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Ch 02: Kinematics in One Dimension
Chapter 2, Problem 2

A particle starts from at and moves with the velocity graph shown in FIGURE EX2.6. (b) What is the object’s position at and 4 s?

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1
Identify the velocity values at different times from the graph. Note the velocity at t=0 s and t=4 s.
Recognize that the position change (displacement) can be calculated by finding the area under the velocity-time graph between the two time points.
Divide the graph into recognizable shapes (like rectangles, triangles, etc.) for which the area can be easily calculated. For each shape, calculate the area based on its geometric formula.
Sum the areas of all the shapes to find the total displacement from t=0 s to t=4 s.
To find the final position at t=4 s, add the total displacement to the initial position of the particle at t=0 s.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Velocity

Velocity is a vector quantity that describes the rate of change of an object's position with respect to time. It has both magnitude and direction, indicating how fast and in which direction an object is moving. Understanding the velocity graph is crucial, as it provides information about how the velocity changes over time, which directly affects the object's position.
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Integration

Integration is a fundamental concept in calculus that allows us to find the total accumulation of a quantity. In the context of motion, integrating the velocity function over time gives the displacement or position of the particle. This process is essential for determining the object's position at specific time intervals, such as at 0 seconds and 4 seconds in this problem.
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Kinematics

Kinematics is the branch of physics that deals with the motion of objects without considering the forces that cause the motion. It involves analyzing position, velocity, and acceleration as functions of time. A solid understanding of kinematics is necessary to solve problems related to the motion of particles, including determining their position at given times based on their velocity.
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