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Problems
Problems on velocity and uniform acceleration are presented along with detailed
solutions. Tutorials can also be found in this website.
Solution to Problem 1:
a) The car starts from rest therefore the initial speed u = 0. Nothing is said about the
initial position and we therefore assume it is equal to 0. Hence the position x is given
by the equation
x = (1/2) a t 2
where a is the acceleration (=8 m/s2) and t is the period of time between initial and
final positions
v = a t = 8 * 10 = 80 m/s
Solution to Problem 2:
a) The car has an initial velocity of 20 km/h, therefore the initial speed u = 20 km/h.
Nothing is said about the initial position and we therefore assume it is equal to 0.
Hence the position x is given by the equation
x = (1/2) a t 2 + u t
where a is the acceleration (=8 m/s2) and t is period of time between initial and final
positions and u is the initial velocity.
Since the time is given in seconds, we need to convert 20 km/h into m/s as follows:
We now have
b) What is the position of the car by the time it reaches the velocity of 72 km/h?
Solution to Problem 3:
a) The acceleration a is a measure if the rate of change of the velocity within a period
of time. Hence
change in velocity v - u
72 km/h - 0
u= change in time t
11.5 seconds
= =
1) x = (1/2)(v + u) t or 2) x = (1/2) a t 2 + u t
Problem 4: An object is thrown straight down from the top of a building at a speed of
20 m/s. It hits the ground with a speed of 40 m/s.
Solution to Problem 4:
a) We consider that the direction from ground up is the positive direction of the falling
object. We are given the initial (-20 m/s) and final velocities (-40 m/s); the minus sign
was added to take into account the fact that the falling object is moving in the negative
direction. We know the gravitational acceleration (g = - 9.8 m/s2) acting on the falling
object and we are asked to find the height of the building. If we consider the position of
the object as being x (wth x = 0 on the ground), then we may use the equation relating
the initial and final velocities u and v, the acceleration a and the initial (x0 which the
height of the building) and final (x, on the ground) positions as follows:
v2 = u2 + 2 a (x - x0)
b) x - x0 = (1/2)(u + v)t
t = 61.2 / 30 = 2.04 s
Solution to Problem 5:
a) We are given the initial velocity u = 40 m/s, the final velocity v = 0 (train stops) and
the distance. Hence the formula that relates these 3 quantities and the acceleration is
given by
v2 = u2 + 2 a x
02 = 402 + 2 a (100)
1) Use: x = (1/2)(v + u) t
2) Use x = (1/2) a t2 + ut
4 t2 - 40 t + 100 = 0
4 (t2 - 10 t + 25) = 0
4(t - 5)2 = 0
t = 5 seconds.
a) In this problem the initial velocity u = 5 m/s and the final velocity v = 20 m/s. The
acceleration a of the bicycle is the rate of change of the velocity and is given as
follows
20 m/s - 5 m/s
v-u
a= = 10 seconds
t
= 1.5 m/s2
b) There are two ways to find the distance covered by the bicyle in t = 10 seconds.
Problem 7: a) How long does it take an airplane to take off if it needs to reach a speed
on the ground of 350 km/h over a distance of 600 meters (assume the plane starts
from rest)?
b) What is the acceleration of the airplane over the 600 meters?
Solution to Problem 7:
a) In this problem the initial velocity u = 0 (assumed because it is not given) , the final
velocity v = 350 km/h and the distance x = 600 meters = 0.6 km
x = (1/2)(v + u) t
Solve for t
Problem 8: Starting from a distance of 20 meters to the left of the origin and at a
velocity of 10 m/s, an object accelerates to the right of the origin for 5 seconds at 4
m/s2. What is the position of the object at the end of the 5 seconds of acceleration?
Solution to Problem 8:
a) In this problem, we may consider that the direction of the object is the positive
direction and the initial position x0 = -20 meters (to the left of the origin), the initial
velocity u = 10 m/s, the acceleration a = 4 m/s2 and the time is t = 5 seconds. The
position is given by
x = (1/2) a t2 + u t + x0
Problem 9: What is the smallest distance, in meters, needed for an airplane touching
the runway with a velocity of 360 km/h and an acceleration of -10 m/s2 to come to
rest?
Solution to Problem 9:
a) In this problem the initial velocity u = 360 km/h, the final velocity v = 0 (rest) and the
acceleration a = -10 m/s2. The distance x can be calculated using the formula
v2 = u2 + 2 a x
Convert 360 km/h into m/s: 360 km/h = (360 000 m) /(3600 s) = 100 m/s
Problem 10: To approximate the height of a water well, Martha and John drop a heavy
rock into the well. 8 seconds after the rock is dropped, they hear a splash caused by
the impact of the rock on the water. What is the height of the well. (Speed of sound in
air is 340 m/s).
1) a rock was dropped down the well and is uniformly accelerated downward due to
gravity. If h is the height of the well and t is the time taken by the rock to reach the
bottom of the well, then we have
h = (1/2)(9.8) t 2
2) After the splash, the sound travels up the well at a constant speed of 340 m/s.
Again the same height h of the well is given by
h = 340 *(8 - t) : 8 - t is the time taken for the sount to travel from bottom to top where
the sound is heard.
The height h of the well is calculated using one of the above equations:
h = 340 *(8 - t) = 340 *(8 - 7.24) = 257 meters (approximated to the the nearest meter)
a) In this problem the rock has an initial velocity u. When the rock reaches a height of
10 m, it returns down to earth and the the velocity v = 0 when x = 10 meters. Hence
v = -9.8 t + u
0 = -9.8 t + u
u = 9.8 t
x = (1/2)(u + v) t
10 = 0.5 (9.8 t + 0) t
= 4.9 t2
Problem 12: A car accelerates from rest at 1.0 m/s2 for 20.0 seconds along a straight
road . It then moves at a constant speed for half an hour. It then decelerates uniformly
to a stop in 30.0 s. Find the total distance covered by the car.
v = a t = 1 * 20 = 20 m/s