Question

"A certain roller coaster can accelerate at 20 ft/s². How far will the roller coaster travel if it accelerates from rest for 5 seconds?"

A roller coaster accelerates at 20 ft/s² for 5 seconds. How far does it travel?
A. 50 feet
B. 100 feet
C. 200 feet
D. 500 feet

Answer 1

Using the equation of motion for constant acceleration, the roller coaster will travel 250 feet, which was not listed as one of the given options.

Step-by-step explanation:

To determine the distance the roller coaster travels while it accelerates from rest, we can use the equation of motion for constant acceleration:

s = ut + ½at²

Where:

• s is the distance traveled
• u is the initial velocity (0 ft/s because the roller coaster starts from rest)
• a is the acceleration (20 ft/s²)
• t is the time (5 seconds)

Substituting the given values into the equation:

s = 0 ft/s × 5 s + ½ × 20 ft/s² × (5 s)²

s = 0 + ½ × 20 ft/s² × 25 s²

s = 10 × 25

s = 250 feet

So, the roller coaster will travel 250 feet, meaning none of the options A, B, C, or D are correct.