How Far Can a Car Travel When Accelerating from 0-81 mph?

In summary, the car can accelerate 0-60 mph in 8.6 seconds and 0-100 mph in 26.1 seconds. To accelerate from 0-81 mph, the car would have to travel approximately 890.3 feet, based on an estimate of averaging the acceleration. However, due to the non-linear acceleration of cars, this problem is not entirely solvable.
  • #1
biggspc
2
0
A car can accelerate 0-60 mph in 8.6 seconds and 0-100 mph in 26.1 seconds. How far (in feet) would the car have to travel in order to accelerate from 0-81 mph?
 
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  • #2
The acceleration rate from 0-60 mph is different than the acceleration rate from 0-100 mph. You could assume that the rate of acceleration is inversely proportional to the final speed (linear), but that really isn't the case with cars. So, with the given data, this problem is not solvable. The best you can do is find an estimate.
 
  • #3
When I was first presented with the "Equations of Motion" I clearly hadn't been listening to 'Sir' well enough and I got very cross about just this point. I just thought ":How could you possibly tell?".
It took some time to take on board the qualification 'uniform acceleration'.
 
  • #4
zgozvrm said:
The acceleration rate from 0-60 mph is different than the acceleration rate from 0-100 mph. You could assume that the rate of acceleration is inversely proportional to the final speed (linear), but that really isn't the case with cars. So, with the given data, this problem is not solvable. The best you can do is find an estimate.

What would the estimate be then?
 
  • #5
Averaging the acceleration yields a result of 271.37m to reach the 81mph (36.21m/s).
It is a rough estimation, given that it should take more time to get that extra 19 mph from 81 to 100 mph than the 21 mph from 60 to 81 mph. Aerodynamic drag is proportional to the speed squared.
 
  • #6
BTW:
271.37 m = 890.3 ft
 

What is the definition of distance traveled?

Distance traveled refers to the total length of a path or route taken by an object or person from its initial position to its final position, regardless of the direction of movement.

What are the units used to measure distance traveled?

The most common units used to measure distance traveled are meters (m) and kilometers (km) in the metric system, and feet (ft) and miles (mi) in the imperial system.

How do you calculate distance traveled when the object is moving in a straight line?

To calculate distance traveled in a straight line, you can use the equation d = vt, where d is the distance traveled, v is the constant velocity, and t is the time.

What if the object is not moving at a constant velocity?

If the object is not moving at a constant velocity, you can still calculate the distance traveled by dividing the total displacement (change in position) by the time taken.

Can distance traveled be negative?

No, distance traveled cannot be negative as it is a scalar quantity that only represents the magnitude of the displacement. However, the displacement itself can be negative if the object moves in the opposite direction to its initial position.

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