Final answer:
The hare's speed is calculated by adding the tortoise's speed (0.4 m/s) to the relative speed (3.6 m/s), which results in the hare's actual speed being 4.0 m/s.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question asked is related to relative speed in physics. If the hare runs past the tortoise with a relative speed of 3.6 m/s, and the tortoise is moving at a speed of 0.4 m/s, we are tasked with finding the hare's actual speed. To solve this problem, we apply the concept of relative speed.
Relative speed is the speed of one object as observed from another moving object. Since the hare is overtaking the tortoise, the hare's relative speed with respect to the tortoise is the difference in their speeds. Thus, the hare's speed is the sum of the relative speed and the tortoise's speed.
Therefore, the hare's speed = tortoise's speed + relative speed = 0.4 m/s + 3.6 m/s = 4.0 m/s. This is the actual speed of the hare if we consider the motion of both animals in the same direction.