Physics: Principles and ProblemsChapter 2:
Representing MotionProblem of the Week <![CDATA[<a onClick="window.open('/olcweb/cgi/pluginpop.cgi?it=gif::::/sites/dl/free/0078458137/193800/ch03_title.gif','popWin', 'width=NaN,height=NaN,resizable,scrollbars');" href="#"><img valign="absmiddle" height="16" width="16" border="0" src="/olcweb/styles/shared/linkicons/image.gif"> (0.0K)</a>]]> | Beetle
Brains
The basic mode by which a tiger beetle attacks its prey, say
an ant passing by, is to spot the ant and then run after it.
There is one problem, however, a tiger beetle's feet move faster
than its brain. Beetles don't see and think all that well to
begin with, and, as they start to run after their prey, they
apparently become unable to process where exactly their prey
is. In effect, they become blind. | Haste
makes waste. If only the tiger beetle was smart enough not to
run so fast, it wouldn't outrun its brain. By the way, if a
beetle were as large as a human, it could run 100 meters in
1 second.  <![CDATA[<a onClick="window.open('/olcweb/cgi/pluginpop.cgi?it=gif::::/sites/dl/free/0078458137/193800/lilGuy.gif','popWin', 'width=NaN,height=NaN,resizable,scrollbars');" href="#"><img valign="absmiddle" height="16" width="16" border="0" src="/olcweb/styles/shared/linkicons/image.gif"> (0.0K)</a>]]>
| Predator/Prey
So what is a blind beetle to do? It must stop and relocate its
prey. Then it must run like mad again towards the prey. Stop
after a few seconds, relocate, run again, stop, relocate, until
finally the quarry is captured. |  <![CDATA[<a onClick="window.open('/olcweb/cgi/pluginpop.cgi?it=gif::::/sites/dl/free/0078458137/193800/ch03_tigerbtlSm.gif','popWin', 'width=NaN,height=NaN,resizable,scrollbars');" href="#"><img valign="absmiddle" height="16" width="16" border="0" src="/olcweb/styles/shared/linkicons/image.gif"> (16.0K)</a>]]> |  <![CDATA[<a onClick="window.open('/olcweb/cgi/pluginpop.cgi?it=gif::::/sites/dl/free/0078458137/193800/POWproblem1.gif','popWin', 'width=NaN,height=NaN,resizable,scrollbars');" href="#"><img valign="absmiddle" height="16" width="16" border="0" src="/olcweb/styles/shared/linkicons/image.gif"> (0.0K)</a>]]> | Draw
a motion diagram of a tiger beetle running after an ant. Here
are the rules:
The
beetle will spot the ant and uniformly accelerate in that
direction.After
1 second, the beetle must slow to a stop and relocate the
ant and again accelerate in the direction of the ant.The
ant maintains a constant velocity throughout the chase.
Good Luck.
P.S. Use a 1/3 s as a time interval for position dots, and
assume the beetle acquired lunch after a 5 s chase.
|  <![CDATA[<a onClick="window.open('/olcweb/cgi/pluginpop.cgi?it=gif::::/sites/dl/free/0078458137/193800/webLinks.gif','popWin', 'width=NaN,height=NaN,resizable,scrollbars');" href="#"><img valign="absmiddle" height="16" width="16" border="0" src="/olcweb/styles/shared/linkicons/image.gif"> (1.0K)</a>]]> | For
the lowdown on tiger beetles, check out http://www.newswise.com/articles/
TIGERBTL.CNS.html. A new window will open. |  <![CDATA[<a onClick="window.open('/olcweb/cgi/pluginpop.cgi?it=gif::::/sites/dl/free/0078458137/193800/gutter.gif','popWin', 'width=NaN,height=NaN,resizable,scrollbars');" href="#"><img valign="absmiddle" height="16" width="16" border="0" src="/olcweb/styles/shared/linkicons/image.gif"> (0.0K)</a>]]> | <![CDATA[<a onClick="window.open('/olcweb/cgi/pluginpop.cgi?it=gif::::/sites/dl/free/0078458137/193800/gutter.gif','popWin', 'width=NaN,height=NaN,resizable,scrollbars');" href="#"><img valign="absmiddle" height="16" width="16" border="0" src="/olcweb/styles/shared/linkicons/image.gif"> (0.0K)</a>]]> | <![CDATA[<a onClick="window.open('/olcweb/cgi/pluginpop.cgi?it=gif::::/sites/dl/free/0078458137/193800/gutter.gif','popWin', 'width=NaN,height=NaN,resizable,scrollbars');" href="#"><img valign="absmiddle" height="16" width="16" border="0" src="/olcweb/styles/shared/linkicons/image.gif"> (0.0K)</a>]]> | <![CDATA[<a onClick="window.open('/olcweb/cgi/pluginpop.cgi?it=gif::::/sites/dl/free/0078458137/193800/gutter.gif','popWin', 'width=NaN,height=NaN,resizable,scrollbars');" href="#"><img valign="absmiddle" height="16" width="16" border="0" src="/olcweb/styles/shared/linkicons/image.gif"> (0.0K)</a>]]> | <![CDATA[<a onClick="window.open('/olcweb/cgi/pluginpop.cgi?it=gif::::/sites/dl/free/0078458137/193800/gutter.gif','popWin', 'width=NaN,height=NaN,resizable,scrollbars');" href="#"><img valign="absmiddle" height="16" width="16" border="0" src="/olcweb/styles/shared/linkicons/image.gif"> (0.0K)</a>]]> |
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