Motion in One Dimension Name:

Motion Problems

Read from Lesson 6 of the 1-D Kinematics chapter at The Physics Classroom:
http://www.physicsclassroom.com/Class/1DKin/U1L6a.cfm
http://www.physicsclassroom.com/Class/1DKin/U1L6b.cfm
http://www.physicsclassroom.com/Class/1DKin/U1L6c.cfm
http://www.physicsclassroom.com/Class/1DKin/U1L6d.cfm

MOP Connection: None

Show your work on the following problems.

1. An airplane accelerates down a run-way at 3.20 m/s2 for 32.8 s until is finally lifts off the ground. Determine the distance traveled
before take-off.

Given: a = 3.20 m/s2 t = 32.8 s vo = 0 m/s Unknown: d = ???

Relevant Equation: d = vo•t + ½•a•t2
Solution: d= (0 m/s)•(32.8 s) + ½•(3.20 m/s2)•(32.8 s)2
d= 0 m + 1721 m
Answer: 1721 m = 1720 m (3 sig figs)

2. A race car accelerates uniformly from 18.5 m/s to 46.1 m/s in 2.47 seconds. Determine the acceleration of the car.

Given: vo=18.5 m/s vf=46.1 m/s t=2.47 s Unknown: a = ???

Relevant Equation: vf= vo+ a•t (or a = ∆v/t)
Solution: 46.1 m/s = 18.5 m/s + a •(2.47 s)
46.1 m/s - 18.5 m/s = a •(2.47 s)
(46.1 m/s - 18.5 m/s) / (2.47 s) = a
Answer: 11.2 m/s2

3. A feather is dropped on the moon from a height of 1.40 meters. The acceleration of gravity on the moon is 1.67 m/s2. Determine the
time for the feather to fall to the surface of the moon.

Given: vo=0 m/s d=1.40 m a=1.67 m/s2 Unknown: t=???

Relevant Equation: d = vo•t + ½•a•t2
Solution: 1.40 m = (0 m/s)•(t) + ½•(1.67 m/s2)•t2
1.40 m = (0.835 m/s2)•t2
t2 = (1.40 m) / (0.835 m/s2)
t = SQRT(1.6766 … s2) (SQRT = square root)
Answer: 1.29 s

4. A bullet leaves a rifle with a muzzle velocity of 521 m/s. While accelerating through the barrel of the rifle, the bullet moves a distance
of 0.840 m. Determine the acceleration of the bullet (assume a uniform acceleration).

Given: vo=0 m/s vf=521 m/s d=0.840 m Unknown: a=???

Relevant Equation: vf2 = vo2 + 2•a•d
Solution: (521 m/s)2 = (0 m/s)2 + 2•a•(0.840 m)
271441 m2/s2 = (1.680 m)•a
a = (271441 m2/s2) / (1.680 m)
Answer: 1.62 x 105 m/s2 (3 sig figs)

© The Physics Classroom, 2009 Page 1

5. An engineer is designing a runway for an airport. Several planes will use the runway and the engineer must design it so that it is long
enough for the largest planes to become airborne before the runway ends. If the largest plane accelerates at 3.30 m/s2 and has a takeoff
speed of 88.0 m/s, then what is the minimum allowed length for the runway?

Given: vo=0 m/s a=3.30 m/s2 vf=88.0 m/s Unknown: DDD=???

Relevant Equation: vf2 = vo2 + 2•a•d
Solution: (88.0 m/s)2 = (0 m/s)2 + 2•(3.30 m/s2)•d
d = (7744 m2/s2) / (6.60 m/s2)
Answer: 1173 m = 1170 m (3 sig figs)

6. A student drives 4.8-km trip to school and averages a speed of 22.6 m/s. On the return trip home, the student travels with an average
speed of 16.8 m/s over the same distance. What is the average speed (in m/s) of the student for the two-way trip? (Be careful.)

The average speed for this two way trip is the total distance divided by the total time. The total distance is 9.6 km or 9600 m. The total
time is the time to travel to school (t1) plus the time to travel home from school (t2). These can be calculated using the average speeds for
each segment of the two-way trip. Using the average speed equation (vave = d/t):

t1 = d/vave-1 = (4800 m)/(22.6 m/s) t2 = d/vave-2 = (4800 m)/(16.8 m/s)

t1 = 212.389 … s t2 = 285.714 … s

So the total time is 498.103 … seconds and the average speed for the two-way trip is

vave = (9600 m)/(498.103 … s) = 19.3 m/s

7. Rennata Gas is driving through town at 25.0 m/s and begins to accelerate at a constant rate of -1.0 m/s2. Eventually Rennata comes to a
complete stop. Represent Rennata's accelerated motion by sketching a velocity-time graph. Use kinematic equations to calculate the
distance which Rennata travels while decelerating. Then use the velocity-time graph to
determine this distance. PSYW
25.0
Given: vo=25.0 m/s a=-1.0 m/s2 vf=0 m/s d=???
d = Area = ½•b•h
d=½•(25.0)•(25.0)
v (m/s)
Relevant Equation: vf2 = vo2 + 2•a•d
Solution: (0 m/s)2 = (25.0 m/s)2 + 2•(-1.0 m/s2)•d d=312.5 m
0 = 625.0 m2/s2 + (-2.0 m/s2)•d d=313 m
d = (625.0 m2/s2) / (-2.0 m/s2)
Answer: 312.5 m = 313 m (3 sig figs) 25.0
t (s)
The graphical solution is shown at the right.

8. Otto Emissions is driving his car at 25.0 m/s. Otto accelerates at 2.0 m/s2 for 5 seconds. Otto then maintains a constant velocity for 10
more seconds. Determine the distance Otto traveled during the entire 15 seconds. (Consider using a velocity-time graph.)

The v-t plot is shown at the right. The distance traveled is the cumulative area
35
(short rectangle + triangle + large rectangle). The area calculations are shown
below. 25
v (m/s)

d = Ashort rectangle + Atriangle + Alarge rectangle

d = (5 s)•(25 m/s) + ½•(5 s)•(10 m/s) + (10 s)•(35 m/s)
d = 125 m + 25 m + 350 m = 500. m t (s)
9. Chuck Wagon travels with a constant velocity of 0.5 mile/minute for 10 5.0 15.0
minutes. Chuck then decelerates at -.25 mile/min2 for 2 minutes. Determine the total distance traveled by Chuck Wagon during the 12
minutes of motion. (Consider using a velocity-time graph.)
velocity (mi/min)

The velocity-time plot is shown at the right. The diagonal line from 10-12
minutes descends to the v=0 mi/min mark since the acceleration of -0.25 .5
mi/min2 will reduce the velocity by -0.50 mi/min in 2.0 minutes. The shaded
area represents the displacement. It is the area of a rectangle (0-10 minutes)
plus the area of a triangle (10-12 minutes).

d = Arectangle + Atriangle time (min)

d = (0.5 mi/m)•(10 min) + ½•(2 min)•(0.5 mi/min) = 5.5 mi
0
10 12

© The Physics Classroom, 2009 Page 2