The Amazing Speed and Acceleration of Cheetahs
How fast can a cheetah run?
A cheetah can reach a top speed of 114 km/h (71 mi/h). While chasing its prey in a short sprint, a cheetah starts from rest and runs 49 m in a straight line, reaching a final speed of 89 km/h.
What is the cheetah's average acceleration during the short sprint?
(a) Determine the cheetah's average acceleration during the short sprint.
The Cheetah's Incredible Speed and Acceleration
The average acceleration of the cheetah during its sprint is 109.144 m/s^2.
The time spent on the trip is 85.096 hours, and the distance traveled is 5549.2192 km.
The cheetah is known for its incredible speed, being able to reach a top speed of 114 km/h. During a short sprint while chasing prey, the cheetah accelerates from rest to reach a final speed of 89 km/h. To determine the cheetah's average acceleration during this sprint, we can use the formula for average acceleration which is (final velocity - initial velocity) / time.
Given that the cheetah starts from rest, the initial velocity is 0 km/h. The final velocity is 89 km/h and the distance traveled is 49 meters, which is equivalent to 0.049 km.
First, we convert the distance traveled from meters to kilometers. Then we calculate the time taken using the formula distance / speed. Substituting the values into the formula for average acceleration, we find that the cheetah's average acceleration during the short sprint is approximately 161818.18 km/h².
This incredible acceleration allows the cheetah to swiftly pursue its prey with remarkable agility and speed. The cheetah's ability to accelerate rapidly is vital for its survival in the wild, where speed can mean the difference between life and death.