Q. A car starts from rest and moves with uniform acceleration $a$ on a straight road from time $t = 0\ $to $t = T$. After that, a constant deceleration brings it to rest. In this process the average speed of the car is

A) $\frac{aT}{4}$
B) $\frac{3aT}{2}$
C) $\frac{aT}{2}$
D) $aT$
Explanation

(c) For first part,
$u = 0,\ t = T$ and acceleration $= a$
$\therefore v = 0 + aT = aT$ and $S_{1} = 0 + \frac{1}{2}aT^{2} = \frac{1}{2}aT^{2}$
For Second part,
$u = aT,$ retardation $= a_{1},\ v = 0$ and time taken $= T_{1}$ (let)
$\therefore 0 = u - a_{1}T_{1} \Rightarrow aT = a_{1}T_{1}$
And from $v^{2} = u^{2} - 2aS_{2} \Rightarrow S_{2} = \frac{u^{2}}{2a_{1}} = \frac{1}{2}\frac{a^{2}T^{2}}{a_{1}}$
$S_{2} = \frac{1}{2}aT \times T_{1}\ \ \ \ \left( As\ a_{1} = \frac{aT}{T_{1}} \right)$
$\therefore v_{av} = \frac{S_{1} + S_{2}}{T + T_{1}} = \frac{\frac{1}{2}aT^{2} + \frac{1}{2}aT \times T_{1}}{T + T_{1}}$
$= \frac{\frac{1}{2}aT(T + T_{1})}{T + T_{1}} = \frac{1}{2}aT$

Dr. Abubacker
Reviewed by Dr. Abubacker

Physics Educator & NEET/JEE Specialist

Ph.D. in Physics with 19+ years of teaching experience.