Two cars and a time difference
Two cars drive from one city to another at different speeds and arrive at different times. Find the distance between the cities.
2D
Age 10+10 min
Motion problems
Loading simulation…
Press “Run”. Bodies move by the laws of physics: gravity, friction, elasticity.
What the experiment shows
Both cars cover the same way but the slower one arrives later. The distance is not given: you find it from the time difference.
How to run it
- Run the scene and compare who reaches the mark and when.
- Enter your answer in the Task panel and press “Check”.
- Change the conditions with the sliders and solve again.
Questions to discuss
- Which quantity is the same for both participants and which one differs?
- How can you check the answer another way?
The science
All motion problems rest on one relation: distance = speed × time. Knowing two quantities, you find the third by division or multiplication.
Try it at home
Measure with steps the way from your door to the street and time an ordinary and a fast walk: work out the speed each time.
What to change in the editor
- Open the example in the editor and put your own numbers into the sliders and the statement.
- Add another participant and a new question to the problem.