Question

A hockey player is standing on his skates on a frozen pond when an opposing player, moving with a uniform speed of 2.0 m/s, skates by with the puck. After 2.60 s, the first player makes up his mind to chase his opponent. If he accelerates uniformly at 0.36 m/s², determine each of the following.

(a) How long does it take him to catch his opponent? (Assume the player with the puck remains in motion at constant speed.)
                     s

(b) How far has he traveled in that time?
                       m

Answer 1

Speed of opposing player v = 2 m / s

Time t = 2.6 s

Distance travel by opposing player in time t is S = vt

                                                                         = 5.2 m

Let the first player chases the oppositng player in time T and in a distance S'

Distance travel by first player in time T is S '

So, S' = uT + ( 1/ 2) aT ²

Where u = Initial speed

               = 0

            a = Accleration

              = 0.36 m/ s ²

Substitute values we get S ' = 0 + 0.18 T ²

Distance travel by opposing player in time T is S " = vT

                                                                            = 2T

According to problem , S ' = S + S"

                           0.18 T ² = 5.2 + 2T

                   0.18 T ² - 2T -5.2 = 0

= 13.29 s

So, distance travel S ' = 0.18 T ²

                                   = 31.79 m