Physics 122 Problems: Acceleration
1. A horse cantering across a field at 3 m/s is scared by a sudden noise and rapidly increases its pace.
After 3.5 s, it is running at 5.4 m/s. find its average acceleration.
2. A last minute shopper strides briskly at 0.3 m/s through a mall toward a music store. Noticing the clerk
starting to move the cd displays inside the store entrance, the shopper begins to speed walk and in 4 s
in moving at 0.8 m/s. Find the average acceleration.
3. Fido runs at 3.7 m/s across the yard, its chain playing out. Suddenly the dog comes to the end of the
chain and in 0.5 s, has flipped around and is lying flat on the ground, legs splayed out. Find the flea
bag's average acceleration. (The sign means what motion process occurred?)
4. On a time-velocity graph, periods of no acceleration have what slope?
5. During a period of acceleration, the plot line of a time-velocity graph will have a slope of what sign?
6. Explain the appearance and slope of the portion of a time-velocity graph describing deceleration.
7. A moose sees an "intruder" (a weekend woodsman wearing a baseball cap with antlers). How long
does it take the moose, running at 1.4 m/s, to reach 2.7 m/s if it accelerates at 0.3 m/s2?
8. During the final run of the K V Coasters go-cart competition, a driver (sponsored by the Fair Play
sports club) cheats by pushing with their hands on the road to make the cart go faster. The cart, moving
at 2.7 m/s, undergoes an acceleration of 0.2 m/s2 for 5.4 s. By that time, it is going how fast?
9. A bee, after accelerating at 0.9 m/s2 for 4 s is flying at 5.2 m/s. What was its initial speed?
10. A roadrunner would accelerate at what rate to increase its speed from rest to 3.2 m/s in 7 s?
11. An albatross coasting at 0.5 m/s accelerates for 17 s and reaches 0.7 m/s. During its period of acceleration, how far did it travel?
12. An opossum ambling at 0.2 m/s begins to accelerate as it travels 30 m farther along a trail. If its period of acceleration is 21 s, what is its final speed?
13. After accelerating for 8 s along a 2 m stretch of stream, a frog is swimming at 0.3 m/s. What was its initial speed?
14. An startled iguana accelerates from 0.3 m/s to 1.2 m/s as it scurries over 9 m of rocky beach. For how
long did it accelerate?
15. A car moving at 5.7 m/s will travel how far as it accelerates at 2.7 m/s2 for 2 minutes?
16. If a motorcycle travels 200 m while it is accelerated at 3.2 m/s2 for 10 s, what was its initial speed?
17. What rate of acceleration would move a bicycle moving at 1.6 m/s 70 m down a track if it were
accelerated for 18 s?
18. A train moving at 3.6 m/s would need to accelerate at 0.6 m/s2 for what period to travel 900 m?
19. What is the final velocity of a falcon moving at 1 m/s if it accelerates at 1.1 m/s2 for 50 m?
20. An earthworm accelerates at 0.003 m/s over 1.2 m of grass until it is moving at 0.09 m/s. What was it
initial speed?
21. A Western rattler moving at 0.6 m/s accelerates 25 m along a trail until its speed is 1.4 m/s. What was its rate of acceleration?
22. A coyote accelerating at 0.8 m/s2 would have to run how far to increase its speed from 0.7 m/s to 4.2 m/s?
23. What is the impact velocity of a pebble that falls from the top of a 20 m cliff?
24. A llama spits down at 1.4 m/s from the top of a 7 m cliff. What is the spittle's impact velocity?
25. A ball thrown up at 3.4 m/s will reach what altitude? (Hint: final velocity?)
26. What is the upward velocity of a pop fly if it ascends 45 m? (Hint: final velocity?)