Chapter 15: Problem 1
Find general formulas for the tangential and normal components of acceleration and for the curvature of the curve \(C\) determined by \(\mathbf{r}(t)\). $$ \mathbf{r}(t)=t^{2} \mathbf{i}+(3 t+2) \mathbf{j} $$
Short Answer
Expert verified
Tangential: \( a_T = \frac{4t}{\sqrt{4t^2 + 9}} \), Normal: \( a_N = \frac{6}{\sqrt{4t^2 + 9}} \), Curvature: \( \kappa(t) = \frac{6}{(\sqrt{4t^2 + 9})^3} \).
Step by step solution
01
Compute the Velocity Vector
The velocity vector \( \mathbf{v}(t) \) is the derivative of the position vector \( \mathbf{r}(t) \) with respect to time \( t \). Differentiate each component of \( \mathbf{r}(t) \): \( \mathbf{v}(t) = \frac{d}{dt}[t^2] \mathbf{i} + \frac{d}{dt}[3t+2] \mathbf{j} = 2t \mathbf{i} + 3 \mathbf{j} \).
02
Compute the Acceleration Vector
The acceleration vector \( \mathbf{a}(t) \) is the derivative of the velocity vector \( \mathbf{v}(t) \). Differentiate each component of \( \mathbf{v}(t) \): \( \mathbf{a}(t) = \frac{d}{dt}[2t] \mathbf{i} + \frac{d}{dt}[3] \mathbf{j} = 2 \mathbf{i} \).
03
Compute the Speed
The speed \( v(t) \) is the magnitude of the velocity vector \( \mathbf{v}(t) \). Compute the magnitude: \( v(t) = || \mathbf{v}(t) || = \sqrt{(2t)^2 + 3^2} = \sqrt{4t^2 + 9} \).
04
Tangential Component of Acceleration
The tangential component of acceleration is given by \( a_T = \frac{d}{dt}v(t) \). Differentiate \( v(t) \) with respect to \( t \): \( a_T = \frac{d}{dt}\sqrt{4t^2 + 9} = \frac{4t}{\sqrt{4t^2 + 9}} \).
05
Normal Component of Acceleration
The normal component of acceleration is calculated using the formula \( a_N = \sqrt{||\mathbf{a}||^2 - a_T^2} \). Compute \( ||\mathbf{a}|| = 2 \) and \( a_T = \frac{4t}{\sqrt{4t^2 + 9}} \). Thus \( a_N = \sqrt{2^2 - \left(\frac{4t}{\sqrt{4t^2 + 9}}\right)^2} \). Simplify to get \( a_N = \frac{6}{\sqrt{4t^2 + 9}} \).
06
Compute the Curvature
The curvature \( \kappa(t) \) for a plane curve is \( \kappa(t) = \frac{|\mathbf{v}(t) \times \mathbf{a}(t)|}{||\mathbf{v}(t)||^3} \). Compute the cross product \( \mathbf{v}(t) \times \mathbf{a}(t) \), which reduces to \( |2t \cdot 0 - 3 \cdot 2| \)=\( |6| \). Then compute \( \kappa(t) = \frac{6}{(\sqrt{4t^2 + 9})^3} \).
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Curvature of a Curve
Understanding the curvature of a curve is fundamental when exploring the trajectory described by a position vector like \( \mathbf{r}(t) \). Curvature, denoted as \( \kappa(t) \), measures the rate at which a curve deviates from being a straight line. In simpler terms, it tells us how tightly a curve bends at a particular point. The formula to determine the curvature involves both the velocity and acceleration vectors.
To calculate curvature:
To calculate curvature:
- First compute the cross product of the velocity vector \( \mathbf{v}(t) \) and the acceleration vector \( \mathbf{a}(t) \).
- The absolute value of this cross product gives us one part of the curvature formula.
- The magnitude of the velocity vector raised to the third power \( ||\mathbf{v}(t)||^3 \) makes up the denominator.
Velocity Vector
The velocity vector \( \mathbf{v}(t) \) is a crucial element in understanding the motion of a particle along its path. It represents both the speed and direction of the particle's movement at a given moment. The velocity vector is derived by differentiating the position vector \( \mathbf{r}(t) \) with respect to time \( t \).
For example, if \( \mathbf{r}(t) = t^2 \mathbf{i} + (3t + 2) \mathbf{j} \), then finding \( \mathbf{v}(t) \) involves:
For example, if \( \mathbf{r}(t) = t^2 \mathbf{i} + (3t + 2) \mathbf{j} \), then finding \( \mathbf{v}(t) \) involves:
- Computing the derivative of each component of the position vector.
- This results in \( \mathbf{v}(t) = 2t \mathbf{i} + 3 \mathbf{j} \).
Acceleration Vector
Acceleration vector \( \mathbf{a}(t) \) provides valuable information about how the velocity of a particle changes with time. It indicates whether the particle is speeding up, slowing down, or changing direction. To derive it, simply differentiate the velocity vector \( \mathbf{v}(t) \).
For instance, given \( \mathbf{v}(t) = 2t \mathbf{i} + 3 \mathbf{j} \):
For instance, given \( \mathbf{v}(t) = 2t \mathbf{i} + 3 \mathbf{j} \):
- Differentiate each component of the velocity vector to get \( \mathbf{a}(t) \).
- This results in \( \mathbf{a}(t) = 2 \mathbf{i} \).
Differentiation
Differentiation is a mathematical process used to determine the rate of change of a function with respect to a variable. In the context of motion, we use differentiation to derive velocity and acceleration from the position function \( \mathbf{r}(t) \).
Key steps in differentiation include:
Key steps in differentiation include:
- Identifying the function that needs to be differentiated (e.g., position, velocity).
- Applying rules of differentiation, such as the power rule, constant rule, and sum rule, to find derivatives.
- Velocity: \( \mathbf{v}(t) = 2t \mathbf{i} + 3 \mathbf{j} \)
- Acceleration: \( \mathbf{a}(t) = 2 \mathbf{i} \)
Magnitude of a Vector
The magnitude of a vector captures its size or length, without considering its direction. It's a fundamental concept applied when analyzing velocity and acceleration vectors to understand speed and other motion characteristics. The magnitude of a vector \( \mathbf{v}(t) \) expressed as \( x \mathbf{i} + y \mathbf{j} \) is computed using the formula: \[ ||\mathbf{v}(t)|| = \sqrt{x^2 + y^2} \] For example, consider the velocity vector \( \mathbf{v}(t) = 2t \mathbf{i} + 3 \mathbf{j} \):
- Its magnitude is \( ||\mathbf{v}(t)|| = \sqrt{(2t)^2 + 3^2} = \sqrt{4t^2 + 9} \).