Help Solving Motorcycle Braking Problem | Reaction Time, Acceleration, Distance

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around a motorcycle braking problem involving reaction time, acceleration, and distance traveled. Participants are tasked with finding the initial velocity and time taken to stop after braking, given specific parameters such as reaction time and braking acceleration.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking, Problem interpretation

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants express difficulty in identifying a single formula to solve for the unknowns. There is mention of using equations related to uniform acceleration and the need to condense the problem into a mathematical form. Some suggest breaking down the problem into known variables and equations of motion.

Discussion Status

Participants are actively engaging with the problem, sharing their thoughts on how to approach it. Some have offered guidance on writing down known variables and equations, while others are exploring the implications of the reaction time and braking distance. No consensus has been reached yet, but there is a productive exchange of ideas.

Contextual Notes

Participants are working under the constraints of the given parameters, including the specific values for reaction time, acceleration, and total distance. There is an emphasis on clarifying assumptions and definitions related to the problem setup.

ConnorPhys
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A motorcyclist sees an obstacle and comes to a complete stop. Given are reaction time (0.8seconds), acceleration once started braking (-6.5meters/seconds^2), and total distance traveled (35meters) from initial sighting to complete stop. Solve to find initial velocity and time from when he started braking to when he stopped.

I can't figure out a single formula to use that will help me find one of the unknowns and solve the problem! Please help!
 
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You must know some equations relating to uniform acceleration. (The acronym SUVAT is often used.)
 
ConnorPhys said:
A motorcyclist sees an obstacle and comes to a complete stop. Given are reaction time (0.8seconds), acceleration once started braking (-6.5meters/seconds^2), and total distance traveled (35meters) from initial sighting to complete stop. Solve to find initial velocity and time from when he started braking to when he stopped.

I can't figure out a single formula to use that will help me find one of the unknowns and solve the problem! Please help!
Neither can I ! Certainly not until I have first condensed the wordy problem sentences into a familiar mathematical form, e.g.,

vf = 0 m/sec
reaction time t = 0.8 secs
total distance d = 35m
...

vi = ?? m/sec

That done, the next step is to write down all the equations of motion that you know. Then go through them one by one, ticking off the variables you know or need, until you have highlighted by multiple ticks some likely candidates to use for solving this.
 
Suppose you did know the speed of the motor cyclist. call it v. Could you compute the distance traveled during the reaction time, and the distance traveled when breaking?
Set the stopping distance equal to the sum of those two distances and solve for v.
 

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