## Finding Acceleration from Ticker Tape

Posted by Sek | 8:56 PM | , | 9 comments »

Finding Acceleration

Acceleration of a motion can be determined by using ticker tape through the following equation:

Caution!:
t is time taken from the initial velocity to the final velocity.

Example 1

The ticker-tape in figure above was produced by a toy car moving down a tilted runway. If the ticker-tape timer produced 50 dots per second, find the acceleration of the toy car.

In order to find the acceleration, we need to determine the initial velocity, the final velocity and the time taken for the velocity change.

Initial velocity,

$u = \frac{s}{t} = \frac{{3cm}}{{0.02s}} = 150cms^{ - 1}$

$v = \frac{s}{t} = \frac{{0.5cm}}{{0.02s}} = 25cms^{ - 1}$

Time taken for the velocity change,
t = (0.5 + 4 + 0.5) ticks = 5 ticks
t = 5 × 0.02s = 0.1s

Acceleration,
$a = \frac{{v - u}}{t} = \frac{{25 - 150}}{{0.1}} = - 1250cms^{ - 1}$

Example 2

A trolley is pushed up a slope. Diagram above shows ticker tape chart that show the movement of the trolley. Every section of the tape contains 5 ticks. If the ticker-tape timer produced 50 dots per second, determine the acceleration of the trolley.

In order to find the acceleration, we need to determine the initial velocity, the final velocity and the time taken for the velocity change.

Initial velocity,
$u = \frac{s}{t} = \frac{{5cm}}{{5 × 0.02s}} = 50cms^{ - 1}$

$v = \frac{s}{t} = \frac{{1cm}}{{5 × 0.02s}} = 10cms^{ - 1}$

Time taken for the velocity change,
t = (2.5 + 5 + 5 + 5 + 2.5) ticks = 40 ticks
t = 40 × 0.02s = 0.8s

Acceleration,
$a = \frac{{v - u}}{t} = \frac{{10 - 50}}{{0.8}} = - 50cms^{ - 1}$

Interactive Animation

1. Alfred Low // April 1, 2010 at 1:45 AM

2. 阿进 // April 23, 2011 at 5:50 PM

yes,i also find it -100,the time taken should be 0.1×4=0.4.Then,-40／0.4,so get the answer -100........

3. SaraEmyllia // May 15, 2011 at 1:46 AM

i'm not understand the calculation

4. Sheera Hassan/ 김은희 // May 15, 2011 at 7:11 AM

the calculation.. got error? I don't get it.

5. Hana // July 6, 2011 at 1:18 AM

how 2 get the time=0.8s..?

6. Hana // July 6, 2011 at 1:19 AM

how 2 get the time=0.8s..?

7. akukaudandia // March 27, 2012 at 4:44 AM

i can't understand

8. Tze Huay Yeap // May 16, 2012 at 2:18 AM

i cnt understand d equation..==

9. Low Peek Yim // February 6, 2013 at 11:52 PM

the t time taken is wrong. is 20tick X 0.02 = 0.4s. not 40ticks X 0.02s.