Question

For Problem 38, draw a complete pictorial representation. Do not solve these problems or do any mathematics.

A speed skater moving across frictionless ice at 8.0 m/s hits a 5.0-m-wide patch of rough ice. She slows steadily, then continues on at 6.0 m/s. What is her acceleration on the rough ice?

Short answer

The pictorial representation is the method of drawing pictures that gives a better idea of solving the given problem.

Step-by-step solution

Given information

The initial speed is $v_{0x}=8.0\raisebox{1ex}{$m$}\!\left/ \!\raisebox{-1ex}{$s$}\right.$.

The final speed is $v_{1x}=6.0\raisebox{1ex}{$m$}\!\left/ \!\raisebox{-1ex}{$s$}\right.$.

Distance of wide patch is $x_1=5.0m$

Motion diagram

A motion diagram of a given situation is shown below.

The motion diagram shows the acceleration of a skater.

Pictorial representation

As the motion is along the horizontal direction, the appropriate coordinate system is an x-axis. The pictorial representation of the given situation with the symbols is shown below

Known and unknown quantities

The table below shows the known and unknown quantities.

Known

$$\begin{gathered} x_0=0m \\ {t}_0=0s \\ {v}_{0x}=8.0\raisebox{1ex}{$m$}\!\left/ \!\raisebox{-1ex}{$s$}\right. \\ {v}_{1x}=6.0\raisebox{1ex}{$m$}\!\left/ \!\raisebox{-1ex}{$s$}\right. \\ {x}_1=5.0m \end{gathered}$$

Find

$a_{0x}$