MMB241 – 2018/19 Sem.

2
Particle Kinematics:
One Dimensional Motion & Graphical Methods

1. A point P moves along a straight line such that its acceleration is given by a = 5s2 + 2s + 1 m/s2, where s is
the distance moved in meters. When s = 0 its speed is zero. Find its speed when s = 5 m.
Answer: 21.83 m/s

2. A particle moves along a straight line with an acceleration of a = (2t-6) m/s2. Initially (at t = 0), the position
of the particle is s0= 1 m, and its velocity is v0= 5 m/s. For the time interval 0 ≤t ≤6 sec, please do the
following:
a) Draw a displacement plot.
b) Calculate the particle’s:
 Displacement, ∆s
 Average Velocity, vavg
 Total Distance Travelled
 Average Speed, vsp
Answer: -6 m, 15.33 m, -1 m/s, 2.56 m/s

3. A particle moves along a straight line such that after a time t seconds, its velocity v is v = (15 - 8t) m/s. What
is the displacement of the particle after 5 seconds, measured from the point where t equals zero? Find also
the total distance travelled in the 5 seconds.
Answer: 53.12 m

4. For tests on an electric motor, the elements of the motor are accelerated uniformly from rest to a speed of
1500 rev/min, held at this speed for 8 s, and then decelerated uniformly to rest. If the test is to last for
1000 revolutions, what is the total time duration t of the test?
Answer: 72 s

5. A city bus has a maximum speed of 100 km/h. It can accelerate from rest at a constant rate of 1.6 m/s 2, and
can brake with a constant deceleration of 2.0 m/s2 without discomfort to the passengers. How long does
the bus take to cover a distance of 200 m, starting from and finishing at rest?
Answer: 21.22 s

6. v [m/s]
5
A car travels along a straight road with the speed shown by the
speed-time (v-t) graph. Determine the total distance the car
travels until it stops when t = 50 s. Also plot the distance-time (s-t)
and rate-of-change-of-speed graph (a-t).
t [s] Answer: 125 m
30 50

a [m/s2]
7

5
The sport car is originally travelling at speed of 10 m/s
when it is subjected to the acceleration shown in the
graph. Determine the car’s maximum speed and the time
20 t1 t [s]
t1 taken when it stops.
Answer: 60 m/s, 41.92 s
 MMB241 – 2018/19 Sem. 2
Particle Kinematics: Two Dimensional Motion
Cartesian Rectangular Coordinates, Projectile Motion

1. The nozzle of a garden hose is held at a height 1.4 m above the ground. The water jest is discharged with a
velocity of 7.5 m/s. What is the radius reached by the water stream if the nozzle is held upward at 25o to the
horizontal?
Answer: 6.46 m
2. Find angle θ for the antiaircraft gun with muzzle velocity of 540 m/s for a direct
hit on the aircraft flying horizontally at the constant speed shown. Gun is fired
when aircraft is directly overhead. Find the time t from firing to impact.
Answer: 59.0o, 15.5 s

3. A gun crew observes a remotely controlled balloon launching an

instrumented spy package in enemy territory. When first noticed the
balloon is at an altitude of 800m and moving vertically upward at a
constant velocity of 5m/s. It is 1600m down range. Shells fired from the
gun have an initial velocity of 400m/s at a fixed angle θ (sin θ = 3/5 and
cos θ = 4/5).
The gun crew (using its 8.01 ballistic knowledge) waits and fires so as to
destroy the balloon. Neglect air resistance.
(a) What is the flight time of the shell before it strikes the balloon?
(b) What is the altitude of the collision?
(c) How long did the gun crew wait before they fired?
Answer: 5 s, 1077.38 m, 50.48 s

4. When a ball is kicked from A as shown in figure, it just

clears the top of a wall at B as it reaches its maximum
height. Knowing that the distance from A to the wall is
20 m and the wall is 4 m high, determine the initial
speed at which the ball was kicked. Neglect the size of
the ball and air resistance.
Answer: 23.85 m/s

5.
A A roofer tosses a small tool towards a co-worker on the
vo ground.
1m (a) What is the minimum horizontal velocity v0
necessary so that the tool clears point B?
(b) Locate the point of impact by specifying the
3m 6m distance s shown in the figure.
B
Answer: 6.64 m/s, 2.49 m

4m
C
s
 MMB241 – 2018/19 Sem. 2
Particle Kinematics:
Path & Polar Coordinates

1. A point is following a curved path and at a particular instant the radius of curvature of the path is 15 m. The
speed of the point is 8 m/s and its component of acceleration tangential to the path is 2.5 m/s 2. Determine
the magnitude of the total acceleration.
Answer: 4.95 m/ s2

2. y A point P is following a circular path of radius 10 m at a

constant speed of 15 m/s. When the point reaches the position
shown in figure, what are horizontal and vertical components
of its acceleration?
30o 15 m/s Answer: -11.25 m/s2, 19.49 m/s2
P
x

3. The car travels from point A to C decelerating uniformly. The

C speed of the car at the bottom A is 100 km/h and at the top C
100
m
- 50 km/h. The distance from A to C is 200 m, as indicated in
100
m
the figure. If the total acceleration at A is 3 m/s2 and if the
B radius of curvature of the road at C is 150 m, calculate the
A
150 radius of curvature at A, the acceleration at the inflection point
m
B, and the total acceleration C.
Answer: 293 m, 1.45 m/s2, 1.94 m/s2

4.
A rocket maintains a horizontal attitude during the powered phase
5 m/s2
of its flight at high altitude. The thrust imparts a horizontal
Horizontal v = 15(103) km/h component of acceleration of 5 m/s2, and the downward
acceleration component is the acceleration due to gravity at that
altitude, which is g = 9 m/s2. At the instant represented, the velocity
of the mass center of the rocket along the 15o direction of its
trajectory is 15·103 km/h.
For this position determine the radius of curvature of the flight trajectory, the rate at which the speed v is increasing,
the angular rate 𝛽̇ of the radial line from the mass centre to the centre of curvature, and the vector expression for
the total acceleration of the rocket.
Answer: 2.35·106 m, 7.16 m/s2, 1.77·10-3 rad/s, 7.40en+7.16et m/s2

5. The lawn sprinkler shown in figure has two horizontal radial arms each 100
mm long that rotate about a vertical axis. Water flows out along the arms
at a constant radial velocity of 0.8 m/s and the arms rotate at a constant
angular velocity of 250 rev/min. What is the acceleration of an element of
water: (a) - just before it leaves the end of the arm, (b) - just after it leaves
the end of the arm.
Answer: 80.33 m/s2

6.
Rotation of the radially slotted arm is governed by θ = 0.1 t + 0.02 t3,
A where θ is in radians and t in seconds. Simultaneously, the power
r screw in the arm engages the slider B and controls its distance from
B θ O according to r = 0.1 + 0.02 t2, where r is in meters and t in seconds.
O Calculate the magnitudes of the velocity and acceleration of the
slider for the instant when t = 2 s.
Answer: 0.1 m/s, 0.1 m/s2
 MMB241 – 2018/19 Sem. 2
Particle Kinematics:
Relative Motion
1. Two ports, A and B, on a North-South line are separated by a river of width D. The river flows east with speed
VW. A boat crosses the river from port A to port B. The speed of the boat relative to the water is VB. Assume VB
= 2VW. State all your answers in terms of VB and D.
a) What is the direction of the boat, θ, relative to the North so that it crosses
directly on a line from A to B? How long does the trip take?
Answer: 30o, D/(vBcosθ)
b) Suppose the boat wants to cross the river from A to the other side in the
shortest possible time. What direction should it head? (Hint: Think carefully
about what this means.) How long does the trip take? How far is the boat
from the port B after crossing? Answer: 0o, D/(vB), D/2

3. A
Two planes, A and B, are flying at the same altitude. If their velocities
are vA = 600 km/h and vB = 500 km/h such that the angle between their
vA
straight-line courses is θ = 75o, determine the velocity of plane B with
θ B respect to plane A.
Answer: 874.82 km/h, 41.49o
vB

2. Car A is accelerating in the direction of its motion at the rate of 1.2 m/s2. Car B is
rounding a curve of 150 m radius at a constant speed of 54 km/h. Determine the
velocity and acceleration which car B appears to have to an observer in car A if
car A has reached a speed of 72 km/h for the position represented in the figure.
Answer: 18.03 m/a, 46.1o, 0.757 m/s2, 97.5o

3. Car B rounds the curve with a constant speed of 90 km/h. If car

A has a speed of 60 km/h which is increasing at the rate of 4
km/h each second when the cars are in the position shown,
determine the velocity and acceleration which car B appears to
have to a non-rotating observer in car A.
Answer: 48.4 km/h, 68.3o, 2.81 m/s2, 140o

4.
The water skier A cuts across the wake of the towboat B, which has a
A velocity of 50 km/h. At the instant when θ = 40o, the actual path of the
β skier makes an angle β=60o with the towrope. For this position prove
8m that the manoeuvre is really increasing the speed of the skier
vB θ (comparatively to the speed of the boat) by determining the velocity vA
B
of the skier. Find also the angular velocity of the skier around the boat.
Answer: 76.61 km/h, 1.19 rad/s

5.
The glider B, which is being towed by an airplane A is gaining the
B altitude. Airplane A is flying horizontally with a constant speed of 250
r km/h. The length of the towing cable is r = 70 m and θ is increasing at
θ A vA
a constant rate of 6 degrees per second. Determine the magnitudes of
the velocity and acceleration of the glider for the instant when θ = 20o.
Answer: 260.22 km/h, 0.77 m/s2
 MMB241 – 2018/19 Sem. 2
Problem Solving Procedure

Problem solving procedure:

o Define and sketch (if appropriate) the problem
o Determine the given information and determine constraints
o Determine the objective of the problem
o Make reasonable assumptions
o Plan the solution
o Select appropriate theory, principles, approach
o Implement the plan
o Check the solution (units, accuracy?)
o Evaluate / Reflect