Velocity to acceleration then conversion from km/h to m/s2 confusion

[survivorboiii]

A car travels in a straight line for 5.3 h at a constant speed of 60 km/h.
What is its acceleration? Answer in units of m/s2

So far, to my understanding so far acceleration is change in velocity over time. So 60 over 5.3, which is 11.32 km/h2

Then I converted to m first, which is 1132 m/h2, then from h2 to sec, which is .00524 m/sec2.

But that isn't the answer, what did I do wrong?

 

[arildno]

"a constant speed of 60 km/h.
What is its acceleration?"

What does CONSTANT speed mean, when you are traveling along a straight line? In particular, what is the acceleration then?

 

[survivorboiii]

I'm not understanding what your asking. The acceleration is (60-0)/time right?

 

[arildno]

What was the INITIAL speed?
What is the FINAL speed?

In particular, in those 5.3 hours, does the speed change?

 

[tiny-tim]

hi survivorboiii! welcome to pf!

… acceleration is change in velocity over time. …

hint: what does "change" mean?

 

[survivorboiii]

The car probably started at 0km/h, then speeds up to 60km/h where it stayed for 5.3hr

 

[arildno]

"0km/h, then speeds up to 60km/h "
Really?
What does the book say about the speed during the time interval we're looking at?

 

[survivorboiii]

Enlighten me, I don't have my book with me. I guess I'm still confused about speed, vel, and acc

 

[arildno]

What does the word CONSTANT mean?

 

[survivorboiii]

constant velocity means acceleration is 0 doesn't it because the velocity isn't changing

 

[arildno]

constant velocity means acceleration is 0 doesn't it because the velocity isn't changing

Correct!

So what was wrong with your two statements:

1. " The car probably started at 0km/h, then speeds up to 60km/h where it stayed for 5.3hr"

2. "The acceleration is (60-0)/time right? "

In particular:
How should you reframe the equation in 2. ?

 

[survivorboiii]

Would it be 0-60 over time?

 

[arildno]

Why?
You said yourself:
"constant velocity means acceleration is 0 doesn't it because the velocity isn't changing "

How can the speed change from 0 to 60 if it isn't changing?

 

[tiny-tim]

(just got up :zzz:)

average acceleration = final velocity minus initial velocity divided by time

instantaneous acceleration (usually just called "acceleration") = final velocity after an extremely short time minus initial velocity divided by that extremely short time = the slope of the velocity-time graph

this question is asking for acceleration​

so draw a graph … what is the slope?

 

[survivorboiii]

IT just hit me...the acceleration is 0 because the vel is constant! :) Thanks both of you!

 

[arildno]

IT just hit me...the acceleration is 0 because the vel is constant! :) Thanks both of you!

PS:
Remember to give your answer as 0m/s^2, because the exercise specifically asked you to include units