A river has a steady speed of vs. A student swims upstream a distanced and back to the starting point. (a) If the student can swim at a speed of v in still water, how much time t.n does it take the student to swim upstream a distance d? Express your answer in d, v, and vs.

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**Swimming Against the Current: A Study in Physics**

A river has a steady speed of \( v_s \). A student swims upstream a distance \( d \) and back to the starting point.

**(a)** If the student can swim at a speed of \( v \) in still water, how much time \( t_{\text{up}} \) does it take the student to swim upstream a distance \( d \)? Express your answer in terms of \( d \), \( v \), and \( v_s \).

\[ t_{\text{up}} = \underline{\hspace{3cm}} \]

**(b)** Using the same variables, how much time \( t_{\text{down}} \) does it take to swim back downstream to the starting point?

\[ t_{\text{down}} = \underline{\hspace{3cm}} \]

**(c)** Sum the answers found in parts (a) and (b) and show that the time \( t_a \) required for the whole trip can be written as

\[ t_a = \frac{2d/v}{1 - v_s^2/v^2} \]

(Do this on paper. Your instructor may ask you to turn in this work.)

**(d)** How much time \( t_b \) does the trip take in still water?

\[ t_b = \underline{\hspace{3cm}} \]

**(e)** Which is larger, \( t_a \) or \( t_b \)?

- \( t_b \)
Transcribed Image Text:**Swimming Against the Current: A Study in Physics** A river has a steady speed of \( v_s \). A student swims upstream a distance \( d \) and back to the starting point. **(a)** If the student can swim at a speed of \( v \) in still water, how much time \( t_{\text{up}} \) does it take the student to swim upstream a distance \( d \)? Express your answer in terms of \( d \), \( v \), and \( v_s \). \[ t_{\text{up}} = \underline{\hspace{3cm}} \] **(b)** Using the same variables, how much time \( t_{\text{down}} \) does it take to swim back downstream to the starting point? \[ t_{\text{down}} = \underline{\hspace{3cm}} \] **(c)** Sum the answers found in parts (a) and (b) and show that the time \( t_a \) required for the whole trip can be written as \[ t_a = \frac{2d/v}{1 - v_s^2/v^2} \] (Do this on paper. Your instructor may ask you to turn in this work.) **(d)** How much time \( t_b \) does the trip take in still water? \[ t_b = \underline{\hspace{3cm}} \] **(e)** Which is larger, \( t_a \) or \( t_b \)? - \( t_b \)
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