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Example: Predicting the location of an object undergoing constant force motion

The fan cart in the video below is observed to accelerate uniformly to the right. The air exerts a constant force on the blades that is around 0.45N. Determine the how far the fan cart has traveled after 2.2s if the cart starts from rest.

Facts

Lacking

Approximations & Assumptions

Representations

mi3e_02-011.jpg

Solution

The displacement of the cart is given by,

Δxcart=xcart,fxcart,i=vcart,xiΔt+12Fnet,xmcartΔt2

We can compute this displacement,

Δxcart=(0ms)(2.2s)+120.45N0.3kg(2.2s)2=3.6m