Final answer:
When Dana accelerates onto the highway, the sports medal leans away from the windshield due to inertia. Dana's acceleration is approximately 2.51 m/s^2 away from the wall.
Step-by-step explanation:
When Dana accelerates onto the highway, the sports medal suspended from her rearview mirror leans away from the windshield. This can be attributed to the inertia of the medal. As the car accelerates, the medal tends to remain at rest due to inertia while the car moves forward. Thus, the medal appears to lean away from the windshield.
To find Dana's acceleration, we can use the given information that the medal hangs at an angle of 15 degrees from the vertical. The acceleration can be calculated using the equation:
acceleration = g * tan(angle)
Substituting the given values, we get:
acceleration = 9.8 m/s^2 * tan(15 degrees)
Therefore, Dana's acceleration is approximately 2.51 m/s^2 away from the wall.