- #1
Ujjwal Basumatary
- 17
- 0
Homework Statement
In a convoy on a long straight level road, 50 identical cars are at rest in a queue at equal separation ## 10 m ## from each other. Engine of a car can provide a constant acceleration of ##2 m/s^2##. And brakes can provide a maximum deceleration of ##4m/s^2##. When an order is given to start the convoy, the first car starts immediately and each subsequent car starts when its distance from a car that is immediately ahead becomes ##35m##. Maximum speed limit on this road is ##72km/h##. When an order is given to stop the convoy, the driver of the first car applies brakes immediately and the driver of each subsequent car applies brakes with a certain time delay after noticing the brake light of the front car turn red.
1. When all the cars are moving at the maximum speed, what is the separation between two adjacent cars?
There are other parts to the question but I want to attempt them first before requesting a solution.
Homework Equations
##s=ut + \frac{1}{2}at^2##
##v=u+at##
##v^2=u^2+2as##
where ##s##, ##u##, ##v##, ##t## and ##a## denote displacement, initial velocity, final velocity, time and acceleration respectively.
The Attempt at a Solution
Setting up a coordinate system with the origin at the second car, at ##t=0##, ##S_{1i}=0## and ##S_{2i}=10## denote respectively the initial positions of the second and the first car at the initial moment. According to the problem statement, the displacement of the first car should be ##25m## from its initial position for the second car to start moving.
Using this fact and the equations of motion I get that at ##t=5s##, the first car is at a distance ##35m## from the first. This is the point where the second car starts moving. Taking care of the coordinates and the respective velocity constraints I am getting the separation when both have attained the maximum velocity to be ##85m## whereas the answer given is ##110m##. Where have I gone wrong?
Please help.
Thank you.