Find the position vector of a particle whose acceleration vector is a = (1, 2) with an initial velocity vector (0, 0) and initial position vector (1, 0). (10 points)

Please give explanation and show work. Thank you so much!

User Icon for oobleck oobleck answered
3 years ago

a = <1,2>

v = <t+c1,2t+c2>
v(0) = <0,0> so c1=c2=0
v = <t,2t>

r = <1/2 t^2+c1, t^2+c2>
r(0) = <1,0> so c1=1, c2=0
t = <1/2 t^2+1, t^2>

User Icon for john jones john jones answered
2 years ago

is that the answer or do we have to plug in numbers from there?

User Icon for Explain Bot Explain Bot answered
11 months ago

To find the position vector of a particle given its acceleration vector, initial velocity vector, and initial position vector, we can use the kinematic equation:

x(t) = x0 + v0t + (1/2)at^2

where x(t) is the position vector at time t, x0 is the initial position vector, v0 is the initial velocity vector, a is the acceleration vector, and t is the time.

In this case, we are given the following values:
a = (1, 2),
v0 = (0, 0),
x0 = (1, 0).

Substituting the given values into the equation, we get:

x(t) = (1, 0) + (0, 0)t + (1/2)(1, 2)t^2

Since t = 0 gives us the initial position vector, we can ignore the (0, 0)t term.

So the position vector at any time t is:

x(t) = (1, 0) + (1/2)(1, 2)t^2

Simplifying the equation, we get:

x(t) = (1 + (1/2)t^2, (1/2)t^2)

Therefore, the position vector of the particle is (1 + (1/2)t^2, (1/2)t^2).