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posted by  Babianghel on 10/5/2008 12:37:43 AM  |  status: Closed  

Instaneous Velocity

Course Textbook Chapter Problem
General Physics Physics: Principles with Applications (6th) by Giancoli 2 N/A
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This specific problem is a written problem that the teacher gave.  It is not from the textbook, but Giancoli is the textbook that we use in class. Please help. Thank you.

If a quantity changes rapidly (Δt small), its rate of change must be large. Thus if a quantity changed instantaneously (Δt = 0) its rate of change would have to be infinite.  Suppose either that an object moved from one position to another instantaneously, or that its velocity changed instantaneously. What would have to be infinite in each case?
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posted by EngAve on 10/5/2008 1:05:03 AM  |  status: Live
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Babianghel's comment:
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If the objects position is changed to another position instantaneously, then the velocity of the object would have to be considered as infinite.  Remember, velocity is distance/time - the smaller the time gets, the bigger the velocity - and instantaneous time means infinite velocity.

If the velocity changes instantaneously, it means the acceleration is infinite.  Changes in velocity are known as acceleration, and if this change happens in an instant, then the acceleration is infinite.
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posted by PDavis88 on 10/5/2008 1:09:13 AM  |  status: Live
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Babianghel's comment:
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I don't know if you have taken any calculus...but from calculus based physics you would find out that:
Position=Integral of Velocity
Velocity=integral of Acceleration
It is easier to see the relationship if you have a background in that.

But anyways....if an object's position changed from one instant to the next, then its velocity and acceleration both have to be infinite. If the velocity changed instantaneously, then the acceleration would have to be infinite
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