PROBLEM SET – KINEMATICS OF A PARTICLE

1. The position coordinate of a particle which is confined to move along a straight line is given by s = 2t³ - 24t + 6, where s
is measured in meters from a convenient origin and t is in seconds. Determine (a) the time required for the particle to
reach a velocity of 72 m/s from its initial condition at t = 0, (b) the acceleration of the particle when v = 30 m/s, and (c)
the net displacement of the particle during the interval from t = 1 s to t = 4 s.

2. A particle moves along the x-axis with an initial velocity vx = 50 ft/sec at the origin when t = 0. For the first 4 seconds it
has no acceleration, and thereafter it is acted on by a retarding force which gives it a constant acceleration ax = -10
ft/sec2. Calculate the velocity and the x-coordinate of the particle for the conditions of t = 8 sec and t = 12 sec and find
the maximum positive x-coordinate reached by the particle.

3. A team of engineering students designs a medium-size catapult

which launches 8-lb steel spheres. The launch speed is v = 80 ft/s,
the launch angle is θ = 35 ֯ above the horizontal, and the launch
position is 6 ft above ground level. The students use an athletic field
with an adjoining slope topped by an 8-ft fence as shown.
Determine:
(a) the x-y coordinates of the point of first impact
(b) the time duration of the flight
(c) the maximum height h above the horizontal field attained by the ball

4. To anticipate the dip and hump in the road, the driver of a car applies her
brakes to produce a uniform deceleration. Her speed is 100 km/h at the
bottom A of the dip and 50 km/h at the top C of the hump, which is 120 m
along the road from A. If the passengers experience a total acceleration of
3 m/s² at A and if the radius of curvature of the hump at C is 150 m,
calculate (a) the radius of curvature ρ at A, (b) the acceleration at the
inflection point B, and (c) the total acceleration at C.

5. If the car passes point A with a speed of 20 m/s and begins to

increase its speed at a constant rate of at = 0.5 m/s², determine the
magnitude of the car’s acceleration when s = 101.68 m and x = 0.