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Homework Help: Acceleration in one direction

  1. Apr 3, 2005 #1
    two cars, C and D, travel in the same direction along a straight section of highway during a particular time interval T, car D is ahead of car C and is speeding up while car C is slowing down. During the interval T, it is observed that car C gains on car D (distance between the cars decrease). How is this possible???
  2. jcsd
  3. Apr 3, 2005 #2


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    It is possible if the speed of C is higher than that of D at t = 0.

    For exemple consider D at rest and C going very fast at t = 0. If the interval is short, like 1 second for exemple... I'm sure your intuition tells you that the distance btw the cars will have decreased despite their respective acceleration.