This is part of my homework for an online physics class(they cut the teacher for it). I have to solve a problem, but even the "teacher" who watches us who is a science teacher doesn't know what to do. Can anyone help?
A robin is flying south for the winter at a rate of 40 mph when it runs into a hurricane, blowing due west at 100 mph. What is the new velocity of the robin?
Thanks
2006-09-15 08:01:39 · 7 answers · asked by Truthitude 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
use pythagorean's theorum. its a right triangle with a vector pointing down at 40 units, and a vector attached to the nose of that pointing to the (let's see, west corresponds to...) left at 100 units. you can then find out the length of the hypotenues, which is the magnitude of the bird's velocity. you can then use one of the SOHCAHTOA equations to find the angle from the south (ex: tan (x) = 100 / 40 will give you x. So your answer will look like
X Miles per hour at Y degrees from the south
where x is that hypotenuese and Y is from that tangient equation i gave you.
2006-09-15 08:07:07 · answer #1 · answered by promethius9594 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
a vertical line down (40 mph south )
from its tip a horizontal line left (100 mph west )
make a right angled triangle. from beginning of first line to end of second line. hypotenuse will be the new 'speed' for robin.
direction will be tan^-1 (100/40) degrees west of south .
( tan inverse . look in the fig for direction )
2006-09-15 15:29:01 · answer #2 · answered by jaco 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
This is very easy to figure. Draw a line st down with an arrow at the end. Lable it 40mph. At the top of that line draw a longer line at rt angles to the left to represent west. Lable it 100 mph. Now connect them to form a rt triangle and splve for the hyp. This will be the speed of the poor bird.
2006-09-15 16:31:16 · answer #3 · answered by jay k 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
This is a simple matter of vector addition. The bird winds up traveling west southwest at about 108 mph. The exact numbers and angles can be figured out with a bit of trigonometry.
2006-09-15 15:06:25 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Mark N,S Eand W on a paper.
Say 1" equals 10mph.
Make an arrow 4" long from center paper arrowhead pointing S.
From the head of that arrow draw a 10" long arrow, arrowhead pointing W.
Draw and arrow beginning at the tail of the first to the head of the second, arrowhead point at the point of the second. The length is the windspeed, and the heading is the direction. Use a protractor.
2006-09-15 15:15:17 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
the robin will be at 107.7 mph due south west.
2006-09-21 03:11:54 · answer #6 · answered by Jaimelson C 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
simple enough........
the velocity would be 60mph OPPOSITELY. because the robin will move in oppasite motion now
2006-09-15 16:29:04 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋