HOMEWORK #1- Physics 101 - Fall 16

This assignment is due Thursday, September 8 by the end of class.

Please write your full name and student ID number on the first page.
Show all your work, number each problem, box your final answer and
staple all the pages together to earn full credit. For short answer questions, please
write in complete sentences.
DO NOT COPY!

Problem #1 Suppose you are studying a new single celled organism with a diameter
of 2.00m.
(a) If the cell membrane of the organism is 7.0 nm thick, what fraction of the diameter
of the cell does the membrane take up?
(b) Assuming it is spherical, what is the volume of the cell in cubic centimeters?
(c) Maintaining the spherical assumption, what is its surface area in square millimeters?
(d) Suppose you decided to assume the cell was cubical and the measure diameter is the
length of one of the cubes sides. Repeat parts (a) and (b) in this instance.
(e) Calculate the percent difference in volume and surface area for both cases. In your
opinion is there a significant difference between the two approximations? Explain why
or why not.
(f) In the process of studying the organism, you determine its motion through a given
medium is affected by a drag force governed by the relation Fdrag = CAv 2 , where
Fdrag is the drag force, C is a constant, A is the cross sectional area, and v is the
velocity of the organism. What are the dimensions of the constant C?

Problem #2 A delivery truck driver has been given the following directions to her
destination. She is to drive 1.50 km north, then 500 m east, and then 250 m south.
(a) Calculate the resultant displacement vector for the driver as a result of the directions.
(b) Calculate the magnitude of the displacement vector.
(c) Make a to scale drawing, use a ruler and/or graph paper, of the vectors describing the
directions and the displacement vector. Does the drawing agree with the computation
in part (a).
(d) Calculate the direction, with respect to the northernly direction, of the displacement
vector (this should be an angle).
(e) Calculate the unit vector for the displacement vector.

~ = 3.00i + 6.00j and B

~ = 4.00i 3.00j.
Problem #3 Consider the two vectors A
~B
~ using the components of the two vectors.
(a) Calculate A
(b) Calculate the magnitude and direction, with respect to the positive horizontal, of the
~ B.
~
vector difference A
~ = 2A
~ have the same magnitude and direction as A?
~ Explain,
(c) Does the vector C
without having to do any calculations.
~B
~
(d) Calculate the scalar product between the vectors. Does the order matter (i.e. A
~ A)?
~
vs. B

~ = 4.00i + 5.00j 3.00k and B

~ = 2.00i
Problem #4 Consider the two vectors A

3.00j 5.00k.
~B
~ using the components of the two vectors.
(a) Calculate A
~ B.
~
(b) Calculate the magnitude of the vector difference A
(c) Is it possible to calculate a direction for this vector? Explain.
~ B.
~
(d) Calculate the vector product between the two vectors, A