Physics Technology Update (4th Edition)

Published by Pearson
ISBN 10: 0-32190-308-0
ISBN 13: 978-0-32190-308-2

Chapter 1 - Introduction to Physics - Problems and Conceptual Exercises - Page 15: 7

Answer

$at$ and $(2ax)^{\frac{1}{2}}$ have the dimension of speed.

Work Step by Step

Dimension of a (acceleration): $\frac{[L]}{[T]^{2}}$. Dimension of t (time): [T]. Dimension of x (distance): [L]. Dimension of a speed: $\frac{[L]}{[T]}$. The numbers 2 and $\frac{1}{2}$ have no dimensions. (a) $\frac{1}{2}at^{2}=\frac{[L]}{[T]^{2}}[T]^{2}=[L]$. $\frac{1}{2}at^{2}$ has not the dimension of a speed. (b) $at=\frac{[L]}{[T]^{2}}[T]=\frac{[L]}{[T]}$. $at$ has the dimension of a speed. (c) $(\frac{2x}{a})^{\frac{1}{2}}=(\frac{[L]}{\frac{[L]}{[T]^{2}}})^{\frac{1}{2}}=([T]^{2})^{\frac{1}{2}}=[T]$. $(\frac{2x}{a})^{\frac{1}{2}}$ has not the dimension of a speed. (d) $(2ax)^{\frac{1}{2}}=(\frac{[L]}{[T]^{2}}[L])^{\frac{1}{2}}=(\frac{[L]^{2}}{[T]^{2}})^{\frac{1}{2}}=\frac{[L]}{[T]}$. $(2ax)^{\frac{1}{2}}$ has the dimension of a speed.
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