Question

Which has the greater acceleration, an airplane, that goes from 1000 km/h to 1005 km/h in 10s or a skateboard that goes from zero to 5km/h in 1 second?

Answer 1

Airplane :  Change in velocity = 5 km/h = \(5\,\times\,\frac{5}{18}= \frac{25}{18}m/sec.\)

Time =10 sec.

Acceleration = \(\frac{{\frac{25}{18}}}{10}=\frac{25}{18}\,\times\,\frac{1}{10}=\frac{5}{36}=0.138\,m/sec.\)

Skateboard : Change in velocity = 5 km/h =\(\frac{25}{18}\,m/sec\)

Time = 1 sec.

Acceleration = \(\frac{{\frac{25}{18}}}{1}=\frac{25}{18}=1.38\,m/sec^2\)

 \(\therefore\) Skateboard has greater acceleration.