Consider a small car of mass 1200 kg and a large sport utility vehicle (SUV) of mass 4000 kg. The SUV is traveling at the speed limit (v? 35 m/s). The driver of the small car travels so as to have the same kinetic energy as the SUV. Find the speed of the small car.

63.9 m/s

Explanation:

Parameters given:

Mass of small car, m = 1200 kg

Mass of SUV, M = 4000 kg

Speed of SUV, V = 35 m/s

Their kinetic energy of the small car is equal to the kinetic energy of the SUV, hence:

0.5 * m * v² = 0.5 * M * V²

=> 0.5 * 1200 * v² = 0.5 * 4000 * 35²

600 * v² = 2450000

v² = 2450000/600

v² = 4083.3

=> v = 63.9 m/s

The speed of the small car is 63.9 m/s.