Top-fuel dragsters like the one shown above accelerate from rest at a tremendous rate. They race on a straight 1/4 mile long track. From a standing start, they complete the quarter mile in about 4.5 seconds and reach a speed of about 330 mph by the finish line.
Part A
Show that the statistics given in the problem introduction are inconsistent at the 10% level with the assumption that the dragster produces constant acceleration as it moves down the track.
System: Dragster as point particle.
Interactions: External influence from the ground (friction) assumed to produce constant acceleration.
Model: One-Dimensional Motion with Constant Acceleration.
Approach: We are asked to prove that the model we are examining does not fit the data. To do so, we look for a contradiction.