# 2.6 Problem-solving basics for one-dimensional kinematics  (Page 2/2)

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## Step 5

Substitute the knowns along with their units into the appropriate equation, and obtain numerical solutions complete with units . This step produces the numerical answer; it also provides a check on units that can help you find errors. If the units of the answer are incorrect, then an error has been made. However, be warned that correct units do not guarantee that the numerical part of the answer is also correct.

## Step 6

Check the answer to see if it is reasonable: Does it make sense? This final step is extremely important—the goal of physics is to accurately describe nature. To see if the answer is reasonable, check both its magnitude and its sign, in addition to its units. Your judgment will improve as you solve more and more physics problems, and it will become possible for you to make finer and finer judgments regarding whether nature is adequately described by the answer to a problem. This step brings the problem back to its conceptual meaning. If you can judge whether the answer is reasonable, you have a deeper understanding of physics than just being able to mechanically solve a problem.

When solving problems, we often perform these steps in different order, and we also tend to do several steps simultaneously. There is no rigid procedure that will work every time. Creativity and insight grow with experience, and the basics of problem solving become almost automatic. One way to get practice is to work out the text’s examples for yourself as you read. Another is to work as many end-of-section problems as possible, starting with the easiest to build confidence and progressing to the more difficult. Once you become involved in physics, you will see it all around you, and you can begin to apply it to situations you encounter outside the classroom, just as is done in many of the applications in this text.

## Unreasonable results

Physics must describe nature accurately. Some problems have results that are unreasonable because one premise is unreasonable or because certain premises are inconsistent with one another. The physical principle applied correctly then produces an unreasonable result. For example, if a person starting a foot race accelerates at $0\text{.}{\text{40 m/s}}^{2}$ for 100 s, his final speed will be 40 m/s (about 150 km/h)—clearly unreasonable because the time of 100 s is an unreasonable premise. The physics is correct in a sense, but there is more to describing nature than just manipulating equations correctly. Checking the result of a problem to see if it is reasonable does more than help uncover errors in problem solving—it also builds intuition in judging whether nature is being accurately described.

Use the following strategies to determine whether an answer is reasonable and, if it is not, to determine what is the cause.

## Step 1

Solve the problem using strategies as outlined and in the format followed in the worked examples in the text . In the example given in the preceding paragraph, you would identify the givens as the acceleration and time and use the equation below to find the unknown final velocity. That is,

$v={v}_{0}+\text{at}=0+\left(0\text{.}\text{40}\phantom{\rule{0.25em}{0ex}}{\text{m/s}}^{2}\right)\left(\text{100}\phantom{\rule{0.25em}{0ex}}\text{s}\right)=\text{40}\phantom{\rule{0.25em}{0ex}}\text{m/s}.$

## Step 2

Check to see if the answer is reasonable . Is it too large or too small, or does it have the wrong sign, improper units, …? In this case, you may need to convert meters per second into a more familiar unit, such as miles per hour.

$\left(\frac{\text{40 m}}{s}\right)\left(\frac{\text{3.28 ft}}{m}\right)\left(\frac{\text{1 mi}}{\text{5280 ft}}\right)\left(\frac{\text{60 s}}{\text{min}}\right)\left(\frac{\text{60 min}}{\text{1 h}}\right)=89 mph$

This velocity is about four times greater than a person can run—so it is too large.

## Step 3

If the answer is unreasonable, look for what specifically could cause the identified difficulty . In the example of the runner, there are only two assumptions that are suspect. The acceleration could be too great or the time too long. First look at the acceleration and think about what the number means. If someone accelerates at $0\text{.}{\text{40 m/s}}^{2}$ , their velocity is increasing by 0.4 m/s each second. Does this seem reasonable? If so, the time must be too long. It is not possible for someone to accelerate at a constant rate of $0\text{.}{\text{40 m/s}}^{2}$ for 100 s (almost two minutes).

## Section summary

• The six basic problem solving steps for physics are:

Step 1 . Examine the situation to determine which physical principles are involved.

Step 2 . Make a list of what is given or can be inferred from the problem as stated (identify the knowns).

Step 3 . Identify exactly what needs to be determined in the problem (identify the unknowns).

Step 4 . Find an equation or set of equations that can help you solve the problem.

Step 5 . Substitute the knowns along with their units into the appropriate equation, and obtain numerical solutions complete with units.

Step 6 . Check the answer to see if it is reasonable: Does it make sense?

## Conceptual questions

What information do you need in order to choose which equation or equations to use to solve a problem? Explain.

What is the last thing you should do when solving a problem? Explain.

what is ohm's law
states that electric current in a given metallic conductor is directly proportional to the potential difference applied between its end, provided that the temperature of the conductor and other physical factors such as length and cross-sectional area remains constant. mathematically V=IR
ANIEFIOK
A body travelling at a velocity of 30ms^-1 in a straight line is brought to rest by application of brakes. if it covers a distance of 100m during this period, find the retardation.
what's acceleration
The change in position of an object with respect to time
Mfizi
Acceleration is velocity all over time
Pamilerin
hi
Stephen
It's not It's the change of velocity relative to time
Laura
Velocity is the change of position relative to time
Laura
acceleration it is the rate of change in velocity with time
Stephen
acceleration is change in velocity per rate of time
Noara
what is ohm's law
Stephen
Ohm's law is related to resistance by which volatge is the multiplication of current and resistance ( U=RI)
Laura
how i don understand
how do I access the Multiple Choice Questions? the button never works and the essay one doesn't either
How do you determine the magnitude of force
mass × acceleration OR Work done ÷ distance
Seema
Which eye defect is corrected by a lens having different curvatures in two perpendicular directions?
acute astigmatism?
the difference between virtual work and virtual displacement
How do you calculate uncertainties
What is Elasticity
using a micro-screw gauge,the thickness of a piece of a A4 white paper is measured to be 0.5+or-0.05 mm. If the length of the A4 paper is 26+or-0.2 cm, determine the volume of the A4 paper in: a). Cubic centimeters b). Cubic meters
what is module
why it is possible for an object(man) to stay on air without falling down?
its impossible, what do you mean exactly?
Ryan
Exactly
Emmanuella
it's impossible
Your
Why is it not possible to stand in air?
bikko
the air molecules are very light enough to oppose the gravitational pull of the earth on the man..... hence, freefall occurs
Arzail
because of gravitational forces
Pamilerin
this mostly occur in space
Stephen
what is physics
no life without physics ....that should tell you something
Exactly
Emmanuella
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E=MC^2
study of matter and energy and an inter-relation between them.
Minahil
that's how the mass and energy are related in stationery frame
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Ketucky tepung 10m
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Kinetic energy is the energy due to montion of waves,electrons,atoms, molecule,substances an object s.
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Hilal
plz anyone can tell what is meteor and why meteor fall in night? can meteor fall in the day
Hilal
meteor are the glowy (i.e. heated when the enter into our atmosphere) parts of meteoroids. now, meteoroids are the debris resulting from the collision of asteroids or comets. yes, it occurs in daytime too, but due to the daylight, we cant observe it as clearly as in night
Arzail
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Hilal
hello guys
Waka
wich method we use to find the potential on a grounded sphere
Noman
hello
Pamilerin
Physics is the science that studies everything around us from the smallest things like quarks to the biggest things like galaxies. It's simply everything.
Laura
Good day everyone
Divine
It talks mainly about matter with related topics such as forces energy gravity and time. It's amazing
Laura
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Alpha
Physics generally is the study of everything around us.
Steven
physics is the branch of sceince
shafiu
physics is the branch of sceince that deal with motion
shafiu
physics is the branch of sceince that deal with motion &energy
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