Coasting due west on your bicycle at 8.0 m/s, you encounter a sandy patch of road 7.2 m across. When you leave the sandy patch your speed has been reduced to 6.5 m/s. Assuming the bicycle slows with constant acceleration, what was its acceleration in the sandy patch?

Answer 1

average velocity (v) in the sandy patch ... (8.0 m/s + 6.5 m/s) / 2

time (t) to cross the patch ... 7.2 m / v

acceleration ... (6.5 m/s - 8.0 m/s) / t