31.6. Fundamental relations of traffic flow

Try these first

1. 1.

   Define flow in your own words.

   Hint

   Think about how vehicles move on a road.

2. 2.

   What does density refer to in traffic flow?

   Hint

   Consider the space vehicles occupy on the road.

3. 3.

   What is flow in traffic terms?

   • A number of vehicles per hour
   • Ratio of speed to density
   • The average speed of vehicles

   Hint

   Think about the count of vehicles over time.

4. 4.

   True or False: As density increases, flow will always increase.

   • True
   • False

   Hint

   Recall scenarios like traffic jams.

5. 5.

   A highway has a density of 18 vehicles/km and a speed of 54 km/hour. Calculate the flow. Explain the physical meaning of your result.

   Hint

   Use the fundamental equation of flow.

6. 6.

   Discuss how accidents can influence flow and density. Provide a detailed example of the effect observed in real traffic.

   Hint

   Think about how incidents alter normal traffic patterns.