How far does the police car travel to catch a speeder traveling at 180 km/hr?

In summary, a police car at rest is passed by a speeder traveling at a constant speed of 180 km/hr. The police car then takes off in pursuit, accelerating at 3.7 m/s². To calculate how far the police car has traveled to catch the speeder, we can use the equation x = xo + vot + 1/2at^2, where xo is the starting position (0 for the police car at rest), vo is the initial velocity (0 for the police car at rest), a is the acceleration (3.7 m/s² for the police car), and t is the time it takes to catch the speeder. However, to use this equation, we need to convert the speed
  • #1
Neal Parikh
1
0

Homework Statement


A police car at rest, is passed by a speeder traveling at constant speed of 180 km/hr, take off in hot pursuit accelerating at 3.7 m/s². How far has the police car traveled to catch the speeder?

Homework Equations


I think we would use x = xo + vot + 1/2at^2[/B]

(Or maybe V^2 = vo^2 + 2a(x-xo)?I am getting confused with which equations are relevant).

The Attempt at a Solution


I know xo is 0 because it is the start position at rest, vot is also 0 because its not moving. I am confused as to what I do with the 180 km/hr (I converted to 50 m/s)
 
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  • #2
Definitely want to convert to m/s so that all the units are the same. I would also write out what you know about each car. Treat them as separate questions.
 

1. What is kinematics?

Kinematics is the branch of mechanics that deals with the motion of objects without considering the forces that cause the motion.

2. How is kinematics applied to a moving car?

Kinematics is used to analyze the motion of a moving car by studying its displacement, velocity, and acceleration. This allows us to understand the car's motion and predict its future position and speed.

3. What is displacement in kinematics?

Displacement is the change in position of an object. In the case of a moving car, it is the distance and direction between its initial and final positions.

4. What is the difference between speed and velocity in kinematics?

Speed is the rate at which an object covers distance, while velocity is the rate at which an object changes its position in a specific direction. In other words, speed does not take direction into account, while velocity does.

5. How is acceleration calculated in kinematics?

Acceleration is the rate of change of an object's velocity over time. It can be calculated by dividing the change in velocity by the change in time. In the case of a moving car, it is the change in the car's speed over time.

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