Calculus 1 : Velocity

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for Calculus 1

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Example Questions

Example Question #211 : Calculus

Find the velocity function given the accleration function and that the initial velocity is -2 m/s.

\displaystyle a(t)=4t-7

Possible Answers:

None of these

\displaystyle t^2-7t-2

\displaystyle 2t^2-7t+2

\displaystyle 2t^2-7t-2

\displaystyle 2t^2-7t

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 2t^2-7t-2

Explanation:

Acceration is the derivative of velocity. This means that to go from acceleration to velocity we must take an integral. The integral of \displaystyle x^n is \displaystyle \frac{x^{n+1}}{n+1}. Knowing this we can solve the problem.

\displaystyle \int4t-7dt=2t^2-7t+v_{0}

The constant at the end is the inital velocity so the final answer is 

\displaystyle 2t^2-7t-2

Example Question #212 : Velocity

Given the postion function, find the velocity at time \displaystyle t=3.

\displaystyle p(t)=4t^3-9t+5

Possible Answers:

None of these

\displaystyle 0

\displaystyle 108

\displaystyle 99

\displaystyle 25

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 99

Explanation:

Velocity is the derivative of position. To find the velocity function all we have to do is take the fisrst derivative.

The derivative of \displaystyle x^n is \displaystyle nx^{n-1}.

So the velocity function is

\displaystyle v(t)=12t^2-9

To find the velocity at a certain time, we must plug that time into the function.

\displaystyle v(3)=12(3)^2-9=99

Example Question #213 : Velocity

The position of a particle is given by the function \displaystyle x(t)=t^3-4t^2+4t+12. At what time does the particle first begin to move in the opposite direction?

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 2

\displaystyle \frac{2}{3}

\displaystyle 0

\displaystyle \frac{3}{2}

\displaystyle \frac{1}{2}

Correct answer:

\displaystyle \frac{2}{3}

Explanation:

When the question asks when the particle begins to move in an opposite direction, it's referring to a change in sign of the particle's velocity.

Velocity can be found as the time derivative of position.

For the position function

\displaystyle x(t)=t^3-4t^2+4t+12

The velocity is found to be

\displaystyle v(t)=3t^2-8t+4

The initial velocity is positive, since

\displaystyle v(0)=0-0+4=4

So we'll want to find where it first becomes negative; should this happen, it'll be right after the function equals zero. It may help to factor the equation:

\displaystyle v(t)=(3t-2)(t-2)

The velocity reaches zero at two times; \displaystyle t=\frac{2}{3},2, and is negative between them. It can be said then that the particle first changes directions at time

\displaystyle t=\frac{2}{3}

 

Example Question #211 : How To Find Velocity

The acceleration of a particle is given by the function \displaystyle a(t)=2t+3. What was the initial velocity of the particle if it travels a distance of \displaystyle \frac{25}{6} over the interval of time \displaystyle t=[0,5] ?

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle -7.5

\displaystyle 7.5

\displaystyle -15

\displaystyle 15

\displaystyle 12

Correct answer:

\displaystyle -15

Explanation:

Begin by finding a function for velocity. Velocity is given as the integral of acceleration with respect to time.

For the acceleration function

\displaystyle a(t)=2t+3

The integral can be performed knowing that \displaystyle \int at^n=\frac{at^{n+1}}{n+1}+C;(a:constant,n:constant \neq -1)

The velocity function is then

\displaystyle v(t)=t^2+3t+C

The constant of integration is unknown as of this moment, so disregard it for the time being.

The distance traveled over an interval of time is given by the integral of the velocity function over said interval of time. For the interval of time \displaystyle t=[0,5], the distance traveled can be calculated as follows:

\displaystyle d=\int_0^5 (t^2+3t+C)dt

\displaystyle d=(\frac{t^3}{3}+\frac{3t^2}{2}+Ct)|_0^5

\displaystyle d=(\frac{125}{3}+\frac{75}{2}+5C)-(0+0+0)

\displaystyle d=\frac{125}{3}+\frac{75}{2}+5C

\displaystyle d=\frac{475}{6}+5C

Now we're told that the distance traveled over this interval is \displaystyle \frac{25}{6}, so we can solve for the constant of integration:

\displaystyle \frac{475}{6}+5C=\frac{25}{6}

\displaystyle 5C=-\frac{450}{6}

\displaystyle C=-15

Putting this back into our velocity equation, we can find the initial velocity:

\displaystyle v(0)=0^2+3(0)-15

\displaystyle v(0)=-15

Example Question #211 : How To Find Velocity

The acceleration of a particle is given by the function \displaystyle a(t)=4t+1. If the particle comes to a stop at time \displaystyle t=3, at what time will it reach a velocity of \displaystyle 34?

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle -5

\displaystyle 5

\displaystyle -5.5

\displaystyle 11

\displaystyle 5.5

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 5

Explanation:

The velocity function can be found by integrating the acceleration function with respect to time.

For the acceleration function

\displaystyle a(t)=4t+1

Note that \displaystyle \int at^n=\frac{at^{n+1}}{n+1}+C;(a,n:constants,n \neq -1)

The velocity function is

\displaystyle v(t)=2t^2+t+C

To find this constant of integration, use what we're told in the problem: namely that the particle comes to rest (a zero velocity) at time \displaystyle t=3:

\displaystyle v(3)=2(3^2)+3+C=0

\displaystyle C=-21

So knowing the full velocity function

\displaystyle v(t)=2t^2+t-21

All that remains is to find the time when the velocity is \displaystyle 34:

\displaystyle 2t^2+t-21=34

\displaystyle 2t^2+t-55=0

\displaystyle (2t+11)(t-5)=0

There are two roots, \displaystyle t=-5.5,5. However, since a negative time is not possible, we elect the positive value:

\displaystyle t=5

 

Example Question #212 : How To Find Velocity

The position of a particle is given by the function \displaystyle p(t)=at^2+bt+c, where \displaystyle [a,b,c] are constants. If the particle's initial velocity is \displaystyle 15 and its velocity at time \displaystyle t=10 is \displaystyle 135, what is its velocity at time \displaystyle t=20 ?

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 240

\displaystyle 255

\displaystyle 225

\displaystyle 180

\displaystyle 135

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 255

Explanation:

Velocity can be found by taking the derivative of the position function. For the position function

\displaystyle p(t)=at^2+bt+c

Note that \displaystyle \frac{d}{dt}at^n=nat^{n-1};(a,n:constants) and that the derivative a constant is zero.

The velocity function can thus be found to be

\displaystyle v(t)=2at+b

Currently the values of \displaystyle a and \displaystyle b are unknown, but we're given some information to find them. First, the initial velocity:

\displaystyle v(0)=2a(0)+b=15

\displaystyle b=15

\displaystyle v(t)=2at+15

Next, we're told the velocity at time \displaystyle t=10:

\displaystyle v(10)=2a(10)+15=135

\displaystyle 20a=120

\displaystyle a=6

\displaystyle v(t)=2(6)t+15

\displaystyle v(t)=12t+15

Now we can find the velocity at time \displaystyle t=20:

\displaystyle v(20)=12(20)+15

\displaystyle v(20)=255

 

Example Question #217 : How To Find Velocity

A basic understanding of the relationship between distance, velocity, acceleration, and time is necessary in the solving of this equation.

A computerized car uses the function \displaystyle d(t)=10t^2+65t  to determine the rate of velocity in which the car drives.  In this case, \displaystyle t is time (in hours) and \displaystyle d is distance traveled (in miles).  Find the velocity of the car after 3 seconds of travel assuming the starting value of \displaystyle t is \displaystyle 0.

 (Hint,  is the rate in which the car is traveling when \displaystyle t=0).

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

If the cars distance traveled is given by the equation \displaystyle d(t)=10t^2+65t, we can see that the derivative \displaystyle d'(t)=20t+65 is another way of writing the equation for \displaystyle v(t).  Because of this relation, we can see that at the start of the car's travel (\displaystyle t=0), the car was traveling at   \displaystyle (d(0)=20(0)+65).  If we plug in a three for time (three seconds after the start) we can see that we come to our answer, \displaystyle d(3)=20(3)+65.=125.

Example Question #214 : Velocity

Find the velocity function given the acceleration function.

\displaystyle a(t)=9t^2-14t+2

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle t^3-7t^2+2t+C

\displaystyle 3t^2-7t+2+C

\displaystyle 9t^3-14t^2+2t+C

\displaystyle 3t^3-7t^2+2t+C

None of these

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 3t^3-7t^2+2t+C

Explanation:

Acceleration is the derivative of velocity. This makes velocity the integral of acceleration. The integral of \displaystyle x^n is \displaystyle \frac{x^{n+1}}{n+1}. This makes the velocty function

\displaystyle v(t)=3t^3-7t^2+2t+C

We must include the \displaystyle C because the integral is indefinite and there are no given values.

Example Question #215 : Velocity

Find the velocity of a particle at \displaystyle t=2 given the position function.

\displaystyle p(t)=4t^2-7t+12

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 5

\displaystyle 9

None of these

\displaystyle 0

\displaystyle 16

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 9

Explanation:

Velocity is the first derivative of position. The derivative of \displaystyle x^n is \displaystyle nx^{n-1}. This means that the velocity function is given by 

\displaystyle v(t)=8t-7

We must plug in \displaystyle t=2 to get the velocity at that time.

\displaystyle v(2)=8(2)-7=16-7=9

Example Question #216 : Velocity

The position of a particle is given by the function \displaystyle p(t)=3^{\sqrt{t}}. What is the velocity of the particle at time \displaystyle t=4 ?

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 5.94

\displaystyle 4.49

\displaystyle 14.82

\displaystyle 2.47

\displaystyle 8.98

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 2.47

Explanation:

Velocity of a particle can be found by taking the derivative of the position function with respect to time. Recall that a derivative gives the rate of change of some parameter, relative to the change of some other variable. When we take the derivative of position with respect to time, we are evaluating how position changes over time; i.e velocity!

\displaystyle v(t)=\frac{d}{dt}p(t)

To take the derivative of the position function

 \displaystyle p(t)=3^{\sqrt{t}}

We'll need to make use of the following derivative rule:

Derivative of an exponential: 

\displaystyle d[a^u]=a^uduln(a)

Note that u may represent large functions, and not just individual variables!

Using the above properties, the velocity function is

\displaystyle v(t)=\frac{3^{\sqrt{t}}}{2\sqrt{t}}ln(3)

\displaystyle v(4)=\frac{3^{\sqrt{4}}}{2\sqrt{4}}ln(3)=2.47

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