ENGINEERING SCIENCE QUESTIONS

TOPIC: KINEMATICS & KINATICS

Linear Motion
𝟏 𝟏
Equations: v=u + at, v2 = u2 + 2as, S=v × t, S=𝟐 (𝐮 + 𝐯)𝐭 , S= ut + 𝟐at2

Question
Define the following terms
a. Velocity [1]
b. Acceleration [1]
Convert the following speed from km/hr to m/s
a. 120 km/hr to m/s [Answer: 33.333 m/s] [2]
b. 25 km/hr to m/s [Answer: 6.944 m/s] [2]
Question
A train accelerates uniformly from rest to reach 54km/h in 200 s after which the speed remains
constant for 300s. At the end of this time the train decelerates to rest in 150 s. find the total distance
travelled. [Answer: S=7 125 m] [5]
Question
Calculate the initial velocity of a body which is brought to rest in 100m at constant retardation of
8m/s2. [Answer: u=40 m/s] [5]
Question
If after travelling for some distance at a constant velocity of 18m/s, the brakes of the car are applied
producing a retardation of 2m/s2. Determine the time taken to reduce its velocity to 10m/s. [5]
[Answer: T=4 s]
Question
A bus leaves a bus stop and accelerated uniformly for 10 seconds over a distance of 100 m. It then
moves uniformly with the speed it attained for 30 seconds and finally retarded uniformly to rest at the
next station. If the two bus stops are 1 km apart, calculate:
i. Maximum speed attained [3]
ii. Acceleration at the start [3]
iii. Total time taken for the whole journey [3]
[Answers: V = 20 m/s, a = 2 m/s2, T= 70 s]

Question
A vehicle starts from rest with uniform acceleration of 1m/s2 for 25 seconds. The velocity attained is
then maintained at a constant value for a period after which it is brought to rest with uniform retardation
in 15 seconds. The total distance travelled is 0.75km. Determine:
i. Constant velocity [3]
ii. Deceleration [3]
iii. Total time taken for the journey [4]
[Answers: V = 25 m/s, a = 1,667 m/s2, T= 50 s]

ENGINEERING SCIENCE COMPILED BY: M.M.MOYO

Question
A cyclist accelerates from rest with uniform acceleration of 0.2m/s2 for a period of 7 seconds. He
continues at the maximum speed attained for 30 seconds before coming to rest in 5 seconds. The
deceleration is constant. Sketch the velocity/time graph and determine the time taken to travel the first
15 metres and also the total distance travelled. [15]
[Answers: T= 14.21s, S=50.4m]
Question
An electric train is uniformly accelerated from rest for 700m, runs 1000m at the maximum speed
attained and then brought to rest at the next station. The distance between the stations is 3.2 km and
the total time taken is 3 minutes. Calculate the maximum speed attained. [15]
[Answer: V = 30 m/s]
Question
An electric train starting from rest is uniformly accelerated during the first 0.4km, runs 1.2km at the
maximum speed attained and is afterwards brought to rest in 0.2km. If the time for the journey is 5
minutes, find the uniform acceleration at the start. [15]
2
[Answer: a = 0.08 m/s ]
Question
Two stations A and B are 10 km apart in a straight track, and a train starts from A and comes to rest at
B. For three quarters of the distance, the train is uniformly accelerated and for the remainder
uniformly retarded. If it takes 15 minutes over the whole journey, find the maximum speed it attains,
its acceleration and retardation. [15]
[Answers: v=22.22m/s, a = 0.033m/s2, a=0.099m/s2]

Question
The distance between two stations is 2.6km. A locomotive starting from one station, gives the train an
acceleration (reaching a speed of 40km/hr in 0.5 minutes) until the speed reaches 48km/hr. This speed
is maintained until brakes are applied and train is brought to rest at the second station under a negative
acceleration of 0.9m/s2. Determine the total time taken to perform this journey? [15]
[Answer: T=220.47s]
Question
A black Toyota Corolla starts from rest and moves with uniform acceleration until it reaches a speed
of 72km/hr in 45 seconds, it then continues at this speed for 40 seconds and then uniformly retards to
rest in a further 44 seconds. Find the
i. Acceleration
ii. Retardation
iii. Total distance travelled [15]
[Answers: a = 0.444m/s2, a=0.455m/s2 and S=1690m]

Question
The velocity of a car changes from 50km/hr to 30km/hr in 25s. Draw the velocity-time diagram to
show this change and use it to determine the deceleration, distance travelled in the 25s and the further
time required to bring the vehicle to rest if the deceleration is maintained uniformly. [15]
[Answers: a = -0.223m/s2, S=278m, T=37.4s ]

ENGINEERING SCIENCE COMPILED BY: M.M.MOYO

 KINEMATICS & KINATICS QUESTIONS
Motion under gravity
Equations: Motion Downwards Motion Upwards
a=g a=-g
v=u+gt v=u-gt
v2= u2 +2gh v2= u2 -2gh
𝟏 𝟏
h=ut + 𝟐gt2 h=ut - 𝟐gt2

HINTS ON THE USE OF EQUATIONS

i. When a body starts from rest, its initial velocity u=0
ii. When a body comes to rest, its final velocity v =0
u
iii. When a body is thrown upwards with initial velocity u, time taken to reach max height is t=g
iv. Greatest height that can be reached by a body projected upwards with velocity is h= u2/2g
v. Velocity on reaching the ground is v=√2gh
u+v
vi. Total time taken to reach the ground T= t upwards + t downwards ie T = g

Question
Determine how long it takes an object, which is free-falling, to change its speed from 100 km/h to 150
km/h, assuming all other forces, except that due to gravity, are neglected. [5]
[Answers: t = 1.416s ]

Question
A stone is dropped from the deck of a bridge and strikes the water below after 3.4 seconds of free fall.
Calculate the height of the bridge above the water and the velocity with which it strikes the water. [6]
[Answers: h=56.7m and V = 33.354 m/s]

Question
A body is projected upwards with a velocity of 60m/s from the top of a tower 100m high.

a. How long will it take to reach the ground? [12]

b. What will be the velocity with which the body strikes the ground? [3]
[Answers: T=13.718 s V = 74.58 m/s]

Question
If a stone is thrown upwards from the tower of height h=56.7m with initial velocity of 15.6 m/s,
determine the following:
a. The total time taken to reach the ground level [12]
b. The velocity at which it strikes the ground [3]
[Answers: T= 5.34 s V = 36.8 m/s]

Question
A stone is dropped from a tower 100m high. Another stone is projected upwards at the same time from
the foot of the tower and meets the first stone at a height of 40m. Find the velocity with which the
second stone is projected. [10]
[Answers: u = 28.6 m/s]

ENGINEERING SCIENCE COMPILED BY: M.M.MOYO

Question

From the top of the tower of height h=40 m, a ball is dropped and at the same time another ball is
projected vertically upwards from the ground with initial velocity of 20m/s.
a. How far from the top of the tower do they pass? [12]
b. Calculate the velocity of downward ball as they do pass [3]
[Answers: h= 19.62 m V = 19.62 m/s]

Question

Two stones are thrown vertically upwards, one from the ground with a velocity of 30m/s and another
from a point 40m above the ground with a velocity of 10m/s. determine when and where will the two
stones meet above the ground level? [15]

[Answers: t = 2s h= 40.38 m]

ENGINEERING SCIENCE COMPILED BY: M.M.MOYO

 TOPIC: KINEMATICS & KINATICS
Angular Motion
Relationship between linear and angular motion equation
Linear Motion Angular Motion
v=u + at Ꞷ=Ꞷo +αt
v = u2 + 2as
2
Ꞷ2=Ꞷo +2αØ
𝟏 𝟏
S= ut + 𝟐at2 Ø=Ꞷot + 𝟐αt2
𝟏 𝟏
S=𝟐 (𝐮 + 𝐯)𝐭 Ø=𝟐 (Ꞷ + Ꞷo)t

Conversions formulae in angular motion

1 rev = 2π rad
1 rev/s = 2π rad/s
𝟐𝛑
1 rev/min = 𝟔𝟎 rad/s

𝟐𝛑𝐍
Ꞷ= 𝟔𝟎 rad/s (when N is speed given in r.p.m)

V = Ꞷr and a= αr

Question
Define the following terms
a. Angular velocity [1]
b. Angular acceleration [1]

Convert the following

i. 800 rev/min to rad/s [Answer: = 83.776] [1]
ii. 25 rad/s to rev/s [Answer: = 3.98 rev/s] [2]
iii. 400rad/s to rev/min [Answer: = 3 819.7 rev/min] [2]

Question
A flywheel of diameter 1 500 mm rotates at 250 r.p.m. calculate the velocity at the point of its rim. [5]
[Answer: v= 19.635 m/s]
Question
A flywheel of diameter 1 200 mm rotates at 300 r.p.m. Calculate the velocity of a point on its rim. [5]
[Answer: v= 18.85 m/s]
Question
The wheels of a car are 0.6m in diameter. What is the angular velocity of the wheels when the car is
travelling at 100km/hr [5]
[Answer: Ꞷ= 92.7 m/s]

Question
The angular speed of a flywheel increases from 450 rev/min to 625 rev/min. If the maximum
acceleration of the flywheel is limited to 0.5 rad/s2, calculate the time taken for the increase in speed
[Answer: t= 36.65 s] [5]

Question
The armature of an electric motor is running at 100 rev/s. when the current is switched off, the
armature comes to rest in 12 seconds. Calculate
a. The angular retardation [3]
b. The number of revolutions made by the armature in coming to rest. [4]
[Answer: a) α=0.388rad/s2 b) Ø=596 revs]

ENGINEERING SCIENCE COMPILED BY: M.M.MOYO

Question
The power of a flywheel was switched off when the flywheel had an angular velocity of 20rad/s. In
coming to rest, the flywheel made 82 revolutions. Determine
i. The time taken for the flywheel to come to rest [3]
ii. The angular retardation of the flywheel [3]
[Answer: t=51.522 s and α=0.388rad/s2]
Question
The speed of a shaft increases from 300 r.p.m to 360 r.p.m while turning through eighteen complete
revolutions. Calculate
a. The angular acceleration [3]
b. The time taken for this change [3]
[Answer: α=1.92 rad/s2 and t=3.27 s]

Question
A wheel is rotating at 2000 rev/min and a brake is applied the wheel is brought to rest with uniform
retardation in 400 revolutions. Find
a. The time taken to bring the wheel to rest [4]
b. The angular retardation [4]
[Answer: t=24 s and α=8.727 rad/s2]

Question
A flywheel 1.2 m in diameter is uniformly accelerated from rest and revolves sixty times in reaching a
speed of 120 rev/min. Find
a. The time taken [3]
b. The angular acceleration [4]
c. The linear acceleration at the point on the rim. [3]
[Answer: t=60 s, α=0.21rad/s and a=0.126m/s ] 2

Question
After being balanced, a grinding wheel was located on its spindle and accelerated uniformly to its
operating speed of 2800 rpm in 10 seconds, when it was dressed. After dressing, power to the wheel
was switched off and the wheel was allowed to come to rest, the deceleration of the wheel being
assumed to be uniform. If the wheel was running for a total time of 5 minutes and it took 2 minutes
for it to come to rest, calculate
a. Angular acceleration
b. Angular retardation
c. Total number of revolutions made [15]
[Answers: a) 29.32 rad/s2 b) 2.44 rad/s2 c) 10966 revs]

Question
A shaft is accelerated uniformly from 8 rev/s to 14 rev/s in 2 seconds. It continues to accelerate at this
rate for the further 4 seconds and then continues to rotate at the maximum speed attained. Calculate
the time taken to complete the first 200 revolutions. [15]
[Answer: t=9.77 s]

ENGINEERING SCIENCE COMPILED BY: M.M.MOYO