Final answer:
Using the physics equation of motion and the given initial velocity, reaction time, and deceleration, one can determine whether a truck can stop in time to avoid a collision.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question focuses on stopping distance and acceleration required to avoid a collision, indicating its base in Physics. If we have a truck moving at a constant velocity and it brakes at a certain distance from an obstacle, the minimum acceleration needed to avoid a collision can be calculated using the equation of motion v^2 = u^2 + 2as. Here, 'v' is the final velocity (0 m/s as the truck needs to stop), 'u' is the initial velocity, 'a' is the acceleration, and 's' is the distance over which the truck needs to stop.
To determine if the truck will hit the child, we must account for the driver's reaction time as well. During this reaction time, the truck continues to travel at its initial speed. After the reaction time, the truck will begin decelerating until it comes to a stop. The total stopping distance is the distance covered during the reaction time plus the distance covered during deceleration. The latter can be found using the deceleration rate and the formula mentioned above.
For the given scenario of the truck with an initial velocity of 10 m/s, a braking distance of 50 m, reaction time of 0.5 seconds, and deceleration of -1.25 m/s^2, we can calculate whether or not the truck will be able to stop in time to avoid hitting the child.