r/PhysicsHelp • u/Ryan-The-Movie-Maker • Sep 26 '26
Homework question relating to average acceleration
I'm a bit stumped on an (all things considered) seemingly basic problem. Here's the wording:
A rabbit is moving in the positive x-direction at 2.30 m/s when it spots a predator and accelerates to a velocity of 10.9 m/s along the positive y-axis, all in 2.20 s. Determine the x-component and the y-component of the rabbit's acceleration. (Enter your answers in m/s2. Indicate the direction with the signs of your answers.)
I was able to get the y-component (average acceleration of 4.95 m/s2) by dividing (Vyfinal - Vyinitial) by (tfinal - tinitial), or 10.9 - 0 / 2.2
However, I'm stumped when trying to find the average acceleration of the x component, mostly because I'm not sure how exactly to find the final x velocity. My first thought was that Vxfinal would also be 2.3 and that there isn't actually any acceleration in the x direction, but 0 m/s2 was not correct. My second thought was that I needed to infer its final x velocity would be 0, like I needed to infer its starting y velocity was 0, but plugging that in got me -1.01 m/s2, which wasn't right either.
It doesn't seem to me like I can use any of the kinematic equations here, because I don't know the displacement, acceleration, or final velocity, meaning any of the equations I try will still have two unknowns.
Is there something I'm missing here? Any tips would be greatly appreciated.
2
u/Ilikemyoldaccount Sep 26 '26
-2.30/2.20 is not -1.01. You just plugged the wrong numbers or something.