While walking between gates at an airport, you notice a child running along a moving walkway. estimating that the child runs at a constant speed of 2.8 m/s relative to the surface of the walkway, you decide to try to determine the speed of the walkway itself. you watch the child run on the entire 25-m walkway in one direction, immediately turn around, and run back to his starting point. the entire trip takes a total elapsed time of 25 s. given this information, what is the speed of the moving walkway relative to the airport terminal?

The speed of the moving walkway is 1.50 m/s

Explanation:

The position of the child can be calculated using the following equation:

x = x0 + v · t

Where :

x = position of the child at time t.

v = velocity of the child.

t = time.

When the child runs in the same direction as the walkway, the velocity of the child will be its  velocity relative to the walkway plus the velocity of the walkway. Then, if we place the origin of the frame of reference at the start of the walkway:

x = x0 + v · t

25 m = 0 m + (2.8 m/s + v) · t₁

Where v is the velocity of the walkway

On its way back, the velocity of the child relative to the walkway is in the opposite direction to the velocity of the walkway. Then:

x = x0 + v · t

0 m = 25 m + (-2.8 m/s + v) · t₂

We also know that t₁ + t₂ = 25 s

Then: t₁ = 25 - t₂

So, we can write the following system of equations:

25 m = (2.8 m/s + v) · (25 s - t₂)

-25 m = (-2.8 m/s + v) · t₂

Let´s take the second equation and solve it for t₂

-25 m / (-2.8 m/s + v) = t₂

Now, let´s replace t₂ in the first equation:

25 m = (2.8 m/s + v) · (25 s + 25 m / (-2.8 m/s + v))

Let´s sum the fraction: 25 s + 25 m / (-2.8 m/s + v)

25 m = (2.8 m/s + v) · (25 s ·(-2.8 m/s + v) + 25 m) / (-2.8 m/s + v)

multiply by (-2.8 m/s + v) both sides of the equation:

25 m(-2.8 m/s + v) = (2.8 m/s + v) · (-70 m + 25 s · v + 25 m)

Apply distributive property:

-70 m²/s +25 m·v = -196 m²/s +70 m·v +70 m²/s -70 m·v +25 s ·v² + 25 m v

56 m²/s = 25 s · v²

56 m²/s / 25 s = v²

v = 1.50 m/s

The speed of the moving walkway is 1.50 m/s