Question

During a race, a sprinter increases his speed from 5.0 m/s to 9.5 m/s over a period of 2.0 s. What is the sprinter’s acceleration during this period?

Answer 1

The sprinter's acceleration is calculated by dividing the change in velocity (4.5 m/s) by the time taken (2.0 s), which results in an acceleration of 2.25 m/s².

Step-by-step explanation:

To calculate the sprinter’s acceleration during the race, when their speed increases from 5.0 m/s to 9.5 m/s over a period of 2.0 seconds, we use the formula for acceleration (a), which is the change in velocity (Δv) divided by the time (Δt) over which that change occurred:

a = Δv / Δt

Here, Δv = final velocity - initial velocity = 9.5 m/s - 5.0 m/s = 4.5 m/s, and Δt = 2.0 s.

Substituting these values into the equation:

a = 4.5 m/s / 2.0 s = 2.25 m/s²

Therefore, the sprinter's acceleration is 2.25 m/s².