Anna and Sarah were both competing in the 100 meter dash. They started at one end of the track and raced toward the finish line. Anna ran the first 20.5 meters of the race in 2.5 seconds, and Sarah ran the first 40.0 meters in 5.0 seconds. Assuming both of their velocities remained constant, who crossed the finish line first?
To determine who crossed the finish line first, we need to calculate the velocity of each runner.
Velocity is defined as distance divided by time, so the velocity equation is:
Velocity = Distance / Time
For Anna, her velocity is:
Velocity = 20.5 meters / 2.5 seconds = 8.2 meters per second
For Sarah, her velocity is:
Velocity = 40.0 meters / 5.0 seconds = 8 meters per second
Since Anna's velocity (8.2 meters per second) is greater than Sarah's (8 meters per second), Anna crossed the finish line first.