Question #2566c

1 Answer
Jun 14, 2016

No. Even if he was sober he would manage to drop to a speed of 16.5m/s16.5ms before hitting the child.

Explanation:

The distance it will take for the drunk man to stop is the reaction distance plus the brake distance:

s_(st op)=s_(react)+s_(break)sstop=sreact+sbreak

During the reaction time, speed is constant, so the distance is:

s_(react)=u_0*t_(react)sreact=u0treact

s_(react)=20*0.25sreact=200.25

s_(react)=5msreact=5m

The brake is decellerative motion, so:

u=u_0-a*t_(break)u=u0atbreak

0=20-3*t_(break)0=203tbreak

t_(break)=20/3sectbreak=203sec

The distance needed to stop is:

s_(break)=u_0*t_(break)-1/2*a*(t_(break))^2sbreak=u0tbreak12a(tbreak)2

s_(break)=20*20/3-1/2*3*(20/3)^2sbreak=20203123(203)2

s_(break)=400/3-3/2*400/9sbreak=4003324009

s_(break)=400/3-1/2*400/3sbreak=4003124003

s_(break)=200/3msbreak=2003m

The total stop distance:

s_(st op)=s_(react)+s_(break)sstop=sreact+sbreak

s_(st op)=5+200/3sstop=5+2003

s_(st op)=71,67msstop=71,67m

Child is dead. Here are some bonuses:

a) What if the man was not drunk?

Reaction distance changes since the reaction time is now 0.19 sec:

s_(react)=u_0*t_(react)sreact=u0treact

s_(react)=20*0.19sreact=200.19

s_(react)=3.8msreact=3.8m

The distance now becomes:

s_(st op)=s_(react)+s_(break)sstop=sreact+sbreak

s_(st op)=3.8+200/3sstop=3.8+2003

s_(st op)=70,47msstop=70,47m

Child is still dead.

b) What is the velocity with which the child was hit?

If the driver was drunk, after 5 meters, that means at 20,1 meters close to the child he started decellerating. The impact distance is:

s_(break)=u_0*t_(break)-1/2*a*(t_(break))^2sbreak=u0tbreak12a(tbreak)2

20,1=20*t_(break)-1/2*3*(t_(break))^220,1=20tbreak123(tbreak)2

3/2*(t_(break))^2-20*t_(break)+20,1=032(tbreak)220tbreak+20,1=0

Solving this quadratic gives:

t_(break)=12,24sectbreak=12,24sec

or

t_(break)=1,095sectbreak=1,095sec

We accept the smallest value, supposing he doesn't want to reverse and run the child over again. Finally, to find the velocity:

u=u_0-a*t_(break)u=u0atbreak

u=20-3*1,095u=2031,095

u=16,72m/su=16,72ms

u=60,18(km)/hu=60,18kmh

If you do the same with a sober driver you will find the child was hit with 59,4 (km)/h59,4kmh. Bottom line is, he was running too fast.