Need Math Help! |
Need Math Help! |
Apr 27 2007, 10:50 AM
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#1
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 870 Joined: 2-October 06 From: Athens Ga Member No.: 9,517 |
Okay I am still working on that STLPunk game but I need some help with some math. Basically I am trying to figure out the acceleration rates and durations I want. I need a calculation where I can start just with it's acceleration rate and the distance I want it to travel before it looses it's maneuverability and goes ballistic. This way I can set the preferred range for their use.
Basically I need this: Input: Acceleration and Distance Output: Time Any help would be appreciated. |
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Apr 27 2007, 11:43 AM
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#2
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Great Dragon Group: Members Posts: 5,889 Joined: 3-August 03 From: A CPI rank 1 country Member No.: 5,222 |
You mean you would like a formula for determining the time it takes to travel a set distance starting from a speed of zero with a known constant acceleration?
Distance = x Initial velocity = v0 Time = t Acceleration = a x = v0t + ½at^2 Since v0 = 0 x = ½at^2 <=> t = (2x/a)^½ In other words, multiply distance by two, divide by acceleration, take the square root of that, and you've got the time elapsed. For example: Acceleration = 1km/s^2, Distance = 500km Time = (2*500km/(1km/s^2))^½ = (1000s^2)^½ ~= 31.6s |
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Apr 27 2007, 12:17 PM
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#3
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 870 Joined: 2-October 06 From: Athens Ga Member No.: 9,517 |
THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have been driving myself crazy trying to find that formula! Thank you again! |
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Apr 27 2007, 04:20 PM
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#4
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Man In The Machine Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 2,264 Joined: 26-February 02 From: I-495 S Member No.: 1,105 |
Yay for Physics 1?
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Apr 27 2007, 05:49 PM
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#5
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 410 Joined: 5-April 07 From: Vancouver, BC Member No.: 11,383 |
Wasn't that grade 8 science.
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Apr 27 2007, 06:34 PM
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#6
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Manus Celer Dei Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 17,006 Joined: 30-December 02 From: Boston Member No.: 3,802 |
That only works for calculating time measured by an observer in the initial frame of reference. You're going to need to account for relativity if you want the time on board the accelerating object.
~J |
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Apr 27 2007, 07:18 PM
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#7
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Great Dragon Group: Members Posts: 5,889 Joined: 3-August 03 From: A CPI rank 1 country Member No.: 5,222 |
The error will be less than 1% unless you get up to ~40,000km/s. At under 1,000km/s, which is apparently the kind of speed expected of his space ships for moving short distances (based on this), time dilatation will be of E-6 or lower order which is really not worth getting excited about.
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Apr 27 2007, 07:32 PM
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#8
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Manus Celer Dei Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 17,006 Joined: 30-December 02 From: Boston Member No.: 3,802 |
Ah, didn't realize he was talking about velocities that small. I recommend still accounting for it, because it makes the math more interesting.
~J |
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Apr 27 2007, 07:48 PM
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#9
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Great Dragon Group: Members Posts: 5,889 Joined: 3-August 03 From: A CPI rank 1 country Member No.: 5,222 |
I don't see why ((1-v^2/c^2)^½)*((2x/a)^½) is that much more interesting than just plain (2x/a)^½. Although I suppose making use of that several times during every turn of combat in a space opera is a good excuse to remember every digit of c^2.
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Apr 28 2007, 03:44 AM
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#10
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 870 Joined: 2-October 06 From: Athens Ga Member No.: 9,517 |
Yes it's a low speed setting. I am wanting the setting to grow and so I am starting small. I want travel around the system to take weeks at this point. The fastest ship out there goes 400 kps based on a system like LDS from Independence War (but alot slower). When they are not using their Inertial Displacement Drives they accelerate at between .1kps^2 for transports and 1kps^2 for fighters.
I am currently trying to figure out the acceleration I want on these. So far I have: Space Dart Class Minimissiles -4AP (x5) Fired in clusters Range 500km Javelin Class Ship to Ship Missiles -8AP (x 15) Range 2,000km Ballista Class Ship to Ship Missiles -10AP (x25) Range 8,000km The acceleration rates shouldn't be over 10 kps^2 but I'm not sure how fast they should be. No missile will have an IDD, though Torpedoes do. Basically I'm trying to figure out how much warning the PCs or an enemy should have from a missile launch. Any recommendations? |
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Apr 28 2007, 04:07 AM
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#11
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Manus Celer Dei Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 17,006 Joined: 30-December 02 From: Boston Member No.: 3,802 |
Unless I'm tired enough to have made an error, you realize that that means that a transport just needs to accelerate for 4000 seconds in the original frame of reference (just under an hour and seven minutes) to exceed the velocity provided by the IDD, right?
~J |
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Apr 28 2007, 04:33 AM
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#12
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 870 Joined: 2-October 06 From: Athens Ga Member No.: 9,517 |
Yes people can still do that. However the ability to manuever at least a little to dodge incoming small asteroids is alot more difficult. Also the gravitic sensors that they use to find objects have a limit to the ranges based on trying to make sure that the ships have about a minute's warning of an object in the way.
Also for the purposes of space opera the ships are not flying gas cans. They use up about as much fuel at lower speeds as they do at IDD speeds because the ID Drives distort how inertia is working on the ship. Basically a ship can go some place fast enough for story but stop when they discover something, then go again afterwards. Now missiles can accelerate up to the use of their fuel which the range I have listed. They can hit targets that are much farther then that if they are programmed to. They just loose their manuverability at that point and go ballistic. |
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Apr 28 2007, 04:50 AM
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#13
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 870 Joined: 2-October 06 From: Athens Ga Member No.: 9,517 |
Actually I think I figured it out.
Space Dart Class Minimissiles -4AP (x5) Range 500km 10 kps^2 10 sec Javelin Class Ship to Ship Missiles -8AP (x 15) Range 2,000km 8 kps^2 20 sec Ballista Class Ship to Ship Missiles -10AP (x25) Range 8,000km 8 kps^2 40 sec The rounds for space combat are 10 seconds so this should work well. Thanks for the feedback guys! |
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