Question

A drag racer of mass 1100kg is at rest on the start line. It accelerates up to a top speed of 335 mph (149.7 m/s) along the first 100m. How much force must the engine produce to allow for the car to race this way?

Answer 1

To calculate the force the engine must produce, we need to use Newton's second law of motion, which states that force equals mass times acceleration (F = ma). Given that the mass of the drag racer is 1100 kg and the acceleration is unknown, we can solve for the force. First, we need to calculate the acceleration by dividing the change in speed by the change in distance. The change in speed is 149.7 m/s (from 0 to 149.7 m/s) and the change in distance is 100 m. Thus, the acceleration is 149.7 m/s divided by 100 m, which equals 1.497 m/s^2. Now, we can plug this value into the equation F = ma to find the force. F = (1100 kg)(1.497 m/s^2), which equals 1646.7 N.

Step-by-step explanation:

To calculate the force the engine must produce, we need to use Newton's second law of motion, which states that force equals mass times acceleration (F = ma). Given that the mass of the drag racer is 1100 kg and the acceleration is unknown, we can solve for the force. First, we need to calculate the acceleration by dividing the change in speed by the change in distance. The change in speed is 149.7 m/s (from 0 to 149.7 m/s) and the change in distance is 100 m. Thus, the acceleration is 149.7 m/s divided by 100 m, which equals 1.497 m/s^2. Now, we can plug this value into the equation F = ma to find the force. F = (1100 kg)(1.497 m/s^2), which equals 1646.7 N.