Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Newton's Second Law of Motion
Newton's Second Law states that the acceleration of an object is directly proportional to the net force acting on it and inversely proportional to its mass. This relationship is expressed by the formula F = ma, where F is the net force, m is the mass, and a is the acceleration. In this scenario, understanding how the sprinter's force translates into acceleration is crucial for determining the speed at which they leave the starting block.
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Components of Force
When a force is applied at an angle, it can be broken down into horizontal and vertical components using trigonometric functions. The horizontal component is found using cosine, while the vertical component uses sine. For the sprinter, only the horizontal component of the force contributes to the acceleration in the direction of motion, which is essential for calculating the resulting speed.
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Kinematic Equations
Kinematic equations describe the motion of objects under constant acceleration. They relate displacement, initial velocity, final velocity, acceleration, and time. In this case, the equation v = u + at can be used, where v is the final velocity, u is the initial velocity (zero for a sprinter starting from rest), a is the acceleration derived from the force, and t is the time the force is applied.
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