Physics Notes ( Numericals )

1. A farmer moves along the boundary of a square field of side 10m

in 40 s. What will be the magnitude of displacement of the farmer
at the end of 2 minutes 20 seconds from his initial position?
Solution

Given,

Side of the given square field = 10m

Hence, the perimeter of a square = 40 m

Time taken by the farmer to cover the boundary of 40 m = 40 s

So, in 1 s, the farmer covers a distance of 1 m

Now,

Distance covered by the farmer in 2 min 20 sec = 1 x 140 = 140 m

So,

The total number of rotations taken by the farmer to cover a distance of 140 m = total
distance/perimeter

= 3.5

At this point, let us say the farmer is at point B from the origin O

Therefore, from Pythagoras theorem, the displacement s = √(102+102)

s = 10√2

s = 14.14 m

2. During an experiment, a signal from a spaceship reached the ground station in five
minutes. What was the distance of the spaceship from the ground station? The signal
travels at the speed of light, that is, 3 × 108 m/s.
Solution

Given that the signal travels in a straight line, the distance between the spaceship and the ground
station is equal to the total distance travelled by the signal.

5 minutes = 5*60 seconds = 300 seconds.

Speed of the signal = 3 × 108 m/s.

Therefore, total distance = (3 × 108 m/s) * 300s

= 9*1010 meters.

3. A bus decreases its speed from 80 km h–1 to 60 km h–1 in 5 s. Find the acceleration of the
bus.

Solution

Given, the initial velocity (u) = 80km/hour = 80000m/3600s= 22.22 m.s-1

The final velocity (v) = 60km/hour = 60000m/3600s= 16.66 m.s-1

Time frame, t = 5 seconds.

Therefore, acceleration (a) =(v-u)/t = (16.66 m.s-1 – 22.22 m.s-1)/5s

= -1.112 m.s-2

Therefore, the total acceleration of the bus is -1.112m.s-2. It can be noted that the negative sign
indicates that the velocity of the bus is decreasing.

4. A train starting from a railway station and moving with uniform acceleration attains a
speed 40 km h–1 in 10 minutes. Find its acceleration.

Solution

Given parameters

Initial velocity (u) = 0

Final velocity (v) = 40 km/h

v = 40 × (5/18)

v = 11.1111 m/s

Time (t) = 10 minute

t = 60 x 10

t = 600 s

Acceleration (a) =?

Consider the formula

v = u + at

11.11 = 0 + a × 600

11,11 = 600 a

a = 11.11/600

a = 0.0185 ms-2

5. A bus starting from rest moves with a uniform acceleration of 0.1 m s-2 for 2 minutes.
Find (a) the speed acquired, (b) the distance travelled.

Solution

(a) Given, the bus starts from rest. Therefore, initial velocity (u) = 0 m/s

Acceleration (a) = 0.1 m.s-2

Time = 2 minutes = 120 s

Acceleration is given by the equation a=(v-u)/t

Therefore, terminal velocity (v) = (at)+u

= (0.1 m.s-2 * 120 s) + 0 m.s-1

= 12 m.s-1 + 0 m.s-1
Therefore, terminal velocity (v) = 12 m/s

(b) As per the third motion equation, 2as = v2 – u2

Since a = 0.1 m.s-2, v = 12 m.s-1, u = 0 m.s-1, and t = 120 s, the following value for s (distance) can
be obtained.

Distance, s =(v2 – u2)/2a

=(122 – 02)/2(0.1)

Therefore, s = 720 m.

The speed acquired is 12 m.s-1 and the total distance travelled is 720 m.

6. A train is travelling at a speed of 90 km h–1. Brakes are applied so as to produce a

uniform acceleration of –0.5 m s-2. Find how far the train will go before it is brought to rest.

Solution

Given, initial velocity (u) = 90 km/hour = 25 m.s-1

Terminal velocity (v) = 0 m.s-1

Acceleration (a) = -0.5 m.s-2

As per the third motion equation, v2-u2=2as

Therefore, distance traveled by the train (s) =(v2-u2)/2a

s = (02-252)/2(-0.5) meters = 625 meters

The train must travel 625 meters at an acceleration of -0.5 ms-2 before it reaches the rest position.

7. A trolley, while going down an inclined plane, has an acceleration of 2 cm s-2. What will
be its velocity 3 s after the start?

Solution

Given, initial velocity (u) = 0 (the trolley begins from the rest position)

Acceleration (a) = 0.02 ms-2

Time (t) = 3s

As per the first motion equation, v=u+at

Therefore, terminal velocity of the trolley (v) = 0 + (0.02 ms-2)(3s)= 0.06 ms-1

Therefore, the velocity of the trolley after 3 seconds will be 6 cm.s-1

8. A racing car has a uniform acceleration of 4 m s-2. What distance will it cover in 10 s
after start?

Solution

Given, the car is initially at rest; initial velocity (u) = 0 ms-1

Acceleration (a) = 4 ms-2

Time period (t) = 10 s

As per the second motion equation, s = ut+1/2 at2

Therefore, the total distance covered by the car (s) = 0 * 10m + 1/2 (4ms-2)(10s)2

= 200 meters

Therefore, the car will cover a distance of 200 meters after 10 seconds.

9. A stone is thrown in a vertically upward direction with a velocity of 5 m s-1. If the

acceleration of the stone during its motion is 10 m s–2 in the downward direction, what will
be the height attained by the stone and how much time will it take to reach there?

Solution

Given, initial velocity (u) = 5 m/s

Terminal velocity (v) = 0 m/s (since the stone will reach a position of rest at the point of
maximum height)

Acceleration = 10 ms-2 in the direction opposite to the trajectory of the stone = -10 ms-2

As per the third motion equation, v2 – u2 = 2as

Therefore, the distance travelled by the stone (s) = (02 – 52)/ 2(10)

Distance (s) = 1.25 meters

As per the first motion equation, v = u + at

Therefore, time taken by the stone to reach a position of rest (maximum height) = (v – u) /a

=(0-5)/-10 s

Time taken = 0.5 seconds

Therefore, the stone reaches a maximum height of 1.25 meters in a timeframe of 0.5 seconds.

10. An athlete completes one round of a circular track of diameter 200 m in 40 s. What will
be the distance covered and the displacement at the end of 2 minutes 20 s?

Solution

Given, diameter of the track (d) = 200m

Therefore, the circumference of the track (π*d) = 200π meters.

Distance covered in 40 seconds = 200π meters

Distance covered in 1 second = 200π/40

Distance covered in 2minutes and 20 seconds (140 seconds) = 140 * 200π/40 meters

= (140*200*22)/(40* 7) meters = 2200 meters

Number of rounds completed by the athlete in 140 seconds = 140/40 = 3.5

Therefore, the final position of the athlete (with respect to the initial position) is at the opposite
end of the circular track. Therefore, the net displacement will be equal to the diameter of the
track, which is 200m.

Therefore, the net distance covered by the athlete is 2200 meters and the total displacement of
the athlete is 200m.
11. Joseph jogs from one end A to the other end B of a straight 300 m road in 2 minutes 30
seconds and then turns around and jogs 100 m back to point C in another 1 minute. What
are Joseph’s average speeds and velocities in jogging (a) from A to B and (b) from A to C?

Solution

Given, distance covered from point A to point B = 300 meters

Distance covered from point A to point C = 300m + 100m = 400 meters

Time taken to travel from point A to point B = 2 minutes and 30 seconds = 150 seconds

Time taken to travel from point A to point C = 2 min 30 secs + 1 min = 210 seconds

Displacement from A to B = 300 meters

Displacement from A to C = 300m – 100m = 200 meters

Average speed = total distance travelled/ total time taken

Average velocity = total displacement/ total time taken

Therefore, the average speed while traveling from A to B = 300/150 ms-1 = 2 m/s

Average speed while traveling from A to C = 400/210 ms-1= 1.9 m/s

Average velocity while traveling from A to B =300/150 ms-1= 2 m/s

Average velocity while traveling from A to C =200/210 ms-1= 0.95 m/s