Chapter 4, Problem 44A

Which has more acceleration when moving in a straight line—a car increasing its speed from 50 to 60 km/h, or a bicycle that goes from zero to 10 km/h in the same time? Defend your answer.

To determine

The vehicle that have more acceleration when moving in a straight line- a car increasing its speed from $50$ to $60\text{km/h,}$ or a bicycle that goes from zero to $10\text{}\text{km/h}$ in the same time.

Answer to Problem 44A

Both will have the same acceleration.

Explanation of Solution

Given:

Change in speed of the car, $\Delta v_1=\left(60-50\right)\text{km/h}$

Change in speed of the bicycle, $\Delta v_2=\left(10-0\right)\text{km/h}$

Formula used:

The acceleration acting on an object is given by,

  $\text{acceleration}=\frac{\text{change in velocity}}{\text{time taken}}$

Calculation:

The time taken for change in speed of both the cycle and bicycle is same. Hence, considering the above formula, acceleration will be directly proportional to the change in velocity.

And, considering the given data, the change in velocity is same for both the cycle and bicycle.

Conclusion:

Hence, the acceleration is same for both the cycle and bicycle.