Question

A car is initially stopped, Vo = 0, at a traffic light whose position we will use as our origin, x = 0. The light turns green at time 0 and the car starts moving with constant acceleration a.-2 m/s. At that same instant, the front of a truck traveling at constant speed v,-15 m/s passes the front of the car. After a time to and distance x D, the accelerating car catches up to the truck. (SIMPLIFY: You may assume that both vehicles are point particles, even though the wording of the problem and the figure below suggest that the vehicles have non-zero size, since we are only concerned about the front of each vehicle.) v, 15 m/s truck a-2 m/ car x-axis x-0 X-D A. Calculate the values for tp and D. Provide symbolic answers (in terms of the quantities defined above) before plugging in numbers. (HINT: I suggest you start by writing a formula that describes the position of each vehicle as a function of time, xdt) and xdt). Refer to the "bonus slides" in Lecture #2 ifyou need help with this sort of problem.) B. How fast is the car traveling when the front of the car catches the front of the truck? C. Which vehicle has the higher average speed during this time interval?

Answer 1