Calculating Distance & Acceleration of Car Pulling 20,000lbs

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In summary, a car pulling 20,000 pounds uniformly accelerates from rest to a speed of 40 miles/hour in 12 seconds. To find the distance traveled, first convert the velocity from miles/hour to feet/second, then use the formula d=vt to calculate the distance. The answer will be 480 feet or 0.091 miles. To find the constant acceleration, use the formula a=(vf-vi)/t, with vf and vi converted to feet/second. The answer will be in feet/second squared, so it will need to be converted to miles/hour squared if needed.
  • #1
ganon00
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a car pulling 20,000pounds accelerate uniformly from a rest to a speed of 40 miles/hour in 12 seconds

(a) find the distance (infeet AND miles) that the car travels during this time

(b) find the constant acceleration in ft/s^2 of the car

part a i get 480 feet is this correct i then divide it by 5280 to get it in miles

then i finding the constant acceleration

do i do a=delta(v)/delta(t)
 
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  • #2
For part a) how did you end up getting feet first? Your velocity was given in miles, so any formula you use involving vecocity should use miles somewhere. Unless you convert from miles to feet beforehand, which is just extra work for yourself because you will have to convert it back to miles afterwords (as they ask for an answer in miles too).

I don't actually use miles and feet (I use Kilometers and meters), so if you'd like me to check your answer you're going to have to show your work. 1 feet = how many miles? 1 mile = how many feet? I think your teacher/professor wants you to actually be able to figure it out, instead of memorizing 52.. whatever.
 
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  • #3
a is asking for both feet and miles, so i guess your learning conversion units. For the constant acceleration, it is dv/dt, so it should be v-v0/12-0
but remmeber acceleration should be in m/s^2 not miles/hour
convert them.
 

Related to Calculating Distance & Acceleration of Car Pulling 20,000lbs

1. How do you calculate the distance a car pulling 20,000lbs will travel?

To calculate the distance a car pulling 20,000lbs will travel, you will need to know the acceleration of the car and the time it takes to reach that acceleration. Once you have these values, you can use the formula d = 0.5at^2 to calculate the distance. "d" represents the distance, "a" represents the acceleration, and "t" represents the time.

2. What is the acceleration of a car pulling 20,000lbs?

The acceleration of a car pulling 20,000lbs will vary depending on factors such as the car's engine power and the road conditions. However, the average acceleration of a car pulling 20,000lbs is around 3-4 meters per second squared.

3. How does the weight of the car affect its acceleration while pulling 20,000lbs?

The weight of the car will greatly affect its acceleration while pulling 20,000lbs. The heavier the car, the more force is required to move it, resulting in a slower acceleration. This is why cars with larger engines are often used for towing heavy objects.

4. Can you calculate the acceleration of a car pulling 20,000lbs without knowing its weight?

No, it is not possible to accurately calculate the acceleration of a car pulling 20,000lbs without knowing its weight. The weight of the car is a crucial factor in determining its acceleration, as mentioned before. Without this information, the calculation will be incomplete and inaccurate.

5. How can you use the calculated acceleration to determine the force of a car pulling 20,000lbs?

The force of a car pulling 20,000lbs can be calculated using the formula F=ma, where "F" represents force, "m" represents mass (in this case, the weight of the car), and "a" represents acceleration. By plugging in the values, you can determine the amount of force required to move the car and its load.

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