Calculating Passing Speed: Understanding the Concept and Formula Explained"

  • Thread starter sandy
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In summary, the passing speed between two cars depends on the relative speed between them, which is the combination of both their speeds. The formula for calculating passing speed is to add the speeds of both cars. The passing speed is the same as the rate of separation between the two cars.
  • #1
sandy
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Can someone please help:

Question: 2 cars are passing each other on opposite directions. One at 100 Km and the other at 150 Km. What is the passing speed?. I believe it is 0, however, I have been corrected that it is the combination of both, ie: 250 km.

Or was the above question incomplete?. Would rate of separation be the same as passing speed?.

If someone could explain to me and illustrate answer with formula, I would be very helpful. Thank you in advance.
 
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  • #2
By passing speed I assume they mean the relative speed of one car with respect to the other. Just reason it out. If you were at rest and a car came towards you at 150 km/s, the relative speed would be 150 km/s. But if the other car were at rest and you were going towards it at a speed of 100 km/s, the relative speed would be 100 km/s. If you both move towards each other, add both speeds. Make some sense?

(And yes, it's the same as the rate of separation.)
 
  • #3


I would like to clarify that the passing speed is not simply the combination of both cars' speeds. Instead, it is the relative speed at which the two cars pass each other. In this case, the passing speed would be 250 km/h, as it is the combined speed of the two cars towards each other.

The formula for calculating passing speed is the difference of the two cars' speeds. In this case, it would be 150 km/h (the speed of one car) minus 100 km/h (the speed of the other car), resulting in a passing speed of 50 km/h.

To further illustrate, imagine the two cars are initially 100 km apart (car A at 0 km and car B at 100 km). As they pass each other, car A travels 50 km (from 0 km to 50 km) and car B travels 50 km (from 100 km to 50 km). This means that the rate of separation between the two cars is 50 km/h, which is equivalent to the passing speed.

In summary, the passing speed is not simply the combination of both cars' speeds, but rather the relative speed at which they pass each other. The formula for calculating passing speed is the difference of the two cars' speeds. I hope this explanation helps to clarify any confusion.
 

1. What is the difference between speed and velocity?

Speed is a measure of how fast an object is moving, while velocity is a measure of how fast an object is moving in a specific direction.

2. How do you calculate speed/velocity?

To calculate speed, divide the distance traveled by the time it took to travel that distance. To calculate velocity, divide the displacement (change in position) by the time it took to travel that distance.

3. What are the units of speed and velocity?

The units of speed are distance per unit time, such as meters per second or miles per hour. The units of velocity are distance per unit time in a specific direction, such as meters per second east or miles per hour north.

4. Can an object have a constant speed but changing velocity?

Yes, an object can have a constant speed but changing velocity if it is changing direction or if the direction of its motion is changing.

5. How does speed/velocity affect an object's motion?

Speed/velocity affects an object's motion by determining how quickly and in what direction it is moving. Objects with higher speeds/velocities will travel further in a given amount of time and will have more momentum, while objects with lower speeds/velocities will have less momentum and may travel shorter distances.

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