TUT 2: RELATIVE VELOCITY

1. To a man walking east at 6 km/h the wind appears to blow from the south-west, what is the
true wind speed, and the speed of the wind relative to the man? [vwo= 4.25 km/h SW; vwm=
4.25 km/h SE]
2. A man who can sustain a aped of 5 km/h when swimming in still water, swims across a river
200 m wide which flows at 8 km/h. How long will it take him, and how far downstream will he
be carried, if he swims so as to reach the opposite bank:
a. As quickly as possible [2 min 24 sec; 320 m downstream]
b. As little downstream as possible [3 min 4.5 sec; 250 m downstream]
3. A ferry makes a daily round trip between two ports, A & B, which are 30 nautical miles apart,
B being due east of A. The ship can maintain 22 knots in still water, and on certain day there
is a tide of 11 knots turning towards the South-west on the outwards journey. On the return
the tide has turned and is now running at 6 knots N 30° W.
Find the course that must be steered and the time taken for both the outward and return
journeys if the round trip starts at A. [outward: t= 2h 21 min; course N 69° E. homeward: t=
1 h 14 min; course S 76° W]
4. At midnight vessel A was 50 nautical miles due north of vessel B. A steams south-west at 22
knots and B moves due west at 12 knots
1. Determine the velocity of A relative to B [16 knots S 13° W]
2. If the two ships can exchange signals when they are a maximum of 15 nautical miles apart,
determine when they can begin, and for how long they can continue to signal to one
another? [at 02h26 min for 1 h 15 min]
3. What is the relative bearing of each from the other at the point where they can commence
exchanging signals, and at the point where have to cease doing so? [Strat: B at 80° to Port
of A; A 55° to STBD of B. End : B 164° to Port of A, A 29° to port of B]
5. Ship A at P, which cannot sail at more than 20 knots wishes to intercept ship B. B is at Q, 38
nautical miles due east of P and is steaming at 24 knots in a direction N 60° W. Show that in
order to intercept A may steer any course that makes an angle with due North of less 53°.
Calculate the least and greatest times in which she can intercept; also the minimum velocity
she must have to intercept B, and the corresponding time [1 h 2 min; 7 h 57 min; 12 knots
due north; 1 h 50 min]
6. A cruiser steaming due east at 20 knots is 10 nautical miles due north of a destroyer capable
of maintaining 30 knots. In what direction must the destroyer sail in order to meet the cruiser,
and how long will it take her?
7. A truck driving at a steady 90 km/h along a straight road, in a line parallel to a row of telephone
poles that are 50 m apart. A boy on the back of the truck is 12 m from the line of the poles, as
they drive. He has a catapult that shoots a stone at 40 m/s.
He decides to shoot the stone to hit the pole D. If he let fly at the instant he is level with the
pole C.
a. At what angle should he fire the stone? [21.883°]
b. With what velocity will the stone hit the pole? [229.9 km/h]
c. What actual distance does the stone travel? [51.42 m]
d. What is the time taken from the instant of firing to the stone hitting the pole? [0.805 sec
 e. If the stone is fired horizontally from a point 3 m above the flat road way, which is at the
same level as the base of the poles, will the stone still be in the air by the time the pole,
or will it have to bounce first? [ bounce first. Make sure you demonstrate that]

12 m
50 m

B
C

8. A fighter aircraft is cruising at 1200 km/h, and gets a message to intercept an enemy bomber
which is 84 km away, N 65 E from the fighter’s present position. The bomber is heading W
22 N at speed of 600 km/h.
i. Draw a space diagram to a scale of 1 mm=1km, showing the position of the two
aircraft.
ii. In what direction should the fighter fly to intercept the bomber, without changing his
speed? To illustrate this draw a velocity diagram to the scale 0f 1mm= 15 km/h [E
46.3° N
iii. How long will it take to intercept the bomber? [3 min 17 sec]

9. To a cyclist riding due west at a steady speed of 40 km/h the wind appears to blow from S 45°
W. When the cyclist rides due South at 20 km/h speed, the wind appears to come from S 45°
E.
Determine the true speed of the wind and the direction from which it blows. [31.62 km/h; W
18.43° N

10.