How Long Does It Take for an Accelerating Car to Overtake Another?

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To determine how long it takes for Car B to overtake Car A, one can analyze the situation from Car A's reference frame. Car A maintains a constant velocity while Car B, starting from rest, accelerates. The time required for Car B to cover the 25 meters to catch up with Car A can be calculated using kinematic equations. The discussion confirms that the approach is valid, emphasizing the importance of understanding relative motion in physics. This method effectively simplifies the problem by translating it into a more manageable frame of reference.
APett
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Say we have two cars, Car A and Car B. Car A is 25 meters ahead and has a constant velocity. Car B has the exact same velocity at this moment, but also has a constant positive acceleration. If I want to calculate how long it takes for Car B to overtake Car A, wouldn't it be the same as calculating how long it takes car B to go 25 meters from standing still? I'm fairly sure it is, but I'm new to physics and afraid there's something I'm missing.
 
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Sorry, I just realized it's probably the wrong subforum. Can someone move it?
 
You are correct. You are using special relativity (or Galilean relativity). You can translate the problem to the car A reference frame.
 

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