Particle motion At time t, the position of a body moving along the s-axis is s = t³ − 6t² + 9t m.
c. Find the total distance traveled by the body from t = 0 to t = 2.
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First, find the velocity function by differentiating the position function s(t) = t³ − 6t² + 9t with respect to time t. This gives v(t) = ds/dt = 3t² - 12t + 9.
Determine the critical points where the velocity is zero or undefined, as these points may indicate changes in direction. Solve the equation 3t² - 12t + 9 = 0 to find the critical points.
Evaluate the position function s(t) at the critical points and the endpoints t = 0 and t = 2 to determine the positions of the body at these times.
Calculate the distance traveled between each pair of consecutive points by taking the absolute value of the difference in position values. This accounts for any changes in direction.
Sum the absolute distances calculated in the previous step to find the total distance traveled by the body from t = 0 to t = 2.
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Key Concepts
Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Derivative
The derivative of a function represents the rate of change of the function with respect to a variable. In the context of particle motion, the derivative of the position function s(t) with respect to time t gives the velocity function v(t). This is crucial for determining when the particle changes direction, which affects the total distance traveled.
Critical points occur where the derivative of a function is zero or undefined. For motion along a line, these points indicate where the velocity is zero, meaning the particle changes direction. Identifying these points within the given interval helps in calculating the total distance traveled by considering the absolute value of displacement over each segment.
The total distance traveled by a particle is the sum of the absolute values of its displacements over each interval where it moves in a consistent direction. This involves evaluating the position function at critical points and endpoints, ensuring that changes in direction are accounted for by summing the absolute values of each segment's displacement.