Consider a 2100-kg car cruising at constant speed of 70 km/h. Now the car starts to pass another car by accelerating to 110 km/h in 5 s. Determine the additional power needed to achieve this acceleration. What would your answer be if the total mass of the car were only 700 kg

Answer: 51841.5 Watts

Explanation: Using the kinematic equation for the final velocity for a constant acceleration we have:

Vf=Vi+a*t

replacing the values the results is

a = (Vf-Vi) / t = (30.55 m/s-19.44 m/s) / 5s = 2.22 m/s^2

Remenber that to convert the speed in Km/h to m/s we have to multiplier by the factor 0.277.

Finally to calculate the increment of power get the final velocity we have to use Neton second law to determine the Force applied to the car.

F=m * a=2100 Kg * 2.22 m/s^2 = 4666.2 N

Then increment power to accelerate is given by:

ΔPower = Force * Δ velocity = 4666.2 N * 11,11 m/s = 51841.5 Watts