An ambulance driver is rushing a patient to the hospital....

An ambulance driver is rushing a patient to the hospital. While traveling at $72 \mathrm{km} / \mathrm{h}$, she notices the traffic light at the upcoming intersections has turned amber. To reach the intersection before the light turns red, she must travel $50 \mathrm{m}$ in $2.0 \mathrm{s}$. (a) What minimum acceleration must the ambulance have to reach the intersection before the light turns red? (b) What is the speed of the ambulance when it reaches the intersection?

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Key Concepts

Kinematics

Kinematics is the branch of physics that deals with the description of motion of objects without considering the forces that cause the motion. It involves understanding how quantities like displacement, velocity, acceleration, and time are interrelated.

Uniform Acceleration

Uniform acceleration refers to a constant rate of change of velocity with time. In such situations, the acceleration remains the same throughout the motion, which simplifies the analysis of how an object’s speed and position change over time.

Equations of Motion

The equations of motion for uniformly accelerated motion provide the relationships between displacement, initial velocity, acceleration, time, and final velocity. These equations allow us to calculate one quantity when the others are known, making them essential tools in solving problems involving constant acceleration.

Unit Conversion

Unit conversion is a critical step in ensuring consistency in calculations, especially in physics. Converting measurements such as speed from kilometers per hour to meters per second is necessary so that all quantities are in compatible units for applying the standard equations of motion.

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