Question

You are driving at 25 m/s with your cruise control on when you see a fallen tree in the road. It takes you 0.30 s to put on the brakes, your car decelerates at a rate of 5.0 m/s2, and the tree is 75 m ahead. Will you hit the tree? Choose the correct answer and reason below.

Answer 1

Explanation:

Given data

velocity v= 25m/s

The time it takes to put on brake t= 0.3s

the distance covered when the  brake was put on is

v=s/t

s= v*t

s= 25*0.3s

s= 7.5m

hence the distance covered is 7.5m

Also the rate of decrease in aceleration is 5m/s^2

we can also calculate the distance covered at this rate

v^2=u^2+2as

25^2= 0+2*5*s

625=10s

divide both sides by 10

s=625/10

s= 62.5m

The total  distance covered between putting on the brakes and decelareation is  7.5+62.5= 70m

Given that the tree is 75m ahead, the car would not hit the tree