Final answer:
The cat's final velocity after accelerating for 3 seconds at a rate of 1.5 m/s² from an initial velocity of 5 m/s is 9.5 m/s.
Step-by-step explanation:
To determine a cat's final velocity after accelerating, we can use the basic kinematics equation for velocity, which states that the final velocity (v) is equal to the initial velocity (u) plus the product of acceleration (a) and time (t):
v = u + at
In this scenario:
- The initial velocity (u) of the cat is 5 m/s.
- The acceleration (a) is 1.5 m/s².
- The time (t) over which the cat accelerates is 3 s.
Substituting these values into the equation gives:
v = 5 m/s + (1.5 m/s² × 3 s)
v = 5 m/s + 4.5 m/s
v = 9.5 m/s
Therefore, the cat's final velocity after 3 seconds of acceleration is 9.5 m/s.