Final answer:
The two cars will collide in approximately 0.78 seconds, calculated using the relative speed between the cars and the distance to be closed.
Step-by-step explanation:
To calculate the time it will take for two cars to collide, given their speeds and the distance between them, we can use the concept of relative velocity in physics.
The first car is travelling at 0.47 m/s and the second car at 4.08 m/s.
The relative speed between the two cars is the difference in their speeds, which is 4.08 m/s - 0.47 m/s = 3.61 m/s.
The distance that needs to be closed for the two cars to collide is 2.81 meters.
We can use the formula:
time = distance / relative speed to find the time it will take.
Plugging in our values gives us
time = 2.81 m / 3.61 m/s,
time = 0.78 seconds for the two cars to collide.