It has two flags, each exactly 25.4 mm long, with the midpoints of the flags separated by 162 mm. The first flag interrupts the photogate timer for a time 50 ms, and the second flag interrupts the photogate timer for a time 45 ms.
-What was the average velocity of the glider when the second flag was interrupted?
-Approximately how much time elapsed between the passage of the first flag and the passage of the second flag?
-Calculate the approximate acceleration of the glider.
To find the average velocity of the glider when the second flag was interrupted, we can use the formula:
Average Velocity = Total Distance / Total Time
Since we know the lengths of the flags and the distance between their midpoints, we can calculate the total distance. The total distance traveled by the glider is twice the length of each flag, so it would be:
Total Distance = 2 * 25.4 mm = 50.8 mm
Now, let's find the total time. The first flag interrupts the timer for 50 ms, and the second flag interrupts it for 45 ms. Therefore, the total time elapsed is:
Total Time = 50 ms + 45 ms = 95 ms
Now, convert the total distance and total time to the same unit (mm and seconds) for consistency:
Total Distance = 50.8 mm / 1000 (to convert to meters) = 0.0508 m
Total Time = 95 ms / 1000 (to convert to seconds) = 0.095 s
Finally, substitute the values into the formula to calculate the average velocity:
Average Velocity = 0.0508 m / 0.095 s = 0.5358 m/s
Therefore, the average velocity of the glider when the second flag was interrupted is approximately 0.5358 m/s.
To determine the approximate time between the passage of the first flag and the passage of the second flag, we already know that the first flag interrupted the timer for 50 ms and the second flag interrupted for 45 ms. The time elapsed between the two events would be the difference between these two times:
Time Elapsed = 50 ms - 45 ms = 5 ms
Therefore, approximately 5 milliseconds elapsed between the passage of the first flag and the passage of the second flag.
To calculate the approximate acceleration of the glider, we can use the formula:
Acceleration = Change in Velocity / Time Interval
We already know the time interval between the passage of the two flags, which is 5 ms (or 0.005 seconds in decimal form). To find the change in velocity, we need to subtract the initial velocity from the final velocity.
Since we already calculated the average velocity of the glider when the second flag was interrupted as 0.5358 m/s, we can assume this is the final velocity. However, we don't know the initial velocity, so we'll need additional information or assumptions to calculate the change in velocity and, subsequently, the acceleration of the glider.