Question

A small car and an SUV are at a stoplight. The car has a mass equal to half that of the SUV, and the SUV's engine can produce a maximum force equal to twice that of the car. When the light turns green, both drivers floor it at the same time. Which vehicle pulls ahead of the other vehicle after a few seconds?

Answer 1

Complete Question

A small car and an SUV are at a stoplight. The car has amass equal to half that of the SUV, and the SUV's engine can produce a maximum force equal to twice that of the car. When the light turns green, both drivers floor it at the same time. Which vehicle pulls ahead of the other vehicle after a few seconds?

a) It is a tie.

b) The SUV

c) The car

Answer:

The correct option is  a

Explanation:

From the question we are told that

     The mass of the car is $m_c$

     The force of the car is  F

       The mass of the SUV is  $m_s = 2 m_c$

       The force of the SUV is $F_s = 2 F$

Generally force  of the car is mathematically represented as

        $F= m_ca_c$

$a_c$ is acceleration of the car

Generally force  of the car is mathematically represented as

       $F_s = m_s * a_s$

$a_s$ is acceleration of the SUV

=>   $2 F = 2 m_c a_s$

       $F = m_c a_s$

=>    $m_c a_s = m_ca_c$

So  $a_s = a_c$

  This means that the acceleration of both the car and the SUV are the same