The dog-and-rabbit chase problem

TL;DR

This paper discusses the dog-and-rabbit chase problem as a teaching tool for elementary kinematics, emphasizing its educational value in illustrating differential equations and relative motion concepts.

Contribution

It extends the class of problems solvable through a particular approach, enhancing its utility in physics education.

Findings

Demonstrates the problem's effectiveness in teaching kinematics.

Shows how to solve the problem using elementary differential equations.

Extends the problem-solving approach to a broader class of problems.

Abstract

The dog-and-rabbit chase problem is a classical problem that illustrates the concepts of elementary kinematics and, therefore, can be used in introductory mechanics teaching. By dealing with the relative motion, the problem naturally requires solving elementary differential equations and stimulates students to learn mathematics. The efficiency of the approach we adopt is emphasized by extending the class of problems that can be solved by applying it.