BHS -> Staff -> Mr. Stanbrough -> Physics -> Mechanics -> Kinematics -> Using v = vo + at -> this page
A boat, initially moving at 20 m/s is only moving at 2.0 m/s in the same direction, 25 seconds later. Assuming that the boat's acceleration was constant, what was the boat's acceleration during this time?
vo = 20 m/s
v = 2.0 m/s
= 25 s
a = ?
Here's the plan: you can find the acceleration from the equation , but we don't know . However, you can find from the equation , then substitute...
, but:
= 2.0 m/s - 20 m/s = -18 m/s
The boat's acceleration is 0.72 m/s2, in the direction opposite to the boat's velocity.
Note:
This is a 2-step solution since you have to find as an intermediate step, but each step is pretty simple.
BHS -> Staff -> Mr. Stanbrough -> Physics -> Mechanics -> Kinematics -> Using v = vo + at -> this page