Answer to Question #92598 in Mechanics | Relativity for Charlotte E Smith

Question

If a motorcycle is traveling at 45mph and begins to slide 18 ft before hitting a parked vehicle, how far will the occupants travel before they land once ejected from the motorcycle?

Answer 1

Conversions:

$1mph=0.44704\frac{meters}{second}$

$1feet=0.3048 meters$

Given that,

Speed

$v=45mph=45\times 0.44704=20.1168\frac{m}{s}$

Skids distance

$d=18feets=18\times0.3048=5.4864m$

By definition, Total distance travelled is the sum of Thinking distance and skids or braking distance

Thus

Total distance

$D=v\times t+d$

$D=20.11\times0.5+5.4864=15.54m$