Challenge Problems
In a 100-m race, the winner is timed at 11.2 s. The second-place finisher’s time is 11.6 s. How far is the second-place finisher behind the winner when she crosses the finish line? Assume the velocity of each runner is constant throughout the race.
The position of a particle moving along the x-axis varies with time according to m. Find (a) the velocity and acceleration of the particle as functions of time, (b) the velocity and acceleration at t = 2.0 s, (c) the time at which the position is a maximum, (d) the time at which the velocity is zero, and (e) the maximum position.
A cyclist sprints at the end of a race to clinch a victory. She has an initial velocity of 11.5 m/s and accelerates at a rate of 0.500 m/s2 for 7.00 s. (a) What is her final velocity? (b) The cyclist continues at this velocity to the finish line. If she is 300 m from the finish line when she starts to accelerate, how much time did she save? (c) The second-place winner was 5.00 m ahead when the winner started to accelerate, but he was unable to accelerate, and traveled at 11.8 m/s until the finish line. What was the difference in finish time in seconds between the winner and runner-up? How far back was the runner-up when the winner crossed the finish line?
In 1967, New Zealander Burt Munro set the world record for an Indian motorcycle, on the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, of 295.38 km/h. The one-way course was 8.00 km long. Acceleration rates are often described by the time it takes to reach 96.0 km/h from rest. If this time was 4.00 s and Burt accelerated at this rate until he reached his maximum speed, how long did it take Burt to complete the course?