If you are driving 85 km/h along a straight road and you look to the side for 2.0 s, how far do you travel during this inattentive period?

Verified step by step guidance

Convert the speed from kilometers per hour (km/h) to meters per second (m/s) using the conversion factor: 1 km/h = 1000 m / 3600 s. The formula is: \( v_{\text{m/s}} = v_{\text{km/h}} \times \frac{1000}{3600} \).

Substitute the given speed of 85 km/h into the formula to find the speed in m/s.

Use the formula for distance traveled under constant speed: \( d = v \cdot t \), where \( v \) is the speed in m/s and \( t \) is the time in seconds.

Substitute the converted speed (from step 2) and the given time of 2.0 seconds into the formula.

Simplify the expression to calculate the distance traveled during the inattentive period.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Speed and Distance Relationship

The relationship between speed, distance, and time is fundamental in physics. It is expressed by the formula: distance = speed × time. This means that if you know the speed at which an object is moving and the time it travels, you can calculate the distance covered during that time.

Unit Conversion

In physics, it is often necessary to convert units to ensure consistency in calculations. In this case, the speed is given in kilometers per hour (km/h), while time is in seconds (s). To calculate distance accurately, one must convert the speed into a compatible unit, such as meters per second (m/s), to match the time unit.

Inattentive Driving

Inattentive driving refers to periods when a driver is not focused on the road, which can lead to dangerous situations. In this scenario, the driver looks away for 2.0 seconds, during which they continue to travel at a constant speed. Understanding this concept helps to frame the context of the question, emphasizing the importance of attention while driving.

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