RAFFLES INSTITUTION

YEAR 5-6 PHYSICS DEPARTMENT

Tutorial 2 Kinematics Suggested Solutions

D1

10

10

150

125

25
0
25

Note: Displacement curve in this case must be smooth and without kinks!

D2 Suppose at time t,
v / m s-1
lorry’s displacement from car’s car
original position
= car’s displacement
v lorry t  60  21 acar t 2
18 lorry
18 t  60  (2.0) t
1
2
2

1
2
(2.0) t 2  18 t  60  0
0 time/ s
 18 
2
18   4(1.0)( 60)
t
2.0
 20.9 s or  2.9 s (reject)

Distance travelled by car  21 acar t 2  21 (2.0)(20.9)2  436 m

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 RAFFLES INSTITUTION
YEAR 5-6 PHYSICS DEPARTMENT

D3 During the first 0.70 s, displacement = (13) (0.70) = 9.1 m

Using v 2  u 2  2as
v 2  u 2 0  132
Distance travelled during braking, s    18.8 m
2a 2 ( 4.5)
Total distance = 9.1 +18.8 = 27.9 m. This is greater than 25 m.

He will stop 2.9 m after the line.

1
(Note: s  ut  at 2 is not relevant in this case, t  0.70 s )
2

D4 (a) Package moves upward briefly after release before falling to the ground.
Taking upwards as positive, s = –21 m
1
s  ut  at 2
2
1
21  5t   9.81 t 2
2
4.905t  5t  21  0
2

t  2.64 s or  1.62 s (N.A.)

(b) v  u  at
v  5.0    9.81 2.64 
v  20.9 m s 1  20.9 m s 1 downwards

D5 (a) Taking downwards as positive,

v /m s–1

5.0

t/s
0 10
t1 t2

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 RAFFLES INSTITUTION
YEAR 5-6 PHYSICS DEPARTMENT

At t = 10 s,
v  u  at  0   9.8110
 98.1 m s1

Let t1 be the time taken for parachutist to slow down to 5.0 m s1.

v  u  at1
5.0  98.1  20t1
t1  4.655 s

Total area under the graph  1500

1 1
 98.110    98.1  5.0  4.655    5.0  t2  1500
2 2
t 2  153.9 s

Total time = 10 + t1 + t2 = 10 + 4.655 + 153.9 = 169 s

(b) Region A shows a line with constant gradient (i.e. acceleration of free fall g). Only
gravitational force is significant as the speed is nearly 0 (air resistance is very small).

In region B, the speed is increasing at a decreasing rate (i.e. acceleration is decreasing).

Air resistance increases as speed increases, hence resultant downward force
decreases.

Region C shows the speed has reached a constant peak value (zero gradient and
acceleration). Air resistance equals gravitational force (zero resultant force).

D6 (a) (i) Taking downwards as positive, using s = ut + ½ at2

1.00 = 0 + ½ (9.79)t2
t = 0.452 s (shown)

(ii) Total time taken for the top edge of plate to reach the light beam
= 0.052 + 0.452 = 0.504 s

Let L be the length of metal plate, for top edge of plate,

s = ut + ½ at2
1.00 + L = 0 + ½ (9.79)(0.504)2
L = 0.243 m

(b) 1. Due to the presence of air resistance, the time taken for the plate to fall might have
been longer than what was quoted in (a)(i) as this value was obtained under the
assumption that air resistance is negligible.

2. The metal plate might have been released with a non-zero velocity.

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 RAFFLES INSTITUTION
YEAR 5-6 PHYSICS DEPARTMENT

D7 (a) (i) Using points (116 x 10-2, 225.0 x 10-3) and (64 x 10-2, 115.0 x 10-3),
 225.0  115.0   10 3 110  10 3
Gradient   =0.212 s2 m -1
116  64   10 2
52  10 2

(ii) Taking downwards as positive,

s = ut + ½ gt2
Since u = 0, t2 = (2/g) s

Hence gradient of graph = 2/g

0.212 = 2/g
g = 9.43 m s-2

(b) (i) 1. Plotting s against t 2. Plotting lg s against lg t

1
s  gt 2
2 1 2
s gt
g 2
s t
2 g
lg s  lg    2lg t
Plotting s against t would yield a straight 2
line passing through the origin with gradient Plotting lg s against lg t would yield a
g straight line with gradient 2 and
2 g
vertical intercept lg  
2
(ii) From s  ut  21 at 2 , since ut is zero in this case, there is just one term carrying the
variable t on RHS of equation. Thus whether it is plotting s against t or
lg s against lg t, a straight line will be obtained.

D8 (a) At maximum height, velocity of ball = 0 m s-1

Hence, time = 1.80 s

(b) After the ball leaves the thrower’s hand, it experiences both the force of gravity (its
weight, mg) and drag force (kv) in the downward direction.

Resultant (downward) force on the ball, ma = mg + kv

Hence, acceleration of the ball, a = g + kv/m > 9.81 m s-2

After the ball leaves the thrower’s hand, it has a high speed (v). Hence, the
acceleration of the ball would be larger than g.

(c) 1.80 s.
This is the point when the ball is momentarily at rest. It does not experience any drag
force (since v = 0) and its resultant force is just its weight. Hence, its acceleration at this
point is equal to g.

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 RAFFLES INSTITUTION
YEAR 5-6 PHYSICS DEPARTMENT

(d) a / m s-2
1.80 4.15
t/s
g

Exact shape of the graph is not

important although the trend must
show that a is negative and
20
magnitude is decreasing.

(e) From the graph, it can be seen that the change in speed on the way up is 26 m s-1 and
the change in speed on the way down is 15 m s-1.
This implies that the average speed on the upward journey is greater than that on the
downward journey. Since the distance travelled in both directions must be the same, the
time taken to reach the maximum height must be shorter than the time taken to return to
the starting point.

[Recall: Ave speed = Distance travelled / Time taken

 Time taken = Distance travelled / Ave speed
 For the same distance travelled, time taken  (Ave Speed)-1 ]

Alternative approach:
On the way up On the way down

mg FD
FD
mg

maup = mg + FD madown = mg - FD
aup = g + FD/m adown = g - FD/m

Hence, aup > adown

The ball slows down faster (on the upward journey) than it speeds up (on the downward
journey).

 Time taken to reach maximum height < time taken to return to starting point

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 RAFFLES INSTITUTION
YEAR 5-6 PHYSICS DEPARTMENT

D9 (a) (i) Vertically, sy = 0

1 2
s y  uy t  ay t
2
1 2
0   u sin   t  gt
2
2u sin 
t OR 0 (reject)
g

(ii) 1 u sin 
To reach maximum height, tH  t
2 g

(iii)  2u sin   2u 2 sin cos 

R  u cos   
 g  g
u 2 sin 2

g
(b) For projectile motion, angle of projection   900 ,
Maximum sin 2  1
2  900
   450
This gives maximum range R.

Or:

To get maximum R

dR d  u 2 sin 2  u 2
0    2 cos 2 
d d  g  g
cos 2  0  2  90 (Note: can go on to prove 2nd derivative < 0)
   45

D10 (a) 45°

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 RAFFLES INSTITUTION
YEAR 5-6 PHYSICS DEPARTMENT

(b) 1 2
sx  u x t ax t
2
4.00  u(cos 45o )t          (1)
1 2
sy  u y t  ay t
2
1 2
0  u(sin 45o )t  gt
2
2
t u(sin 45o )            (2)
g
(2)int o(1)
2
4.00  u(cos 45o )[ u(sin 45o )]
g
u  6.26 m s1

(c) v y 2  uy 2  2ay sy
0  (6.26 sin 45o )2  2(9.81)sy
sy  0.999m

D11

v2 = u2 + 2as = 0 + 2(4.00)(50)
v = 20 m s-1 (velocity of car when it reaches the edge of the slope)

(a) Taking downwards as positive,

1
s y = u y t + at 2
2
1
 
30.0 = 20sin24.0o t +  9.81 t 2
2
4.905t 2  8.134t  30.0 = 0

8.134  8.1342  4  4.905  30.0 

t=
2  4.905 
= 1.78 s or  3.44 s (rejected)

(b) sx  ux t

 20cos24.0 o  1.78   32.5 m
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 RAFFLES INSTITUTION
YEAR 5-6 PHYSICS DEPARTMENT

C1
50 m s1

1
15 m s 600 m

sea level
700 m
1
sy = u y t + ay t 2
2
1
600  0 +  9.81 t 2

2
t  11.1 s
Relative speed of fighter bomber w.r.t tank  50  15  35 m s 1
Time needed to cover 700 m horizontal distance is 20 s
 20  11.1  8.9 s

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 RAFFLES INSTITUTION
YEAR 5-6 PHYSICS DEPARTMENT

C2 Resolve the vectors in the directions parallel and perpendicular to the plane.
a  g sin  ; a  g cos 
s// = u (cos ) t  ½ g (sin ) t 2 ……………..(1)
s = u (sin ) t  ½ g (cos ) t 2 ……………..(2)

At the point of impact, s = 0

2u sin 
Hence, (2)  t = ……………(3)
g cos 

Substitute equation (3) into (1),

2
 2u sin   2u sin 
s// = u (cos )    ½ g sin   
 g cos   g cos 
 u 2 sin 2  2u2
=    tan  sec  sin2 
 g cos   g

ds//  2u 2  2u2
=   (cos 2 )  tan  sec  sin 2
d  g cos   g

ds// 2u2
=0  sec  [ cos 2  tan  sin 2 ] = 0
d g
 [ cos 2  tan  sin 2 ] = 0
 tan 2 = cot 

Recall Trigo identity: tan  = cot (/2 - )

 cot (/2 - 2) = cot 

 2 = /2  
  = /4   / 2