Try it on paper first. A hint, the key idea and the worked solution are here when you need them.
A toy train on a straight track has the position , with in metres and in seconds.
Average velocity over an interval: . Velocity at an instant: , the slope of the tangent to the position-time graph.
Have you tried it?
Work it out on paper first. It is fine to get stuck or make a mistake: that is how we learn. When you are ready, go through the solution one step at a time, and check each step against your own.
Given. .
Step 1. Average velocity. and , so .
Step 2. Velocity at 2 s. .
Step 3. When is v equal to 26 m/s? , so .
Answer: (a) . (b) . (c) At .
Check. lies inside the interval, as it must: somewhere between the two ends the tangent is parallel to the line joining them.
Watch out. The velocity at the middle of an interval equals the average velocity only when the acceleration is steady. Here the acceleration grows, so they differ.
Log in to join the discussion.
Loading…