Help! Physics

Question

Wile E. Coyote has strapped himself ton an ACME rocket and is moving along at 25.0 m/s in the pursuit of the roadrunner. As he is cruising along he realizes that he is heading directly for the edge of a cliff. He drags fis feet in order to slow down at a constant rate of 5.86 m/s^2 until he comes to rest. If the cliff is 36.0 meter away, by how much does he overshoot the edge?

Answer 1

The required stopping distance x may be found using the kinematic relation

 

v₂² - v_1²= 2ax ⇒

 

x = (v₂² - v₁²)/(2a)

 

v₂ = 0  [full stop]

 

v₁ = 25.0 m/s

 

a = -5.86 m/s²  [negative sign, since this is a deceleration]

 

x = -v₁²/(2a) = -(25.0)² / [2(-5.86)] m = ? m

 

Evaluate x, and compare it to the distance to the cliff, which is 36.0 m.