A car traveling 95 km/h strikes a tree. The front end of the car compresses and the driver comes to rest after traveling 0.80 m . What was the magnitude of the average acceleration of the driver during the collision?

Question

Express the answer in terms of "g's," where 1.00g=9.80m/s2.

Answer 1

Vi = 95,000m/3600s. = 26.4 m/s.

V = Vi + 2a*d = 0.
26.4 + 2a*0.8 = 0,
a = -16.5 m/s^2.

g's = -16.5m/s^2/(9.80m/s^2) = -1.68.

Answer 2

Correction:
V^2 = Vi^2 + 2a*d = 0.
(26.4)^2 + 2a*0.8 = 0,
a = 435.6 m/s^2.

g's = 435.6m/s^2/(9.8m/s^2) = 44.4.