivative of our velocity function.

\displaystyle v'(t)=a(t)

Recall that the derivative of cosine is negative sine, and that the derivative of any variable can be found by multiplying the term by the exponent and reducing the exponent by one.

\displaystyle v'(t)=-5sin(t)+8t-5

So we have:

\displaystyle a(t)=-5sin(t)+8t-5

Example Question #719 : Spatial Calculus

If v(t) is a function which models the velocity of a wave as a function of time, find the the wave's acceleration when t=0.

\displaystyle v(t)=5cos(t)+4t^2-5t

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 5

\displaystyle -5

\displaystyle 25

\displaystyle 0

Correct answer:

\displaystyle -5

Explanation:

If v(t) is a function which models the velocity of a wave as a function of time, find the the wave's acceleration when t=0.

\displaystyle v(t)=5cos(t)+4t^2-5t

We are given velocity and asked to find acceleration. To do so, we need to find the derivative of our velocity function.

\displaystyle v'(t)=a(t)

Recall that the derivative of cosine is negative sine, and that the derivative of any variable can be found by multiplying the term by the exponent and reducing the exponent by one.

\displaystyle v'(t)=-5sin(t)+8t-5

So we have:

\displaystyle a(t)=-5sin(t)+8t-5

We are not quite done yet however. We need to find a(0)

\displaystyle a(0)=-5sin(0)+8(0)-5

\displaystyle a(0)=0+0-5=-5

So our answer is -5

Example Question #321 : How To Find Acceleration

What is the instantaneous acceleration at time t = 25 of a particle whose positional equation is represented by s(t) = –44t2 + 70√t?

Possible Answers:

None of the other answers

–2193

–88.82

97.39

–1328

Correct answer:

–88.82

Explanation:

The instantaneous acceleration is represented by the second derivative of the positional equation. Let's first calculate the velocity then the acceleration. Begin by rewriting s(t) to make the differentiation easier:

s(t) = –44t2 + 70√t = –44t2 + 70(t)1/2

v(t) = s'(t) = –88t + 70 * (1/2) * t–1/2 = –88t + 35t–1/2

a(t) = v'(t) = s''(t) = –88 - 70t–3/2 = –88 -70/(t√t)

a(5) = –88 -70/(25√25) = -88 - 70/(5 * 5) = –88 - 70/25 = –88.82

 

Example Question #321 : How To Find Acceleration

Find the acceleration function of a particle who's velocity is given by:

\displaystyle p(t)=3e^{4t}cos(2t)

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle -24e^{4t}sin(2t)

\displaystyle 6e^{4t}(2cos(2t)+sin(2t))

\displaystyle 12e^{4t}cos(2t)

\displaystyle 6e^{4t}(2cos(2t)-sin(2t))

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 6e^{4t}(2cos(2t)-sin(2t))

Explanation:

To find acceleration we simply take the first derivative of velocity with respect to time:

\displaystyle p(t)=3e^{4t}cos(2t)

Using the product rule:

\displaystyle \frac{\mathrm{d} p}{\mathrm{d} t}=12e^{4t}cos(2t)-6e^{4t}sin(2t)

Factoring out a \displaystyle 6e^{4t}

\displaystyle \frac{\mathrm{d} p}{\mathrm{d} t}=6e^{4t}(2cos(2t)-sin(2t))

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