Physics 211

1D Kinematics Problems I Solutions

1. A spacecraft has an initial velocity of 40 m/s. From t = 0 till t = 30 s, it fires its rocket engine and undergoes
constant acceleration of 4 m/s2, then it maintains constant velocity while the rocket is shut off from t = 30
till t = 40 s, and then it fires its thruster and undergoes a constant acceleration from t = 40 s until t = 60 s at
which time its velocity is zero. The entire motion is along a straight line deep in space.
a. Draw a graph of the velocity versus time for the spacecraft in the space below. Include scale.

Velocity vs. Time

Velocity (m/s)

40
0
-40

-80
0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Time (s)
b. What is the velocity of the ship at time t = 25 seconds?
Reading off the graph we get

We could also use the kinematics equation

= + = + ( ) ( ) = =

c. What is the ships acceleration at t = 55 second?

We use the definition of the acceleration (we can also use the slope of the v vs. t plot)

( )

=
=
=
=
= +

d. How far is the ship from its starting point at t = 60 s?

We can use the area under the curve
The net displacement is

= ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )

= =
Therefore the ship is 2200 meters from where it started.

Physics 211

1D Kinematics Problems I Solutions

We could also break up the motion into three constant acceleration sections. The position at the end
of 30 seconds is

= + + ( ) = ( ) + ( ) () =

The position after 40 seconds is

= + ( ) + ( ) = + ( ) () =

Finally the position after 60 seconds is

= + ( ) + ( ) = + ( ) () + ( ) ( ) =

This is the same answer we got using area under curve.

Physics 211

1D Kinematics Problems I Solutions

2. You are driving at 30 / (68 mi/hr) when you pass a unmarked police car that is moving at 20 /. The
officer turns on the siren and starts accelerating at 2 / 2 as you past him. At the same time you begin
slowing down at a rate of 0.5 / 2 . You breathe a sigh of relief as the police car passes you. We want to
know how far the police car traveled before it passes you.
a. Draw a pictorial representation of the problem. The goal is to replace the information in the words by a
picture. To do this you should include following:
i. Label your origin (where x=0) and the direction you chose to be +x.
ii. Give symbols to all relevant quantities and their values if known. Make sure any quantities that are
different are given different symbols, i.e., and .
2

30 m/s

0.5 m/s

car
police 20 m/s
x=0

2 m/s

+x

0 = 0, , = 30

, , = 0.5

0 = 0, , = 20

, , = 2

b. At what time doe the police car pass you?

The two positions will be equal when the police car passes you:
=

+ , + , = + , + ,

( ) + (. ) = ( ) + ( )

( ) = (. )

( ) =
= ,

c. How far has the police car travel when it passes you?

= , + , = ( ) ( ) + ( ) ( ) = + =

d. How fast are you moving when the police car passes you?
= , + , =

+ ( ) =

Physics 211

1D Kinematics Problems I Solutions

3. A boy throws a stone straight up. Assume air resistance is negligible. Consider the time from just after the
stone leaves the boys hand until just before it hits the ground. Take up to be positive. The acceleration
due to gravity is downwards with magnitude 9.8 m/s2. During the time the stone sails up and down, draw
sketch the following graphs:
a. The stones vertical velocity versus time.
b. The stones vertical position versus time.
You dont need numbers here. You just want the qualitative shape of the curve.

vx

=
0

= + 2 /2
4. When a juggler throws a ball straight up into the air with a speed of , the ball reaches a height of H. If the
juggler throws the ball straight up again, but this time with an initial speed of 3 , what height will the ball
reach this time?
(A) 3

(B) 3

(C)

(D) 2

(E) none of the above

We know that = . At the top = . We choose up to be +x and let = and

= . Substituting these into the equation gives

= = ()() =

Therefore tripling will make the height 9 times as large.

5. Ann travels from city A to city B at 60 mph, immediately turns around, and returns at 20 mph. Bob leaves
from A at the same time, and goes to B and back along the same route at a constant 40 mph. What is Anns
average speed? Who gets back first, Ann or Bob?
Let be the distance between city A and city B. The time it takes for Ann to complete the round trip is:
=

+
=

So Anns average speed is

, =

=
=
=
()

This is slower than Bob so Bob gets back the fastest.