How Long Does It Take to Travel 1 Foot at 100 Miles per Hour?
This article delves into the intriguing question of how long it takes to travel 1 foot at a speed of 100 miles per hour (mph). We will explore the calculation process, the conversion of units, and the final answer in detail.
Understanding the Units: Miles per Hour to Feet per Second
Let's break down the problem step by step. To determine the time it takes to travel 1 foot at a speed of 100 mph, we need to convert the units. Specifically, we need to convert the speed from miles per hour to feet per second.
1 mile consists of 5280 feet and 1 hour consists of 3600 seconds. Therefore, to convert 100 miles per hour into feet per second:
First, we calculate the speed in feet per hour: Then, we convert that into feet per second by dividing by the number of seconds in an hour.The conversion process:
100 miles/hour 100 x 5280 feet/mile 100 x 5280 feet/mile / 3600 seconds/hour 146.67 feet/secondThus, 100 miles per hour is equivalent to approximately 146.67 feet per second.
Calculating the Time to Travel 1 Foot
Now that we know the speed in feet per second, we can calculate the time it takes to travel 1 foot:
Time Distance / Speed 1 foot / 146.67 feet/second ≈ 0.0068 seconds.
This means it takes approximately 0.0068 seconds to travel 1 foot at 100 miles per hour. This result is derived by simply dividing the distance (1 foot) by the speed in feet per second (146.67 ft/sec).
Alternative Conversions
Here are a couple of alternative ways to arrive at the same answer:
1. Using direct conversions:
100 miles/hour 100 / 3600 miles/sec 0.028 miles/sec
0.028 miles/sec x 5280 ft/mile 146.67 ft/sec
Time to travel 1 foot 1 ft / 146.67 ft/sec 0.0068 sec
2. Using a reference point:
100 mph means traveling 1 mile in 36 seconds (60 x 60 / 100 36)
To travel 1 foot, you need 36 / 5280 seconds 9 / 1320 3 / 440 seconds ≈ 0.000682 seconds
This confirms that 100 mph is indeed 146.67 ft/sec and the time to travel 1 foot is 0.0068 seconds.
Conclusion
Understanding the relationship between speed, distance, and time at high speeds like 100 mph can be crucial for various applications, from engineering to everyday calculations. The step-by-step approach outlined above provides a clear and concise solution to the problem of determining how long it takes to travel 1 foot at 100 miles per hour.