Tutorial 01
PHY 1114 – Classical Mechanics
Lecturer: Dr. J. A. P. Bodhika
1) Suppose that displacement of P from O at time t is given by x = t2 – 6t, where x is measured in
meters and t is in seconds. Find the mean velocity of P over the time interval 1 ≤ t ≤ 3.
2) A particle P moves along the x axis with its acceleration a at time t given by a= 12t2 - 6t + 6 ms-1.
Initially P is given at the point x = 4m and is moving with speed 8ms-1 in the negative x direction.
Find the velocity and displacement of P at time t.
3) Relative to the reference frame F{O; i,j,k}, the position vector of a particle P at time t is given by
R = (2t2 – 3)i + (4t + 4)j + (t3 + t2)k
i. Find the distance OP when t = 0.
ii. Find the velocity of P when t = 1.
iii. Find the acceleration of P when t = 2.
4) A body rotates about its axis from a position 𝑥̅1 = (2𝚤̂ − 3𝚥̂ − 4𝑘) m to a position 𝑥̅2 = (3𝚤̂ − 4𝚥̂
+ 5𝑘) m under the action of a constant force 𝐹̅= (4𝚤̂ + 𝚥̂ + 6𝑘) N. Find the torque exerted on the
body.
5) A particle is moving in a plane with velocity given by,
̅ = 𝑈0𝚤̂ + (𝜔𝑎 cos(𝜔𝑡)) 𝚥̂
𝑈
If the particle is at the origin at t = 0,
a. Calculate the trajectory of the particle.
b. Find its distance from the origin at time 3𝜋⁄2𝜔
6) A man driving car along a straight road with the x-acceleration of 𝑎𝑥 = 2 – 0.1t .
ii Find x-component of his velocity and position as function of time.
iii When is his velocity greatest?
iv What is the maximum of his x-velocity?
v Where is the car when it reaches the maximum x-velocity?
vi Draw the graph of acceleration, velocity and positon of the car as a function of time.
7) A boy throw a ball vertically upward from the roof of a tall building. The ball leaves his hand at a
point even with the roof railing with an upward speed of 15 ms-1. The ball is them in free fall. On
its way back down, it just misses the railing. Find,
ii The balls position and velocity 1 sec. and 4 sec. after leaving his hand.
iii The balls velocity when it is 5 m above the railing.
iv The maximum height reached.
v The balls acceleration when it is at its maximum height.
vi At what time after being released has the ball fallen 5 m below the roof railing?
8) A rover is exploring the surface of Mars. The stationary Mars lander is the origin of coordinates,
and the surrounding surface lies in the same x-y plane. The rover, which we represent as a point, has
x- and y- coordinates that vary with time:
x = 2 m – (0.25 ms-2).t2
y = (1 ms-1).t + (0.025 ms-3).t3
a) Find the rover’s coordinates and the distance from the lander at t = 2.0 sec.
b) Find the rover’s displacement and average velocity vector for the interval t = 0.0 sec to t =
2.0 sec.
c) Find a general expression for the rover’s instantaneous velocity vector 𝑣̅̅.Express 𝑣̅̅ at t = 0 sec
in component form and in terms of magnitude and direction.
d) Find the components of the average acceleration for the interval t = 0.0 sec. to t = 2.0 sec.
e) Find the instantaneous acceleration at t = 2 sec. what are the parallel and perpendicular
component of the instantaneous acceleration?
