Mechanics: 1-Dimensional Kinematics

1-D Kinematics: Audio Guided Solutions

Problem 31:

It's breakfast time and Mr. H entertains himself once more by watching the daily beetle race across the 35.7-cm length of the Wheaties box top.  Angie the beetle typically averages 3.77 mm/s and Bessie the beetle averages 4.78 mm/s.  If Bessie gives Angie a 5.4 cm head start, then which beetle wins and by what distance?

Audio Guided Solution

Habits of an Effective Problem Solver

  • Read the problem carefully and develop a mental picture of the physical situation. If necessary, sketch a simple diagram of the physical situation to help you visualize it.
  • Identify the known and unknown quantities in an organized manner. Equate given values to the symbols used to represent the corresponding quantity - e.g., vo = 0 m/s; a = 4.2 m/s/s; vf = 22.9 m/s; d = ???.
  • Use physics formulas and conceptual reasoning to plot a strategy for solving for the unknown quantity.
  • Identify the appropriate formula(s) to use.
  • Perform substitutions and algebraic manipulations in order to solve for the unknown quantity.

Read About It!

Get more information on the topic of Kinematics at The Physics Classroom Tutorial.

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