PHYSICS I PROBLEMS KINEMATICS OF A PARTICLE

1. A particle moving in a straight line with constant acceleration covers 5 m in 2 s, and 7 m

in the next 2 s. Find the particle’s initial velocity and its acceleration. Which distance
will the particle cover in the next 4 s?
Sol.: 20 m
√
2. A particle is moving on the positive part of the x-axis with a velocity v = c x, where
c is a positive constant. If the particle was initially at x = 0, calculate the velocity and
acceleration as a function of time.
Sol.: v = 12 c2 t; a = 21 c2

3. A ball is thrown directly upward at t = 0 with an initial speed of 100 m/s. Another ball
is thrown with the same initial velocity 4 s later. Find the time when the two balls meet.
Sol.: 12.2 s after the first ball is thrown

4. An athlete is capable of throwing the javelin with a speed of 25 m/s regardless of the
angle of launch. Knowing that the athlete reaches a speed of 9 m/s at throwing time,
determine the angle of launch so that the throw distance will be a maximum. Find the
value of this maximum distance (Neglect the javelin’s initial elevation).
Sol.: 98 m

5. A particle is moving with a tangent acceleration at = 4ti + 3tj. If it is at rest at the origin
of coordinates at t = 0, find the normal acceleration and the trajectory described by the
particle.
Sol.: an = 0; y = 43 x

6. The position vector of a particle changes with time as r(t) = t(1 − ct)b, where b is a
constant vector and c a positive constant. Find:
a) The velocity v and acceleration a as a function of time.
b) The increment of time ∆t in which the particle comes back to the initial position and
the distance s travelled during that time.

Sol.: a) v(t) = (1 − 2ct)b; a(t) = −2cb b) ∆t = 1c ; s = b

2c

7. The velocity of a particle moving in the xy plane is given by the expression v = bi + cxj,
where b and c are constant. The position of the particle at t = 0 is x = y = 0. Find:
a) The equation of the trajectory as a function of coordinates x and y.
b) The radius of curvature of the trajectory as a function of x.

 3/2
c b c2 x 2
Sol.: a) y = x2 b) ρ = 1+ 2
2b c b
 8. The 1360-kg car travels along a straight road
Problem 14.60* The 1360-kg car travels along a y
of straight
increasing
road ofgrade whose
increasing gradevertical profile
whose vertical is
profile
given by the
is given equation
by the equation shown.
shown. TheThe magnitude
magnitude of the
car’s velocity is a constant 100 km/h. When x = 200 m,
of what
the are
car’s velocity is a constant 100 km/h.
the x and y components of the total force acting
y = 0.0003x 2

When
on thexcar
=(including
200 m, its calculate
weight)? (a) the x and y
components of the velocity, (b) the x and y x
Strategy: You know that the tangential component of
components of the acceleration.
the car’s acceleration is zero. You can use this condi-
tion Use
Hint: together
thewith the equation
equation for the
for the profile
profile ofofthe
theroad to relate the x and y components of the
road to determine the x and y components of the car’s
car’s velocity and acceleration.
acceleration.
Sol.: (a) vx = 27.58 m/s, vy = 3.31 m/s
Solution: (b) ax = −0.054 m/s2 , ay = 0.45 m/s2
!" #2 # "
dx dy 2
(1) v= + = 100 km/h = 27.78 m/s, const.
9. A particle is
dt moving
dt around a circumference
of radius R. The magnitudes of its θnormal
and
(2) tangent acceleration are the same during the whole motion. Using the initial condition
y = 0.0003x 2

v(0)
(3)
=dyv0 , and dx
= 0.0006x
assuming that a · v < 0, calculate:
dt dt y
" #
a) Thed 2 y speed asdxa 2function d 2 xof time, and as a function of the distance s travelled by the
(4) 2
= 0.0006 + 0.0006x 2
particle
dt alongdt the circumference.
dt

The component of acceleration parallel to the path is zero.

b) The total acceleration as a function of the speed, ay and as a function of the distance s.
dy θ Fx
tan θ = = 0.0006 x x
dx v0 v2 ax v2
Sol.: a)
At xv(t)
= 200= v t ;rad
m, θ = 0.1194 v(s) = v0 e−s/R b) a = (en − et ) = 0 e−2s/R (en − et )
Problem 11.192

1+ 0
R
R R
θ = 6.84◦ Fy
(5) ax cos θ + ay sin θ = 0
10. From measurements of a photograph, it has been$found Fx : Fx = max
Solving eqns (1) through (5) simultaneously, we get
that as the stream of water shown left the nozzle at A, it
$
had aaxradius
= −0.054ofm/scurvature
2
of 25 m. Determine
, vx = 27.6 m/s Fy : Fy = may

a) The
ay =initial
0.450 m/svelocity
2
, vAm/sof the stream.
vy = 3.31 Solving, Fx = −73.4 N

b) The radius of curvature of the stream as it reaches itsFy = 612 N

m = 1360 kg
maximum height at B.

Sol.: a) vA14.61*
Problem = 14 m/s
The two b)
445ρN = 12.8aremreleased
B blocks Solution: The relative motion of the blocks is constrained by the
from rest. Determine the magnitudes of their accelera- surface separating the blocks. The equation of the line separating
the blocks is y = x tan 70◦ , where y is positive upward and x is
tions if friction at all contacting surfaces is negligible.
11. The curve described by a point in the edge of apositive disctothat rolls
the right. overdisplacement
A positive a straight lineA results
of block within
a negative displacement of B (as contact is maintained) from which
constant
Strategy:velocity
Use theis fact
giventhebycomponents
the equations:of the
d 2 sA d 2 sB
accelerations of the blocks perpendicular to their mutual sA = −sB tan 70◦ , and from which = − 2 tan 70◦ . Thus (1)
interface must be equal. ( dt 2 dt
= −aB tan 70◦ .
x = R (ωt −aAsin ωt) %
From Newton’s second law: for block%A, (2) Fy = −W +
y = R (1 − cos ωt) ◦
P cos 70 = maA , for block B, (3) Fx = P sin 70◦ = maB ,
A W aB
from which aA = − + m/s2 . Use (1) to obtain aA =
m tan 70◦
where R is the radius of the disc and ω = v0 /R,− where g v is the velocity of−the aA centre of2
0 = −8.66 m/s2 and aB = = 3.15 m/s ,
B 1 + cot2 70◦ tan 70◦
masses of the disc. Calculate: where aA is positive upward and aB is positive to the right.

a) The tangential acceleration of the point. y A

b) The magnitude
70° of the normal accelera-
Q
tion. P

c) The radius of curvature. Calculate the W x

maximum and minimun values of the ra-
dius of curvature during the motion.

Trigonometric relations: 1 − cos 2ϕ = 2 sin2 ϕ; sin 2ϕ = 2 sin ϕ cos ϕ.

!
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  135
ωt 2 ωt ωt ωt 2 ωt
Sol.: a) at = R ω cos sin i + cos j b) an = R ω sin c) ρ = 4R sin
2 2 2 2 2
12. An aircraft follows a spiral path in the sky while
doing a barrel roll. The coordinates are given be-
low, where v0 = 60 m/s, ω = 0.4 rad/s, and h = 40
m are constants.
x = v0 t
y = h cos ωt
z = h sin ωt

Find the velocity, acceleration, radius ofWecurvature,

have,

tangent and principal normal to the path. v = v0 i − hω sin ωtj + hω cos ωtk
!
v = v02 + h2 ω 2 = 200ft/s ≈ v0
22 2 cos ωtj − hω 2 sin ωtk v02
Sol.: v = v0 i − hω sin ωt j + hω cos ωt k; a = −hω cos ωt j −
a hω sin ωt k; ρ = h +
= −hω ;
a = hω 2 = 20ft/s
2 hω 2
v0 i − hω sin ωt j + hω cos ωtSince
k v̇ = 0, a = (v2 /ρ)en, or,
et = p ; en = − cos ωt j − sin2 ωtv2k v2
2 2 2 hω = , ρ= = 2000ft
v0 + h ω ρ hω 2
,

v0 hω hω
et = i− sin ωtj + cos ωtk
v v v
en = − cos ωtj − sin ωtk
hω v0 v0
eb = i+ sin ωtj − cos ωtk
v v v

Finally,
deb v0 ω v0 ω
= cos ωtj + sin ωtk
dt v v
which corresponds to a roll rate of
v0 ω
τv = ≈ ω = 0.4rad/s
v

ADDITIONAL READING
J.L. Meriam and L.G. Kraige, Engineering Mechanics, DYNAMICS, 5th Edition
2/5, 3/5 (normal and tangential coordinates only)