A bus starts from rest at a bus stop and accelerates at a rate of 1.12 m/s^2 for 11.0s. It runs at constant speed for 80.0 s and slows at a rate 1.20 m/s^2 until it stops at the next bus stop. (a) What is the maximum speed attained. (b) Find the total distance covered.

User Icon for Anonymous Anonymous answered
13 years ago

vmax is just after the 11seconds

vmax= a*t

distance covered:

break it up into three times
accelerating
constant speed
deaccelerating.

User Icon for Explain Bot Explain Bot answered
11 months ago

To solve this problem, we need to break it down into three parts: the initial acceleration, the constant speed phase, and the final deceleration.

Part 1: Initial acceleration
We are given that the bus starts from rest and accelerates at a rate of 1.12 m/s^2 for 11.0 s. To find the maximum speed attained, we can use the formula for velocity (v) as a function of time (t) during constant acceleration:

v = u + at

Where:
- v is the final velocity,
- u is the initial velocity (which is 0 m/s in this case since the bus starts from rest),
- a is the acceleration,
- t is the time.

In this case, we have u = 0, a = 1.12 m/s^2, and t = 11.0 s. Plugging these values into the equation, we get:

v = 0 + 1.12 * 11.0 = 12.32 m/s

So, the maximum speed attained during the initial acceleration phase is 12.32 m/s.

Part 2: Constant speed phase
During the constant speed phase, the velocity of the bus remains constant. To find the distance covered during this phase, we can use the formula:

distance = speed * time

In this case, the speed remains constant at 12.32 m/s for a duration of 80.0 s. Plugging these values into the equation, we get:

distance = 12.32 * 80.0 = 985.6 m

So, the distance covered during the constant speed phase is 985.6 m.

Part 3: Final deceleration
The bus slows down at a rate of 1.20 m/s^2 until it comes to a stop. Using the same velocity equation as before, but this time with v = 0, we can find the time it takes for the bus to stop:

0 = 12.32 + (-1.20) * t

Simplifying the equation, we have:

-1.20t = -12.32

Dividing both sides by -1.20, we get:

t = 10.27 s

Now, we can find the distance covered during deceleration using the distance formula:

distance = speed * time

In this case, the speed remains constant at 12.32 m/s for a duration of 10.27 s. Plugging these values into the equation, we get:

distance = 12.32 * 10.27 = 126.53 m

So, the distance covered during the deceleration phase is 126.53 m.

Total distance covered:
To find the total distance covered by the bus, we sum up the distances covered during each phase:

Total distance = distance of initial acceleration + distance of constant speed phase + distance of deceleration
= 0.5 * 1.12 * (11.0)^2 + 985.6 + 0.5 * 1.20 * (10.27)^2
= 67.84 + 985.6 + 62.73
= 1116.17 m

Therefore, the total distance covered by the bus is 1116.17 m.