Final answer:
To determine the stopping distances for an automobile with different accelerations, we can calculate the distance traveled during the human reaction time and the deceleration distance. By adding these two distances, we can find the total stopping distance for each acceleration.
Step-by-step explanation:
The stopping distance of an automobile can be determined by calculating the distance traveled during the human reaction time and the distance traveled during the deceleration period.
(a) For an acceleration of -5.5 m/s², the human reaction time is 1.0 s.
The distance traveled during the reaction time can be calculated using the formula: distance = initial velocity * reaction time. In this case, the initial velocity is 95 km/h, which needs to be converted to m/s.
The deceleration distance can be calculated using the formula: distance = (initial velocity²)/(2 * acceleration).
The stopping distance can be found by adding the distance traveled during the reaction time and the deceleration distance.
(b) The same process can be applied for an acceleration of -6.6 m/s².