Question

In 1977, Kitty O’Neil drove a hydrogen peroxide–powered rocket dragster for a record time interval (3.22 s) and final speed (663 km/h) on a 402-m-long Mojave Desert track. Determine her average acceleration during the race and the acceleration while stopping (it took about 20 s to stop). What assumptions did you make?

Answer 1

Answer:

57.19461 m/s²

-9.20833 m/s²

Explanation:

t = Time taken

u = Initial velocity

v = Final velocity

s = Displacement

a = Acceleration

Equation of motion

$v=u+at\\\Rightarrow a=\dfrac{v-u}{t}\\\Rightarrow a=\dfrac{\dfrac{663}{3.6}-0}{3.22}\\\Rightarrow a=57.19461\ m/s^2$

The acceleration during the race is 57.19461 m/s²

$v=u+at\\\Rightarrow a=\dfrac{v-u}{t}\\\Rightarrow a=\dfrac{0-\dfrac{663}{3.6}}{20}\\\Rightarrow a=-9.20833\ m/s^2$

The acceleration while stopping is -9.20833 m/s²

The assumptions made here are:

The initial velocity of the dragster at the start of the race is zero

The acceleration is constant in both cases of acceleration.

The final velocity when it stops is zero

Motion is in a straight line path