Try it on paper first. A hint, the key idea and the worked solution are here when you need them.
A truck of mass has an engine that delivers a constant power of to the wheels at every speed. A resisting force of acts on the truck at all speeds. Take .
Have you tried it?
Work it out on paper first. It is fine to get stuck or make a mistake: that is how we learn. When you are ready, go through the solution one step at a time, and check each step against your own.
Plan. The engine's driving force is , which falls as the truck speeds up. Top speeds come from a balance of forces; the time and distance come from integrating Newton's second law.
Step 1. Level road. At the top speed, , so .
Step 2. The slope. Gravity pulls back along the road with . Now , so .
Step 3. Time. , so . Since ,
Here and :
Step 4. Distance. With : , so . Since ,
Answer: (a) . (b) . (c) and .
Check. Energy: the engine gives . The kinetic energy grows by , and the resistance takes . These add up.
Watch out. The acceleration is not constant: it is at but only at . Using the first value all the way would give , far too short.
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