Question

A 500kg car skids to a stop at a traffic light, leaving behind a 18.25m skid mark as it comes to a rest. Assuming that the car is travelling at 14.5m/s and only the friction from the tires on the roadway stop the vehicle. Find the coefficient of friction

Answer 1

Answer:

Coefficient of friction will be 0.587

Explanation:

We have given mass of the car m = 500 kg

Distance s = 18.25 m

Initial velocity of the car u = 14.5 m/sec

As the car finally stops so final velocity v = 0 m/sec

From second equation of motion

$v^2=u^2+2as$

$0^2=14.5^2+2\times a\times 18.25$

$a=-5.76m/sec^2$

We know that acceleration is given by

$a=\mu g$

$5.76=\mu\times  9.81$

$\mu =0.587$

So coefficient of friction will be 0.587