Answer:
A) It takes the truck 8 s to catch the motorcycle.
B) The motorcycle has traveled 160 m in that time.
C) The velocity of the truck is 40 m/s at that time.
Explanation:
The equations of the position and velocity of an object moving in a straight line are as follows:
x = x0 +v0 · t + 1/2 · a · t²
v = v0 + a · t
Where:
x = position
x0 = initial position
v0 = initial velocity
t = time
a = acceleration
v = velocity at time t
(A) When the the truck catches the motorcycle, both have the same position. Notice that the motorcycle moves at constant speed so that a = 0:
x truck = x motorcycle
x0 +v0 · t + 1/2 · a · t² = x0 + v · t
Placing the origin of the frame of reference at the point where the truck starts, both have an initial position of 0. The initial velocity of the truck is 0. Then:
1/2 · a · t² = v · t
solving for t:
t = 2 v/a
t = 2 · 20 m/s/ 5 m/s²
t = 8 s
It takes the truck 8 s to catch the motorcycle.
(B) Using the equation of the position of the motorcycle, we can calculate the traveled distance in 8 s.
x = v · t
x = 20 m/s · 8 s
x = 160 m
(C) Now, we use the velocity equation at time 8 s.
v = v0 + a · t
v = 0 m/s + 5 m/s² · 8 s
v = 40 m/s
