Answer to Question #241983 in Physics for Kristine

Question

A freight train is traveling with a velocity of 15 m/s. at the instant it passes through a station, a passenger train at rest starts to accelerate 3 𝑚/𝑠 2 in the same direction as the velocity of the freight train? a) In how many seconds will the passenger train overtake the freight train? b) How far will the passenger train travel before it overtakes the freight train?

Answer 1

(a) The time can be found from the following equations:

$$\frac{at^2}{2}=vt,\\\space\\ t=\frac{2v}{a}=10\text{ s}.$$

(b) The distance is

$$d=vt=15·10=150\text{ m}.$$