Calculating Acceleration

Topic 5 - Forces
Written By Atheridge Tuition
Triple & Combined Science Tag

A toy car travels at a speed of 10 m/s.

After hitting an obstacle, the car takes 4 s to decelerate to a speed of 2 m/s.

The average braking force on the car is 6 N.

Calculate the mass of the toy car.

[5 marks]

    • Initial velocity = 10 m/s

    • Final velocity = 2 m/s

    • Time = 4 s

    • Deceleration/ acceleration ?

    change in velocity = final - initial

    2 - 10 = - 8 m/s

    *Remember: speed is the same as velocity but without direction

Toy car slowing from 10 m/s to 2 m/s in 4 seconds, with acceleration as the unknown value.
Calculating the change in velocity of the toy car from 10 m/s to 2 m/s.

  • change in velocity = acceleration x time

Acceleration equation triangle showing change in velocity divided by time.

  • a = change in V / t

    -8 / 4 = -2 m/s²

Calculating the acceleration of the toy car using its change in velocity and time.
 

Second Equation:

    • force = 6N (backwards is negative but only magnitude given)

    • acceleration = 2 m/s² (no negative since we only want magnitude here too)

    • mass = ?

Toy car diagram showing acceleration and braking force as known values, with mass as the unknown value.

  • Newton’s Second Law:

    force = mass x acceleration

    f = ma

Force equation triangle showing the relationship between force, mass and acceleration.

  • m = F / a

    6 / 2 = 3 kg

Calculating the mass of the toy car using braking force and acceleration.
 

Continue Revising Paper 2

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