PH201 Projectile motion - Solutions

QUESTIONS:

Q3.5. Reason: The ones that are constant are vx, ax, and ay. Furthermore, ax is not only constant, it is zero.
Assess: There are instants when other quantities can be zero, but not throughout the flight. Remember that ay = g
throughout the flight and that vx is constant; that is, projectile motion is nothing more than the combination of two simple
kinds of motion: constant horizontal velocity and constant vertical acceleration.

Q3.22. Reason: The maximum height the ball reaches only depends on the initial velocity it had in the vertical
direction. The y-component of the velocity of this ball is
(vy )i vi sin ( ) (23.0 m/s) sin (37.0) 13.8 m/s

In order to reach the same height when being thrown vertically upward the balls initial velocity must be 13.8 m/s. The correct
choice is A.
Assess: Projectile motion is made up of two independent motions: uniform motion at constant velocity in the horizontal
direction and free-fall motion in the vertical direction.

Q3.23. Reason: The key to projectile motion problems is to realize that the motion in the x-coordinate is independent
of the motion in the y-coordinate. We can solve an equation in one of these directions and use the results in an equation for
the other direction. For example, t is the same for the horizontal and vertical components of the motion.
(a) First find the horizontal component of the velocity, and, realizing it will be constant, find the time to impact.
(vx )i = vi cos = (89 m/s) cos 40 = 68.2 m/s
distance 300 m
time 4.4 s
speed 68.2 m/s
So the correct choice is C.
(b) The vertical component of the initial speed is
(vy )i vi sin (89 m/s) sin 40 57.2 m/s

Now that we know t 4.4s and (vy )i 57.2 m/s we can solve for h (which is yf).
1 1
yf yi (v y )i t g (t )2 0.0 m (57.2 m/s)(4.4 s) (9.8 m/s 2 )(4.4 s) 2 157 m 160 m
2 2
So the correct choice is D.
Assess: The answers to both parts seem reasonable; in either case if we had been off by a factor of 10 in either direction
we would think the result not realistic.

PROBLEMS:

P3.23. Prepare: Assume motion along the x-direction. The velocity of the boat relative to the ground is
(vx)bg; the velocity of the boat relative to the water is (vx)bw; and the velocity of the water relative to the ground is (vx)wg.
We will use the technique of Equation 3.22: (vx )bg (vx )bw (vx )wg .
Solve: For travel down the river,
30 km
(vx )bg (vx )bw (vx ) wg 10.0 km/hr
3.0 hr
For travel up the river,
30 km
(vx )bg (vx )bw (vx ) wg 6.0 km/hr
5.0 hr
Adding these two equations yields (vx )wg 2.0 km/hr. That is, the velocity of the flowing river relative to the earth is
2.0 km/hr.

P3.31. Prepare: We will apply the constant-acceleration kinematic equations to the horizontal and vertical motions as
described by Equations 3.25. The effect of air resistance on the motion of the bullet is neglected.

Solve: (a) Using yf yi (vy )i (tf ti ) 12 ay (tf ti )2, we obtain

(2.0 102 m) 0 m 0 m 12 (9.8 m/s 2 )(tf 0 s) 2 tf 0.0639 s

(b) Using xf xi (vx )i (tf ti ) 12 ax (tf ti )2,
(50 m) 0 m (vx )i (0.0639 s 0 s) 0 m (vx )i 782 m/s
Assess: The bullet falls 2 cm during a horizontal displacement of 50 m. This implies a large initial velocity, and a value
of 782 m/s is not surprising.

P3.56. Prepare: Assume motion along the x-direction. Let xf xi be the displacement from your gate to the baggage
claim. We will use the technique of Equation 3.22: (vx ) yg (vx ) ym (vx )mg .
Solve: In the first case, when the moving sidewalk is broken, we can find your velocity
( xf xi )
vY
50 s
In the second case, when you stand on the moving sidewalk, the velocity of the sidewalk relative to the ground is
xf xi
vsg
75 s
In the third case, when you walk while riding, we can use the equation
(v) yg (v) ys (v)sg

That is, your velocity relative to the ground, when you are walking on the moving sidewalk, is equal to your velocity relative to
the moving sidewalk (which is vY) plus the sidewalks velocity relative to the ground. Thus,
x1 x0 x1 x0 x1 x0
t 30 s
t 50 s 75 s
Assess: A time smaller than 50 s was expected.

P3.69. Prepare: We will apply the constant-acceleration kinematics equations to the horizontal and vertical motions of the
tennis ball as described by Equations 3.25. A visual overview is shown as follows. To find whether the ball clears the net, we
will determine the vertical fall of the ball as it travels to the net.
Solve: The initial velocity is
(vx )i vi cos 5 (20 m/s) cos 5 19.92 m/s
(vy )i vi sin 5 (20 m/s) sin 5 1.743 m/s

The time it takes for the ball to reach the net is

xf xi (vx )i (tf ti ) 7.0 m 0 m (19.92 m/s)(tf 0 s) tf 0.351s
The vertical position at tf = 0.351 s is
yf yi (v y )i (tf ti ) 12 a y (tf ti ) 2
(2.0 m) (1.743 m/s)(0.351 s 0 s) 12 ( 9.8 m/s 2 )(0.351s 0 s) 2 2.0 m
Thus the ball clears the net by 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 if the ball 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.