Physics 4A

Chapter 4: Kinematics in Two Dimensions

 Conceptual Questions and Example Problems from Chapter 4

Conceptual Question 4.5

For a projectile, which of the following quantities are constant during flight: x, y, r, vx, vy, v, ax,
ay? Which of these quantities are zero throughout the flight?

4.5. For a projectile, only vx , a x ,

and a y are constant during the flight. Since the acceleration
ay = −g ax = 0 vx ay vy ,
is down, and is constant. The nonzero is constantly changing so the total
=v vx2 + v 2y r 2
x +y 2
speed changes as well. The positions x and y change, so= changes, too.
Only ax is zero throughout the flight.

Problem 4.4
At this instant, the particle on the left is speeding up and curving upward.
What is the direction of its acceleration?

4.4. Solve: To make the particle speed up the acceleration needs to have a component that is in
the direction of the velocity. To make the particle curve upward the acceleration must have a
component upward. So the answer is B.

Problem 4.13
A supply plane needs to drop a package of food to scientists working on a glacier in Greenland.
The plane flies 100 m above the glacier at a speed of 150 m/s. How far short of the target should
it drop the package?

4.13. Model: We will use the particle model for the food package and the constant-acceleration
kinematic equations of motion.
Visualize:

Solve: For the horizontal motion,

x1 = x0 + v0 x (t1 − t0 ) + 12 ax (t1 − t0 ) 2 = 0 m + (150 m/s)(t1 − 0 s) + 0 m = (150 m/s)t1
t1
We will determine from the vertical y-motion as follows:
y1 = y0 + v0 y (t1 − t0 ) + 12 a y (t1 − t0 ) 2
200 m
m 100 m + 0 m + 12 (− 9.8 m/s 2 )t12 ⇒=
⇒ 0= t1 = 4.518 s ≈ 4.5 s
9.8 m/s 2
=x1 (150 m/s)(4.518
= s) 678 m ≈ 680 m.
From the above x-equation, the displacement is
Assess: The horizontal distance of 678 m covered by a freely falling object from a height of 100
m and with an initial horizontal velocity of 150 m/s (≈ 335 mph) is reasonable.

Problem 4.15
In the Olympic shotput event, an athlete throws the shot with an initial speed of 12.0 m/s at a
40.0° angle from the horizontal. The shot leaves her hand at a height of 1.80 m above the ground.
How far does the shot travel?

4.15. Model: Assume the particle model and motion under constant-acceleration kinematic
equations in a plane.
Visualize:

y1 = y0 + v0 y (t1 − t0 ) + 12 a y (t1 − t0 ) 2 ,
Solve: (a) Using
m 1.80 m + v0 sin 40 °(t1 − 0 s) + 12 (− 9.8 m/s 2 )(t1 − 0 s) 2
0=
1.80 m + (7.713 m/s)t1 − (4.9 m/s 2 )t12 ⇒ t1 =
= − 0.206 s and 1.780 s
 t1 = 1 . 780 s
The negative value of t1 is unphysical for the current situation. Using and
x0 v0 x (t1 − t0 ),
x1 =+
we get
0 (v0 cos 40 ° m/s)(1.780 s − 0 s) =
x1 =+ (12.0 m/s)cos 40 °(1.78 s) =
16.36 m ≈ 16.4 m
(b) We can repeat the calculation for each angle. A general result for the flight time at angle θ is
(
t1 =12sin θ + 144sin 2 θ + 35.28 ) 9.8 s
(12.0)cosθ × t1.
=
and the distance traveled is x1 We can put the results in a table.
θ t1 x1
40.0° 1.780 s 16.36 m
42.5° 1.853 s 16.39 m
45.0° 1.923 s 16.31 m
47.5° 1.990 s 16.13 m
Maximum distance is achieved at θ ≈ 42.5°.
Assess: The well-known “fact” that maximum distance is achieved at 45° is true only when the
projectile is launched and lands at the same height. That isn’t true here. The extra 0.03 m = 3 cm
obtained by increasing the angle from 40.0° to 42.5° could easily mean the difference between
first and second place in a world-class meet.

Problem 4.17
A baseball payer friend of yours wants to determine his pitching speed. You have him stand on a
ledge and throw the ball horizontally from a distance of 4.0 m above the ground. The ball lands
25 m away. What is his pitching speed?

4.17. Model: The particle model for the ball and the constant-acceleration equations of motion
in a plane are assumed.
Visualize:

Solve: (a) The time for the ball to fall is calculated as follows:
y1 = y0 + v0 y (t1 − t0 ) + 12 a y (t1 − t0 ) 2
⇒ 0 m= 4 m + 0 m + 12 (− 9.8 m/s 2 )(t1 − 0 s) 2 ⇒ t1= 0.9035 s
Using this result for the horizontal velocity:
x1 = x0 + v0 x (t1 − t0 ) ⇒ 25 m = 0 m + v0 x (0.9035 s − 0 s) ⇒ v0 x = 27.7 m/s
The friend’s pitching speed is 28 m/s.
± v0 sin θ ,
(b) We have v0 y = where we will use the plus sign for up 5° and the minus sign for down
5°. We can write
 g g
y1 = y0 ± v0 sin θ (t1 − t0 ) − (t1 − t0 ) 2 ⇒ 0 m = 4 m ± v0 sin θ t1 − t12
2 2
t1 x0 v0 x (t1 − t0 ):
Let us first find from x1 =+
25 m
25 m= 0 m + v0 cosθ t1 ⇒ t1=
v0 cosθ
t1
Now substituting into the y-equation above yields
2
 25 m  g  25 m 
4 m ± v0 sin θ 
0 m= −  
 v0 cosθ  2  v0 cosθ 
g (25 m) 2  1 
=⇒ v02 = 2   22.3 m/s and 44.2 m/s
2cos θ  4 m ± (25 m) tan θ 
The range of speeds is 22 m/s to 44 m/s, which is the same as 50 mph to 92 mph.
Assess: These are reasonable speeds for baseball pitchers.

Problem 4.31
Peregrine falcons are known for their maneuvering ability. In a tight circular turn, a falcon can
withstand a centripetal acceleration 1.5 times free-fall acceleration. What is the radius of turn if
the falcon is flying at 25 m/s?
v2
a= .
4.31. Visualize: The magnitude of centripetal acceleration is given by r
Solve: The centripetal acceleration is given as 1.5 times the acceleration of gravity, so
=a (1.5)(9.80
= m/s 2 ) 14.7 m/s 2
The radius of the turn is given by
v 2 (25 m/s) 2
r
= = = 43 m
a 14.7 m/s 2
Assess: This seems reasonable.

Problem 4.47
(a) A projectile is launched with a speed v0 and angle θ. Derive an expression for the projectile’s
maximum height. (b) A baseball is thrown with a speed of 33.6 m/s. Calculate its height and
distance traveled if it is hit at angles of 30.0°, 45.0°, and 60.0°.

4.47. Model: Assume particle motion in a plane and constant-acceleration kinematics for the
projectile.
Visualize:
 v0 y = v0 sin θ , a y = − g , v1 y = 0 m/s. v12y =
v02y + 2a y ( y1 − y0 ),
Solve: (a) We know that and Using
2 2 v02 sin 2 θ
0 m=/s v02 sin 2 θ + 2(− g )h=
⇒h
2g
(b) Using the equation for range and the above expression for θ 30.0°:
=
(33.6 m/s) 2 sin 2 30.0 °
=h = 14.4 m
2(9.8 m/s 2 )
v02 sin 2θ (33.6 m/s) 2 sin(2 × 30.0 °)
( x2 −=
x0 ) = = 99.8 m
g (9.8 m/s 2 )
θ
For= 45.0 °:
(33.6 m/s) 2 sin 2 45.0 °
=h = 28.8 m
2(9.8 m/s 2 )
(33.6 m/s) 2 sin(2 × 45.0 °)
=( x2 − x0 ) = 115.2 m
(9.8 m/s 2 )
θ
For= 60.0°:
(33.6 m/s) 2 sin 2 60.0 °
=h = 43.2 m
2(9.8 m/s 2 )
(33.6 m/s) 2 sin(2 × 60.0 °)
=( x2 − x0 ) = 99.8 m
2(9.8 m/s 2 )
sin(2θ ),
Assess: The projectile’s range, being proportional to is maximum at a launch angle of
2
sin (θ ).
45°, but the maximum height reached is proportional to These dependencies are seen in
this problem.

Problem 4.51
A tennis player hits a ball 2.0 m above the ground. The ball leaves his racquet with a speed of
20.0 m/s at an angle of 5.0° above the horizontal. The horizontal distance to the net is 7.0 m, and
the net is 1.0 m high. Does the ball clear the net? If so, by how much? If not, by how much does
it miss?

4.51. Model: The particle model for the ball and the constant-acceleration equations of motion
in a plane are assumed.
Visualize:
Solve: The initial velocity is
=v0 x v0 cos5.0
= ° (20 m/s)cos5.0
= ° 19.92 m/s
v0 y v0 sin
= = 5.0 ° (20 m/s)sin
= 5.0 ° 1.743 m/s
The time it takes for the ball to reach the net is
x1 = x0 + v0 x (t1 − t0 ) ⇒ 7.0 m = 0 m + (19.92 m/s)(t1 − 0 s) ⇒ t = 0.351 s
  
The vertical position at v= v′ + V is
y1 = y0 + v0 y (t1 − t0 ) + 12 a y (t1 − t0 ) 2
= (2.0 m) + (1.743 m/s)(0.351 s − 0 s) + 12 (− 9.8 m/s 2 )(0.351 s − 0 =
s) 2 2.01 m
Thus the ball clears the net by 1.01 m ≈ 1.0 m.
Assess: The vertical free fall of the ball, with zero initial velocity, in 0.351 s is 0.6 m. The ball
will clear by approximately 0.4 m it is thrown horizontally. The initial launch angle of 5°
provides some initial vertical velocity and the ball clears by a larger distance. The above result is
reasonable.

Problem 4.53
A 35-g steel ball is held by ceiling-mounted electromagnet 3.5 m above the floor. A compressed-
air cannon sits on the floor, 4.0 m to one side of the point directly under the ball. When a button
is pressed, the ball drops and, simultaneously, the cannon fires a 25-g plastic ball. The two balls
collide 1.0 m above the floor. What was the launch speed of the plastic ball?

4.53. Model: Both balls are particles in projectile motion with no air resistance. The steel ball is
in one-dimensional free fall and the plastic ball is in two-dimensional projectile motion.
Visualize: Use subscripts s for steel and p for plastic.

Solve:
ys =y0s + v0s t + 12 ast 2
y0p + (v y 0 ) p t + 12 apt 2
yp =
Insert the known quantities and we have a system of two equations with two unknowns.
=ys (3.5 m) − 12 gt 2
=yp (v y 0 ) p t − 12 gt 2

The balls meet at y=

1s 1p 1.0 m.
y=
Find the time t1
from the equation for the steel ball.
5.0 m
1.0
= m (3.5 m) − 12 gt12 ⇒
= t1 = 0.7143 s
9.8 m/s 2

Use this time in the vertical motion equation for the plastic ball.
1.0
= m v0p (0.7143 s) − 12 g (0.7143 s) 2 ⇒ (=
v y 0 ) p 4.9 m/s
The plastic ball also moves horizontally at a constant rate:
x0p + (vx 0 ) p t1 ⇒ (vx 0 ) p =
xp = xp / t1 =
(4.0 m)/(0.7143 s) =
5.6 m/s
We use the Pythagorean theorem to find the initial speed of the ball.
v0p = (vx 0 ) 2p + (v y 0 ) 2p = (5.6 m/s) 2 + (4.9 m/s) 2 = 7.4 m/s
Assess: 7.4 m/s seems like a reasonable speed for an air cannon to launch a plastic ball. The
masses of the balls did not matter.

Problem 4.A
 
An electron’s position is given by r =(3.00t )iˆ − (4.00t 2 ) ˆj + 2.00kˆ , with t in seconds and r in
 
meters. (a) In unit-vector notation, what is the electron’s velocity v (t ) ? At t = 2.00 s, what is v
(b) in unit-vector notation and as (c) a magnitude and (d) an angle relative to the +x-axis.

Problem 4.B
A small ball rolls horizontally off the edge of a tabletop that is 1.20 m high. It strikes the floor at
a point 1.52 m horizontally from the table edge. (a) How long is the ball in the air? (b) What is
its speed at the instant it leaves the table?
Problem 4.C
A rocket is fired at a speed of 75.0 m/s from ground level, at an angle of 60.0o above the
horizontal. The rocket is fired toward an 11.0 m high wall, which is located 27.0 m away. By
how much does the rocket clear the top of the wall?

Problem 4.D
A golf ball is struck at ground level. The speed of the golf
ball as a function of the time is shown in the figure
below, where t = 0 at the instant the ball is struck.
(a) How far does the golf ball travel horizontally before
returning to ground level? (b) What is the maximum
height above ground level attained by the ball?
Problem 4.E
(a) What is the magnitude of the centripetal acceleration of an object on Earth's equator owing to
the rotation of Earth? (b) What would the period of rotation of Earth have to be for objects on the
equator to have a centripetal acceleration with a magnitude of 9.8 m/s2?