MIDTERM EXAM: October 22nd, 2020

General Physics and Calculus 1

Muh Ikhsan
2019370099

1. (10 points) In Fig. 1, a red car and a green car, identical except for the color, move
toward each other in adjacent lanes and parallel to an x axis. At time t = 0, the red
car is at 𝑥𝑟 = 0 and the green car is at 𝑥 𝑔 = 220 𝑚. If the red car has a constant
velocity of 20 km/h, the cars pass each other at x = 44.5 m, and if it has a constant
velocity of 40 km/h, they pass each other at x = 76.6 m. What are (a) the initial
velocity and (b) the constant acceleration of the green car?

Figure 1. Problem 1
Answer:
Let say, d is the distance between the red car and the green car
● d = 220 m, at t = 0
● v1 = 20 km/h = 5.55 m/s
● v2 = 40 km/h = 11.1 m/s
● x1 = 44.5 m
● x2 = 76.7 m
We will directly use two equations to solve this problem. The equations are:
(1) d-x1= v0t1 + ½ at12 where t1= x1/v1= 44.5 m/(5.55 m/s)= 8.018 s
220 m = v0(8.018 s) + ½ a(8.018 s)2
220 m = v0(8.018 s) + ½ a (64.28 s2)

(2) d-x2= v0t2 + ½ at22 where t2= x2/v2 = 76.6 m/(11.1 m/s)= 6.900 s
220 m = v0(6.900 s) + ½ a(6.900 s)2
220 m = v0(6.900 s) + ½ a(47.61 s2)

Then, we do elimination to the both equations to find the value of initial velocity
and acceleration.
Therefore, we got:
(a) The initial velocity, v0 = −13.9 m/s = -50 km/h
(b) The acceleration, a = =−2.0m/s^2

We can conclude as both values have negative form, then it is along the -x direction.