Question

A car is traveling at sea level at 78 mi/h on a 4% upgrade before the driver sees a fallen tree in the roadway 150 feet away. The coefficient of road adhesion is 0.8. The car weighs 2700 lb, has a drag coefficient of 0.35, a frontal area of 18 ft2, and a coefficient of rolling friction approximated as 0.017 for all speed conditions. The car has an antilock braking system that gives it a braking efficiency of 100%. If the driver first applies the brakes 150 ft from the tree, how fast will the car be traveling when it reaches the tree? Include the effect of aerodynamic resistance.

Answer 1

Answer: V = 47.7 mi/hr

Explanation:

first we calculate elements of aero-dynamic resistance

Ka = p/2 * CD * A.f

p is the density of air(0.002378 slugs/ft^3) for zero altitude, CD is the drag coefficient(0.35) and A.f is the front region of the vehicle

so we substitute

Ka = 0.002378/2 * 0.35 * 18

Ka = 0.00749

Now we calculate the final speed of the vehicle (V2) using the relation;

S = (YbW/2gKa)In[ (UW + KaV1^2 + FriW ± Wsinθg) / (UW + KaV2^2 + FriW ± Wsinθg)

so

WE SUBSTITUTE

150 = (1.04 * 2700 / 2 * 32.2 * 0.0075) In [(0.8 * 2700 + 0.0075 *(78mil/hr * 5280ft/1min * 1hr/3600s)^2 + 0.017 * 2700 ± 2700 * 0.04) / (0.8 * 2700 + 0.0075 * V2^2 + 0.017 * 2700 ± 2700 * 0.04)]

150 = (2808/0.483) In [(2160 + 98.16 + 153.9) / ( 2160 + 0.0075V2^2 + 153.9)]

150 = 5813.66 In [ (2160 + 98.16 + 153.9) / ( 2160 + 0.0075V2^2 + 153.9)]

divide both sides by 5813.66

0.0258 = In [ (2412.06) / ( 0.0075V2^2 + 2313.9)]

take the e^ of both side

e^0.0258 = (2412.06) / ( 0.0075V2^2 + 2313.9)

1.0261 = (2412.06) / ( 0.0075V2^2 + 2313.9)]

(0.0075V2^2 + 2313.9) = 2412.06 / 1.0261

(0.0075V2^2 + 2313.9) = 2350.7

0.0075V2^2 = 2350.7 - 2313.9

0.0075V2^2 = 36.8

V2^2 = 36.8 / 0.0075

V2^2 = 4906.6666

V2 = √4906.6666

V2 = 70.0476 ft/s

converting to miles per hour

V2 = 70.0476 ft/s * 1 mil / 5280 ft * 3600s / 1hr

V = 47.7 mi/hr