Consider a particle moving along the x-axis where x(t) is the position of the particle at time t A particle, initially at rest, moves along the x-axis such that its acceleration at time t > 0 is given by a(t)=5cos(t). At t=0, its position is x=2?

(a) Find the velocity and position functions for the particle.

v(t)=
f(t)=

(b) Find the values of t for which the particle is at rest. (Use k as an arbitrary non-negative integer.)

t=

1 Answer
Dec 15, 2016

v=5sint
x=-5cost+7

At rest when t = npi where n in NN

Explanation:

a=(dv)/dt and v=dx/dt
so with a(t)=5cost we have:

\ \ \ \ \ (dv)/dt = 5cost
:. v=5sint+A

v=0 when t=0 (initially at rest); so

\ \ \ \ \ 0 = 0+A => A=0
:. v=5sint

So then:

\ \ \ \ \ (dx)/dt = 5sint
:. x=-5cost+B

x=2 when t=0; so

\ \ \ \ \ 2 = -5+B => B=7
:. x=-5cost+7

If the particle is at rest then v=0

:. 5sint = 0
:. sint = 0
:. t = npi where n in NN

Note:
Some tutors and texts combine the initial conditions into a definite integral and remove the need to evaluate the constant of integration, as follows:
e.g for the velocity we have:

(dv)/dt = 5cost => int (dv)/dt dt=int5costdt

If we combine the initial conditions into a definite integral then the integration variable t is arbitrary, then we can write

int_0^v (dv)/dt dt=int_0^t 5costdt
:. int_0^v dv=int_0^t 5costdt (or if you prefer int_0^v d rho=int_0^t 5costau d tau)
:. [v]_0^v= [5sint]_0^t
:. v-0= 5sint - 5sin0
:. v= 5sint , as before

Similarly for the displacement we could write

int_2^x dx= int_0^t 5sint , as before

and again we get the same solution.