ES190 Dynamics Exercise Class 2 PB 2020

Unless specified otherwise, use a value of 𝑔 = 9.81 m2 /s for the gravity.

Exercise 1 Tethered astronaut

An astronaut moves in the 𝑥 − 𝑦-plane at the end of a 10-m tether attached to a large space
station at 𝑂. The total mass of the astronaut and her equipment is 120 kg. When the astronaut
is at (2i + 6j) m, her velocity is 2i m/s.

(i) What is the astronaut’s angular momentum about 𝑂 before the tether becomes taut?
(−1440k kg m2 /s)

(ii) What is the magnitude of the component of her velocity perpendicular to the tether im-
mediately after the tether becomes taut? (1.2 m/s)

Exercise 2 Accident reconstruction

Suppose you investigate an accident, in which a 1300 kg car 𝐴 struck a parked 1200 kg car 𝐵. All
four of car 𝐵’s wheels were locked, and skid marks indicate that it slid 2m after the impact. If
you estimate the coefficient of kinetic friction between 𝐵’s tyres and the road to be 𝜇 = 0.8
and the coefficient of restitution of the impact to be 𝑒 = 0.4, what was 𝐴’s velocity 𝑣 just
before the impact (assuming only one impact occured). (7.7 m/s)

Exercise 3 Oblique collision

In a game of pool, the cue gives the cue ball 𝐴 a velocity parallel to the 𝑦-axis. The cue ball hits
the eight ball 𝐵 and knocks it straight into the corner pocket, which is located at an angle of
𝜃 = left of the positive 𝑦 direction from 𝐵. If the magnitude of the velocity of the cue ball
just before the impact is 2 m/s and the coefficient of restitution is 𝑒 = 1, what are the velocities
of the two balls just after the impact (𝐴 and 𝐵 are of equal mass). ((i + j)m/s, (j − i)m/s)

Exercise 4 Grain train

Two 195 000 kg locomotives pull fifty 90 000 kg grain hoppers. The train starts from rest and
accelerates uniformly to a speed of 40 mph over a distance of 2400 m on a level track. The
constant rolling resistance of each car is 0.005 times its weight. Neglect all other retarding
forces and assume that each locomotive contributes equally to the traction. Determine

(i) the tractive force exerted by each locomotive at 20 mph, (273 kN)

(ii) the power required from each locomotive at 20 mph, (2440 kW)

(iii) the power required from each locomotive as the train speed approaches 40 mph and
(4880 kW)

(iv) the power required from each locomotive if the train cruises at a steady 40 mph. (1980 kW)

University of Warwick – School of Engineering

ES190 Dynamics Exercise Class 2 PB 2020

Exercise 5 Moon shot

A projectile 𝑚 is heading toward the centre of the moon with a velocity of 3000 km/h at a
distance from the moon’s surface equal to the radius 𝑅 of the moon. Compute the impact
velocity 𝑣 with the lunar surface, considering the moon fixed in space. The radius 𝑅 of the
moon is 1738 km, and the acceleration due to gravity at its surface is 1.62 m/s2 . (1874 m/s)

Exercise 6 Escalator
An escalator handles a steady load of 30 people per minute in elevating them from the ground
to the first floor through a vertical rise of 7 m. The average person has a mass of 65 kg. If the
motor which drives the unit delivers 3 kW, calculate the mechanical efficiency 𝜂 of the system.
(0.744)

Exercise 7 Rigid body velocity

A linkage consists of a crank 𝐴𝐵, a connecting rod 𝐵𝐶 and a piston at 𝐶, where r = 0i + 0j,
r = 50i + 50j, r = 225i + 0j (all measurements in mm). At this instance, the piston’s velocity
relative to 𝐴 is v = −14i m/s. What is the angular velocity of the crank 𝐴𝐵? (217.8 rad/s)

Exercise 8 Rigid body accelerations

A bar 𝑂𝐴 of length 𝑟 = 2 m rotates around its one end at 𝑂 with a counter-clockwise angular
velocity of 5 rad/s and counter-clockwise angular acceleration of 30 rad/s2 . At the instance,
when the bar is at an angle of from the 𝑥-axis, determine the acceleration of 𝐴. ((−73.3i +
27.0j) m/s2

University of Warwick – School of Engineering