Car Chase
A car (c) with one headlight burned
out is traveling at a constant speed of 18 m/s and passes a stopped
police car (p). The car is pursued
immediately by the police cruiser, which has a constant acceleration
of magnitude 2.2 m/s2.
(a) How far does the police cruiser travel before catching the
other car?
(b) At what time will this occur? (Hint: Graphing may help to
visualize this problem.)
Accumulated solution:
Position of the car:
xc = x0c + v0ct
Position of the police cruiser:
xp = x0p +
v0pt
+ ½ at2 with
x0p = 0
No. Setting
xp = xc in the two equations and
solving for t is certainly a correct procedure, but will yield
the time elapsed, not the position or distance traveled.
Try Again.