Warren Wilson Physics.

Fancart Pushed Against Thrust

A fan (not shown) is mounted on a low-friction cart. The thrust of the fan exerts a force directed towards the left as shown by the black arrow. The cart is given a push to the right against the thrust. The push force is shown by the blue arrow. Select little push or big push.

Acceleration graph below:

Questions:

1. How does the model distinguish between a "little push" and a "big push"?  Note: this is a very subtle difference peculiar to this simulation.  The big and little pushes have the same magnitude of force.  [note added Sept. 7, 2005]
   

2. What point in the distance vs. time graph is the velocity = 0?

3. What is the value of acceleration at the point where velocity is zero?

4. Explain the relation between the acceleration graph and the velocity graph.

End of mid-week assignment. Please e-mail discussions to dcollins@warren-wilson.edu

Physlets written by Wolgang Christian and Mario Belloni of Davidson College. Script by Donald Collins of WWC.