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  1. AP Physics C Mechanics
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What is a resistive force?

A force that opposes the motion of an object.

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What is a resistive force?

A force that opposes the motion of an object.

Define terminal velocity.

The maximum speed an object reaches when the constant force (like gravity) and the resistive force balance each other, resulting in zero net acceleration.

What is the time constant (τ\tauτ)?

The time it takes for an object to reach approximately 63.2% of its terminal velocity; τ=mk\tau = \frac{m}{k}τ=km​.

Define kkk in the context of resistive forces.

A positive constant that depends on the shape and size of the object and the properties of the medium (like air density).

What is the mathematical condition for terminal velocity?

dvdt=0\frac{dv}{dt} = 0dtdv​=0, meaning the acceleration is zero.

What are the general steps to solve for velocity when a resistive force is present?

  1. Apply Newton's Second Law (F⃗net=ma⃗\vec{F}_{net} = m\vec{a}Fnet​=ma) to obtain a differential equation for velocity.
  2. Use separation of variables to solve the differential equation by integrating with appropriate limits.
  3. Use initial conditions to find the constants of integration.
  4. Solve for the velocity as a function of time.

How do you determine terminal velocity mathematically?

  1. Set the derivative of velocity with respect to time equal to zero: fracdvdt=0frac{dv}{dt} = 0fracdvdt=0.
  2. Solve the resulting equation for velocity. This value is the terminal velocity.

What is the process to analyze motion with resistive forces using differential equations?

  1. Identify all forces acting on the object, including resistive forces.
  2. Apply Newton's Second Law to set up the differential equation.
  3. Solve the differential equation using separation of variables and initial conditions.
  4. Analyze the resulting velocity, position, and acceleration functions, paying attention to asymptotes and the time constant.

What are the steps to determine the time constant?

  1. Identify the mass mmm of the object.
  2. Identify the constant kkk in the resistive force equation (Fr=−kvF_r = -kvFr​=−kv).
  3. Calculate the time constant using the formula: τ=mk\tau = \frac{m}{k}τ=km​.

What are the steps to solve free fall problems with air resistance?

  1. Draw a free-body diagram showing gravitational force and air resistance.
  2. Apply Newton's second law: mg−kv=mamg - kv = mamg−kv=ma.
  3. Determine the terminal velocity by setting a=0a = 0a=0, so vt=mg/kv_t = mg/kvt​=mg/k.
  4. If required, solve the differential equation for v(t)v(t)v(t).

What is a resistive force?

A force that opposes the motion of an object, slowing it down. It is velocity-dependent and acts in the opposite direction of motion.

Define terminal velocity.

The maximum speed an object reaches when the constant force (like gravity) and the resistive force (like air resistance) balance each other, resulting in zero net acceleration.

What is the time constant (τ\tauτ)?

The time constant, τ=mk\tau = \frac{m}{k}τ=km​, indicates how quickly an object reaches terminal velocity. A larger mass or smaller k (weaker resistive force) means a longer time to reach terminal speed.

Define kkk in the context of resistive force.

kkk is a positive constant that depends on the shape and size of the object and the properties of the medium (like air density). It appears in the resistive force equation: F⃗r=−kv⃗\vec{F}_{r} = -k \vec{v}Fr​=−kv

What is the relationship between net force and acceleration at terminal velocity?

At terminal velocity, the net force is zero, which means the acceleration is also zero. The object stops speeding up.