Final answer:
When overtaking another vehicle, Car 1, which is accelerating, will eventually catch up with Car 2, which travels at constant velocity. The process of overtaking involves fluid dynamics where the air passing between the two vehicles causes a pressure difference, potentially pushing the vehicles together. The overtaking vehicle must perform a safe and legal maneuver to pass the lead vehicle without becoming stationary or running alongside it.
Step-by-step explanation:
When one vessel is behind another and is overtaking, it is subject to several physics principles, primarily Newton's laws of motion and fluid dynamics. As Car 1 accelerates toward Car 2, assuming that Car 2 has a constant velocity and Car 1 has a constant acceleration, Car 1 will eventually catch up with Car 2. According to the principles of fluid dynamics, when a car attempts to pass another vehicle, the air passing between the two vehicles flows in a narrower channel and must increase its speed, resulting in a pressure drop between the vehicles. This causes a phenomenon where higher pressure on the outside pushes the vehicles together. This is a crucial consideration for safety when overtaking another vehicle on a highway. During an overtaking maneuver, the driver of the passing vessel should take into account the increased force towards the rear of their vehicle that results from the acceleration and the subsequent effect on the surrounding fluid, in this case, air. The overtaking vehicle must safely navigate these changes in pressure and potential forces to avoid a collision and safely pass the lead vehicle. Therefore, the overtaking vehicle should not stop and become stationary nor run alongside the vehicle it is overtaking; instead, it must execute a safe and legal maneuver to pass the lead vehicle efficiently.