Page 1 of 2

Acceleration versus Speed?

PostPosted: Thu Nov 22, 2007 9:33 am
by DeeBee
I'm a little confused...    The theme of the November Screen Shot competition is "Acceleration". I thought that acceleration was the capacity to "dig out" like a quarter-horse, not like a "thorobred" that out speeds the quarter-horse in a long race.

Hummmmmm :-? :-? :-? :-? :-? :-?

Webster:

    Acceleration:  Increase In Velocity: the rate at which something increases in velocity.

    Speed: Rate Of Movement:  the rate at which something moves or functions.

Example of speed:  The jet that has to spool up, barely starts to move down the runway but eventually gets up and in time increases speed to better than the speed of sound. All speed.

Example of acceleration:  The prop plane that has immediate response to the throttle, digs out, in the air at 500 feet and accelerates to a maximum of 300 Mph in seconds. All acceleration.

Now, I know that there are exceptions, but in general, isn't this true?

Something to think about.        DB    ::)

Re: Acceleration versus Speed?

PostPosted: Thu Nov 22, 2007 9:52 am
by ThatOnePerson
Example of speed:  The jet that has to spool up, barely starts to move down the runway but eventually gets up and in time increases speed to better than the speed of sound. All speed.

Example of acceleration:  The prop plane that has immediate response to the throttle, digs out, in the air at 500 feet and accelerates to a maximum of 300 Mph in seconds. All acceleration.



No, and no, not all speed, and not all acceleration.

acceleration is a change in velocity, all of this is physics related and speed and acceleration are different, acceleration happens when something gains speed or loses speed.

acceleration=change in velocity/time interval    also    acceleration=net force/mass

now speed, or average speed may be easier, is Average speed=total distance covered/time interval

so say you want to find a final velocity for something from rest that accelerates at 80m/s^2 for 100m

vf^2= v original ^2 + 2(80) x 100

So velocity final would be 126.4 m/s so, acceleration plays a part in speed but they are not one in the same.

BTW I could have made an error, I havent done physics in a couple weeks ::) :P

Re: Acceleration versus Speed?

PostPosted: Thu Nov 22, 2007 12:14 pm
by JSpahn
A bit of over analysis in my opinion  ::)

Re: Acceleration versus Speed?

PostPosted: Thu Nov 22, 2007 12:27 pm
by Ashar
Example of speed:  The jet that has to spool up, barely starts to move down the runway but eventually gets up and in time increases speed to better than the speed of sound. All speed.

Example of acceleration:  The prop plane that has immediate response to the throttle, digs out, in the air at 500 feet and accelerates to a maximum of 300 Mph in seconds. All acceleration.



No, and no, not all speed, and not all acceleration.

acceleration is a change in velocity, all of this is physics related and speed and acceleration are different, acceleration happens when something gains speed or loses speed.

acceleration=change in velocity/time interval    also    acceleration=net force/mass

now speed, or average speed may be easier, is Average speed=total distance covered/time interval

so say you want to find a final velocity for something from rest that accelerates at 80m/s^2 for 100m

vf^2= v original ^2 + 2(80) x 100

So velocity final would be 126.4 m/s so, acceleration plays a part in speed but they are not one in the same.

BTW I could have made an error, I havent done physics in a couple weeks ::) :P



Nerd :-X ;D

Just kidding Monkey^...You know I love you ;D ;D ;D

Re: Acceleration versus Speed?

PostPosted: Thu Nov 22, 2007 12:30 pm
by ThatOnePerson
Example of speed:  The jet that has to spool up, barely starts to move down the runway but eventually gets up and in time increases speed to better than the speed of sound. All speed.

Example of acceleration:  The prop plane that has immediate response to the throttle, digs out, in the air at 500 feet and accelerates to a maximum of 300 Mph in seconds. All acceleration.



No, and no, not all speed, and not all acceleration.

acceleration is a change in velocity, all of this is physics related and speed and acceleration are different, acceleration happens when something gains speed or loses speed.

acceleration=change in velocity/time interval    also    acceleration=net force/mass

now speed, or average speed may be easier, is Average speed=total distance covered/time interval

so say you want to find a final velocity for something from rest that accelerates at 80m/s^2 for 100m

vf^2= v original ^2 + 2(80) x 100

So velocity final would be 126.4 m/s so, acceleration plays a part in speed but they are not one in the same.

BTW I could have made an error, I havent done physics in a couple weeks ::) :P



Nerd :-X ;D

Just kidding Monkey^...You know I love you ;D ;D ;D


Nah, I'm actually barley passing the class lol

Re: Acceleration versus Speed?

PostPosted: Thu Nov 22, 2007 12:37 pm
by ThatOnePerson
uurrrm i beg to differ there Acceleration= Change in SPEED (not velocity) over a givern time, velocity is speed in a givern direction and mass has NO part of the equation as that would be momentum! you are thinking of and here is how you work out acceleration = change in velovity/time or delta V over Time (s) which would give you your acceleration in the form of m/s^2


I should have explained better on what the mass does, with any object you will have a coefficient of friction, force down, force normal, and force of friction. For say a ramp with something sliding down thats where mass comes into play, you can figure the acceleration that way. Net force is the FD - FF (if I remember correctly). Using that and knowing the mass of an object you can find its acceleration assuming you have a final speed and can find a distance. Ill go look at the book because I'm basically rambling. I need to do homework anyway :P Obviously that equation only works in certain instances.

uurrrm i beg to differ there Acceleration= Change in SPEED (not velocity)


It is velocity

Re: Acceleration versus Speed?

PostPosted: Thu Nov 22, 2007 1:21 pm
by gilly_is_alive
anyone that did physics or maths to high school level should know that stuff.

Re: Acceleration versus Speed?

PostPosted: Thu Nov 22, 2007 2:46 pm
by Soames
Nice discussion.

I'm now looking forward to the Screenshot Competition whose subject is "Torque"  ;)

Re: Acceleration versus Speed?

PostPosted: Thu Nov 22, 2007 2:55 pm
by DeeBee
Masternerd,  

You always come through with a practicle solution. However, I read over my post and must correct one thing. Where in the examples I said "all acceleration" and "all speed" should have been "mostly acceleration" and "mostly speed". This is obvious, but I didn't catch it. Seems I'm always in a hurry for some reason or another.

Boy, we really have some physisists here, and I'm glad. I truely beleive (after my college physics) that there is a scientific answer for everything.

But still, there is a practicle way express and to answer a problem, if one should read my original post. Oh well, enough said.

Happy flying everyone and thanks for all of your comments.

DB

Re: Acceleration versus Speed?

PostPosted: Thu Nov 22, 2007 3:07 pm
by gilly_is_alive
you can be travelling at Mach 10 and have zero acceleration, and you can be travelling at 10knots and have a huge acceleration! good sum up?

Re: Acceleration versus Speed?

PostPosted: Thu Nov 22, 2007 5:12 pm
by spitfire boy
Technical term for acceleration - rate of change of speed

Re: Acceleration versus Speed?

PostPosted: Thu Nov 22, 2007 5:41 pm
by DeeBee
Hi Gilly and Spitfire Boy,

Two really good comments. Webster can't put it better. "ya'll" know what acceleration is.

A running hog is a good example, he digs out, goes 20 mph in one second, you can outrun him, as he is a slow runner, but try to stop him, bam!!!, your're on your nose. I say that's almost pure acceleration. Try it sometime, you won't like it!!! Ha!   :) ;) :D ;D

Take care,      DB

Re: Acceleration versus Speed?

PostPosted: Thu Nov 22, 2007 6:42 pm
by gilly_is_alive
trying to stop him is nothing to do with acceleration, thats power and inertia!

Re: Acceleration versus Speed?

PostPosted: Thu Nov 22, 2007 10:59 pm
by ThatOnePerson
trying to stop him is nothing to do with acceleration, thats power and inertia!


+1

Re: Acceleration versus Speed?

PostPosted: Fri Nov 23, 2007 12:39 pm
by H
...acceleration happens when something gains speed or loses speed.
We're getting muddled between the math and the wording. The increase is acceleration -- a speed declination would be 'decelleration'; thus a 'deceleron' on an aircraft is to slow it down.


8-)