Question

Two cars are driving toward each other on a straight, flat Kansas road. The Jeep Wrangler is traveling at 74.00 km/h north and the Ford Taurus is traveling at 49.00 km/h south, both measured relative to the road. What is the velocity of the Jeep relative to an observer in the Ford?

Answer 1

123 km/h

Step-by-step explanation:

The distance between the Jeep Wrangler and the Ford Taurus is increasing.

Let us consider the north direction as positive when observing from the ground

`v_j=74\ km/h`

So, the south direction will be negative

`v_f=-49\ km/h`

But when the observer is one of the cars the direction will be the same i.e., moving away from each other, so the velocity will be added.

Hence velocity of the Jeep relative to the Ford will be

Velocity of the Jeep + Velocity of the Ford

= 74+49 = 123 km/h

∴ Velocity of the Jeep relative to an observer in the Ford is 123 km/h