Kinematics of a particle

EUETIB

PROBLEMS: KINEMATICS OF A PARTICLE

2.1 A helicopter is moving vertically upwards with a speed of 4 m/s. At t = 0 s, a box is dropped from the
helicopter; the box hits the ground 10 s later.
a) What was the height of the helicopter at t = 0 s?
b) At what height is the box 0.5 s after it is released?
c) With what speed does the box hit the ground?

Sol: a) 450 m b) 450.78 m c) 94 m/s

2.2 A ball is thrown vertically upwards with an initial speed v0 from a height h = 0 m. A strange man, sitting
at the window in his apartment (at h = 20 m), measures the time elapsed ∆t from when he first sees the ball
moving upwards, to when he sees the ball returning downwards.
a) What is ∆t if v0 = 25 m/s?
b) What is v0 if ∆t = 5 s?

Sol: a) 3.12 s b) 31.5 m/s

2.3 An electron is directed toward a sheet of paper with thickness 2.1×10-4 cm at a constant horizontal speed
of 5.0×106 m/s. The electron exits the paper with a horizontal speed of 2.0×106 m/s. Determine the time
required by the electron to pass through the sheet. (Assume constant deceleration of the electron when it
is within the sheet of paper.)

Sol: 0.6×10-12 s

2.4 The reaction time of a driver (for example, the time elapsed between seeing a road sign and reacting
appropriately) is typically about 0.7 s. If a driver moving with speed v sees a stop sign and then brakes
with an acceleration of a = -4.8 m/s2, determine the distance traveled by the car (from the point when he
first sees the sign to the point when the car is stopped) if ...
a) v = 30 km/h
b) v = 60 km/h

Sol: a) 13 m b) 41 m

2.5 A ball is dropped from a cliff at t = 0 s. At t = 1 s, a rock is thrown vertically downwards with a speed of
18 m/s from the same point. At what distance, relative to the height of the cliff, does the ball hit the rock?

Sol: 12.5 m

2.6 Two trains are moving in the same direction on the same track, with the fast train (traveling at 144 km/h)
trailing the slow train (traveling at 54 km/h). The conductor of the fast train has forgotten his glasses, and
only sees the slow train at time t = 0 s, when the distance between them is 200 m; at this time he brakes
with an acceleration of a1 = -1.5 m/s2. The conductor of the second train is in the middle of doing his
physics homework, so doesn't do anything until t = 10 s, at which time he accelerates with a2 = 0.4 m/s2.
Do the trains collide? If yes, when? At what time would they collide if a2 = 0?

Sol: yes; 14.1 s; 13.3 s

2.7 A particle is moving in the xy plane with constant acceleration a = 4 m/s2 i + 6 m/s2 j. At t = 0 the particle
is at x = 6 m, y = 8 m with a velocity of v = 1 m/s i - 2 m/s j. Determine:
a) the velocity of the particle as a function of time.
b) the position of the particle as a function of time.
c) the position and velocity of the particle at t = 2 s.

Sol: a) v(t) = (4t+1)i + (6t-2)j; b) r(t) = (2t2 + t + 6) i + ( 3t2 - 2t + 8) j;

c) r = 16 m i + 16 m j ; v = 9 m/s i + 10 m/s j

PHYSICS-I
 Kinematics of a particle

2.8 A particle is moving in the xy plane with constant acceleration a(t) = 6 t i + 2 j m/s2. At t = 1 s, the
particle is at r = 4 m i - 2 m j with velocity v = 5 m/s i + 2 m/s j. Determine:
a) The velocity of the particle at t = 0.
b) The velocity of the particle as a function of time.
c) The position of the particle at t = 0.
d) The position of the particle as a function of time.

Sol: a) v0 = 2 m/s i; b) v(t) = (3t2 +2)i + (2t)j; c) r0 = 1 m i - 3 m j; d) r(t) = (t3 + 2t + 1) i + (t2 - 3) j

2.9 A baseball field is surrounded by a 3.0 m-high, circular wall of radius 120 m (centered at the position of
the batter). A batter hits the ball at a height of 1.2 m from the ground, and at an angle of 45º with respect
to the horizontal. If the ball is to surmount the wall, at what initial speed must the batter hit the ball?
(Neglect air resistance.)

Sol: vo = 34 m/s

2.10 At t = 0 s, you launch an object of mass 1500 kg with a speed of 2000 m/s at an angle of 30° with
respect to the horizontal. You have calculated that this object should have a range of 353480 m. But you
neglected to correct for the wind! Because of this, the object hits the ground 208 m before your calculated
range. We can model the effect of the wind as a constant, horizontal force F directed against the motion
of the object.

a) How long is the object in flight?

b) What is F?
c) Write the x and y components of the velocity of the object as functions of time.

Sol: a) t=204.08 s b) F= - 14.98 i N c) vx = (1732 – 0.01 t) m/s vy = (1000 - 9.8 t) m/s

2.11 A boy is standing 4.0 m from a

vertical wall. He throws a ball at the
wall with a velocity v = (10 m/s i + 10
m/s j), from a height of 2.0 m (see the
figure). When the ball hits the wall,
the horizontal component of its
velocity changes sign and the vertical
component is unaltered. Where will
the ball hit the ground (relative to the
position of the boy)?

Sol: 14 m from the boy

2.12* A ramp forms an angle θ with respect to the horizontal. A projectile is launched from the surface of
this ramp with an initial speed v0, at an angle φ with respect to the ramp (see the figure).

a) Calculate the range R of the projectile as measured along the ramp.

b) For what value of φ is R a maximum?

Sol: v
2v 2 o
a)
g cos θ
[
cos ϕ sin ϕ − tgθ sin 2 ϕ ] φ
θ
π θ
b) ϕ = −
4 2

PHYSICS-I
 Kinematics of a particle

2.13 A ball is fired from a cannon. When it reaches the highest point of its trajectory, its speed is half of its
initial speed. At what angle (with respect to the horizontal) was the ball fired?

Sol: 60º

2.14 A biker jumps from point A to point B

(see the figure). What speed must he
have at point A to arrive exactly at point
B?

Sol: 11.6 m/s

2.15 A fort on the Moon is equipped with machine guns that have a range of 400 m as measured on Earth.
Some lunar terrorists are planning to attack the fort. They have flamethrowers with a range of 4.8 km, as
measured on the Moon. Is the fort sufficiently equipped to withstand an attack? Why or why not?
Assume g (Earth) = 6.47 g (Moon).

Sol: No.

2.16 A golfer hits a ball with a speed of 60 m/s, at an angle of 60° with respect to the horizontal. Determine...
a) the speed of the ball at the highest point of its trajectory
b) the maximum height of the ball
c) the range of the ball
d) the speed of the ball when it hits the ground
e) the range of the ball if it were hit from a 50 m–high cliff

Sol: a) 30 m/s b) 138 m c) 318 m d) 60 m/s e) 345 m

2.17 A ping pong ball of mass 10 g is sitting on top of a compressed vertical spring. This system is within a
railroad car moving with a constant (horizontal) speed of 1.0 m/s. At some time t, the spring is released
and the ball is launched vertically with a speed of 9.8 m/s (in the frame of the railroad car).
a) Where does the ball land relative to the point at which it was launched in the frame of the railroad
car?
b) Where does the ball land relative to the point at which it was launched in the frame of the Earth?
Now assume a constant horizontal force F = 5.0 mN acts on the ball due to the wind, in the direction
opposite to the motion of the train.
c) Where does the ball land relative to the point at which it was launched (in both frames)?

Sol: a) at the same point at which it was launched b) x = 2 m. c) –1 m in the frame of the car, 1 m in the frame
of the Earth

2.18 A man is standing on a railroad car traveling at a speed of 9.10 m/s. He wants to throw a ball through a
hoop fixed to the ground such that the ball moves only horizontally when it passes through the hoop. At t
= 0 s, he throws the ball at a speed of 12.6 m/s (relative to the railroad car) from a point 4.90 m below the
hoop (see the figure).
a) What is the vertical
component of the initial
velocity?
b) At what time does the ball
pass through the hoop?
c) At what horizontal distance
from the ring will the ball
return to its initial height?
Sol: a) voy = 9.8 m/s; b) t = 1s;
c) 17 m

PHYSICS-I
 Kinematics of a particle

2.19 At t = 0 s, a plane is observed at point A, flying west at a speed of 220 km/h (with respect to the air).
After 0.5 h, it is 180 km to the west and 30 km to the north of point A.
a) Calculate the velocity of the wind (magnitude and angle relative to west)
b) If the velocity of the wind is 90 km/h (south), at what angle (relative to west) must the plane fly to
travel west in the frame of the ground?

Sol: a) 152 km/h; 23º b) 24º

2.20 A man is able to swim at a speed of 1.6 m/s with respect to the water. He wants to cross a river 40 m
wide with a 0.6 m/s current.

a) If he wants to arrive at a point directly across the river, in which direction should he swim? (Give the
angle relative to the direction of the river current.) How long will it take him to cross the river?
b) If he wants to cross the river in the least time possible, how far downstream of his initial position will
he arrive? How long will it take him to cross the river?
c) How long will it take him to swim 40 m downstream from some point, and then back upstream to his
starting point?

Sol: a) α = 112°, t = 27 s b) 15 m downstream, t = 25 s c) t = 18.2 + 40.0 = 58.2 s

2.21 A particle moves along the circular trajectory described by x2 + y2 = 100 m2. When the particle is at r =
6 m i + 8 m j, its velocity is v = 40 m/s i + vy j and its acceleration is a = -150 m/s2 i + ay j. Determine the
y-components of the velocity and acceleration. Also determine the normal and tangential components of
the acceleration.

Sol: v = 40 m/s i – 30 m/s j, v = 50 m/s a = - 150 m/s2 i – 200 m/s2 j an = 250 m/s2 at = 0 m/s2

2.22 At time t a particle has a velocity v = 12 m/s i - 5 m/s j and an acceleration a = 2 m/s2 i – 3 m/s2 j.
Determine the normal and tangential components of the acceleration at this time.

Sol: at = 3 m/s2 an = 2 m/s2

2.23 At time t a particle has a speed of 6 m/s and an acceleration of 8 m/s2. If the angle between the velocity
and acceleration vectors is 60º, determine the radius of curvature of the motion at this time.

Sol: 5.2 m

2.24 A particle moves along a circular trajectory with radius 10 m at a constant speed of 20 m/s.
Determine the acceleration of the particle at points A and B of the two figures below.

A v= 20 m/ s A v= 20 m/ s
B
45 ° v= 20 m/ s

v= 20 m/ s B
Fig. 2
Fig.1

Sol:
Fig. 1 : aA = - 40 m/s2 j aB = 40 m/s2 j; Fig. 2: aA = - 40 m/s2 j aB = - 28 m/s2 i – 28 m/s2 j

PHYSICS-I
 Kinematics of a particle

2.26 A large wheel (R = 30 cm) starts from rest at t =

0 s and rotates with a constant angular acceleration
of 0.4 rad/s2. A belt connects this wheel (see the
figure) to a smaller wheel (r = 12 cm). r=12 cm
R = 30 cm

a) Find an expression that relates the angular

accelerations and radii of the two wheels.
b) At what time will the small wheel move at an
angular speed of 300 rpm?

Sol: a) αR R = αr r b) t = 10π s

2.27 A rigid bar, 30 cm in length, lies flat on a horizontal, frictionless table. It rotates about one of its ends
at a rate of 240 rpm. Determine:
a) The frequency and period of this motion, and the time required for the bar to rotate by 225° and by 3π
rad.
b) The (linear) velocity and centripetal acceleration of the points on the bar 5 cm and 30 cm from the axis
of rotation.
c) The (constant) angular acceleration required to stop the bar in 10 s. During this 10 s also find the
tangential acceleration at the points 5 cm and 30 cm from the axis and the number of rotations of the
bar.

Sol: a) f = 4 Hz, T = 0.25 s, t = 0.156 s, 0.375 s

b) 1.26 m/s, 31.5 m/s2; 7.54 m/s, 189 m/s2
c) -2.51 rad/s2, 0.126 m/s2, 0.753 m/s2, 20 turns

2.28 A train follows a curved track of radius 250 m. It reduces its speed from 108 km/h to 54 km/h in 20 s
through constant angular deceleration. What is its (linear) acceleration when it is moving at a speed of 72
km/h?

Sol: a = 1.8 m/s2

2.30 A particle moves in the xy plane with position R = 3 sin(2π t) i + 2 cos(2π t) j, with t in seconds and R
in metres.
a) Describe the trajectory of the particle.
b) Determine the velocity of the particle.
c) Determine the acceleration of the particle. Show that it is directed radially.
d) When is the velocity maximized? When is it minimized?

Sol:
a) elliptical
b) v = 6 π cos(2 π t) i - 4 π sin(2 π t) j
c) a = -12π2sin(2 π t)i - 8π2 cos (2 π t) j
d) maximized at tn = n/2 with n = 0, 1, 2, 3, .., ; minimized at t = (2n+1)/4 with n = 0, 1, 2, 3, ....

PHYSICS-I