RELATIVE MOTION

B B r i l l i a n t ST U DY CE NT R E REPEATERS PHYSICS (ONLINE) -2021

v AB = v A vB v BA = v B v A
•
= 10iˆ 2iˆ ( ) (10iˆ)
= 2iˆ

= 8iˆ = 8iˆ

v AB = 8m / s v BA = 8 m / s
Note :
If two particles are moving in the same direction, then the magnitude of their relative velocity is the
difference of individual velocities

v AB = v A vB

Example ma
2

find v AB abd v BA

v AB = v A vB v BA = v B v A

( ) ( 2iˆ )
= 10iˆ = ( 2iˆ 10iˆ )
= 12iˆ = 12iˆ

v AB = 12m / s v BA = 12m / s
Note :
If two particles are moving in the opposite direction, then magnitude of their relative velocity is the sum
of their individual velocities

v AB = v A + v B

Relative acceleration
It is the rate at which relative velocity is changing acceleration of A with respect to B is given by

d ( v AB ) d
a AB = = ( vA vB )
dt dt

d d
= vA = vB
dt dt

= aA aB

a AB = a A aB

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B B r i l l i a n t ST U DY CE NT R E REPEATERS PHYSICS (ONLINE) -2021

Short cut to find relative velocity

Here we need to find the relative velocity

i.e. velocity of A with respect to B
For that keep ‘B’ at rest and give its velocity to A in the opposite direction

So relative velocity is 8 m/s

ExampleBaa
7

Find v AB and v BA

v AB = v A v B = 10iˆ ( ) (10ˆj) v BA = v B ( ) (10iˆ )

v A = 10ˆj

v AB = 102 + ( 10 ) = 10 2m / s v BA = 102 + ( 10 ) = 10 2m / s
2 2

Example 8t

( )
Velocity of A is ˆi + ˆj m / s . Velocity of A w.r.t B is 2iˆ + 3jˆ . Then the actual velocity of B is

2iˆ + 3jˆ . Then the actual velocity of B is

v A = ˆi + ˆj vB = ? v AB = 2iˆ + 3jˆ

v AB = v A vB

vB = vA v AB

( ) ( 2iˆ + 3jˆ ) =
= ˆi + ˆj ˆi 2jˆ

Example 9•
A belt is moving with velocity 10 m/s. A person is walking on the belt with velocity 2 m/s with respect to
the belt in the same direction. Find actual velocity of man

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B B r i l l i a n t ST U DY CE NT R E REPEATERS PHYSICS (ONLINE) -2021

vM Velocity of man

v MB Velocity of man w.r.t belt

vB Velocity of belt

v MB = v M vB

2iˆ = v M 10iˆ

v M = 12iˆ

v M = 12m / s

Mr
Example 11

Find the time of flight of the projectile (U - relative velocity)

at t = T, S y = 0

Sy = u y t + 1 2 a y t 2

1
0 = ( u sin )T + (g + a ) T2
2

2u sin
T=
g+a

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-
08 Since =
Wbf
Vs
Tom = VT -
Fm =
VI t C Tb )
-

umbrella must be held against

the relative velocity Vom .

 -_Vrf-Vm[
Sino =
tf goose Von

tax -_
Bfm

Trippett

•
,
downward
5) Rann is falling vertically

Fur
Fm This

Trevi Tim
-

Tim =TrtC -
Tm ) vom vrm=vftVm

tano VIG
µy
. . .

-_

since =
VfL

-
B B r i l l i a n t ST U DY CE NT R E REPEATERS PHYSICS (ONLINE) -2021

drift = 0

vR
Resultant velocity of man v M = v MR + v R + 2v MR + v R
2 2

v MR

v M = v MR
2
+ v R2 2v R2

v M = v MR
2
v R2

Note

vR
For shortest path cos =
v MR

We know that cos 1

vR
1 vR v MR
v MR

v MR vR

i.e. for zero drift v MR should be greater than or equal to v R

Example am
12
A river has width 120 metre. Velocity of river is 10 m/s. Velocity of boat in still water is 12 m/s. The boat is
rowed perpendicular to river flow
Find a) actual velocity of boat
b) time taken to cross the river
c) drift

Here = 90o v R = 10m / s d = 120m v MR = 12m / s

v M = v MR
2
+ v R2 + 2v MR v R cos

= 122 + 10 2 + 2 ×12 ××10 × cos

= 244 m / s

d 120
t= = = 10 sec
vMR sin 90 12 ×1

d
x = ( v MR cos + v R )
v MR sin
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B B r i l l i a n t ST U DY CE NT R E REPEATERS PHYSICS (ONLINE) -2021

120
= (12 × cos 90 + 10 )
12 × sin 90

120
= 10 × = 100 metre
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Example ma
13
A man can swim at the rate of 5 km/hr in still water. a 1 km wide river flows at the rate of 3 km/hr. The man
wishes to swim across the river directly opposite to the starting point
a) Along what direction he must swim ?
b) What is his resultant velocity
c) Time taken to cross the river

v MR = 5 km / hr
d = 1 km

v R = 3 km / hr

d 1 1
t= = = hour = 15 minutes
v 2MR v R2 52 32 4

v M = v MR
2
v 2R = 52 32 = 4 km / hr

vR
= cos 1

v MR

3
= cos
1
= 127o
5

angle made with the direction of river flow

127o downstream or 53o upstream

Example Bar
14
A boat moves relative to water with a velocity half of the river flow velocity. If the angle from the direction

of at which boat must move relative to stream direction to minimize drift is 2 n then n is ....

vR
v MR =
2

actually minimum drift is zero, but for that condition is v MR v R , but here v MR < v R
Minimum drift is not equal to zero

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drift is given by

d
x = ( v MR cos + v R )
v MR sin

d
x = d cot + v R × × cos ec
v MR

dx
for minimum drift =0
d

d
d ( cos ec 2 )+ v R × × ( cos ec cot )=0
vR
2

d cos ec 2 = 2d cos ec cot

cos ec = 2cot

1 cos
=2
sin sin

1
cos =
2

2
=
3

n =3
Sampleman
15
A man can swim at a speed 5 km/h in the still water. He wants to cross a 1600 m wide river flowing at
4 km/h. He keep himself at an angle 127o with river flow, while swimming. Find the time he takes to
cross the river, also find the distance travelled by him along the flow

v MR = 5 km / h
d = 1600m = 1.6 km

v R = 4 km / h

= 127 o

d 1.6 1.6
t= = = = 0.4 hour
v MR sin 5 × sin127 5 × 4
5

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B B r i l l i a n t ST U DY CE NT R E REPEATERS PHYSICS (ONLINE) -2021

d
x = ( v MR cos + v R )
v MR sin

1.6
= ( 5 × cos127 + 4 ) ×
5 × sin127

3 1.6
= 5× +4 ×
5 5× 4
5

= 1× 0.4
= 0.4 km = 400m
Example am
16
A man starts swimming at time t = 0 from point A on the ground and he wants to reach the point B
directly opposite the point A. His velocity in still water is 5 m/s and width of river is 48 m. River flow

velocity u varies with time is given by u = t 2 m/s. He always tries to swim in particular fixed direction

24
with river flow (given sin
1
= 74o )
25

a) direction in which he should make stroke and the time taken by the man to cross the river
Trajectory of path

Horizontal motion Vertical motion

vel = v R v MR sin vel = v MR cos = 5cos

vx = t 5sin disp = 48
2

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B B r i l l i a n t ST U DY CE NT R E REPEATERS PHYSICS (ONLINE) -2021

dx t 48
= 5sin t=
dt 2 5 cos

dx = t 2 dt = 5sin dt

Integrate

t2
x= 5sin t
4
drift t = 0
x=0

t2
= 5sin t
4

t = 20sin

48
20sin =
5cos
100 sin cos = 48

50 × sin 2 = 48

sin 2 = 24 25

2 = 74o

= 37 o
Rain Umbrella problems

v R - velocity of rain

v M - velocity of man

v RM - velocity of rain with respect to man

v RM = v R vM

Example 17
He
The rain is falling vertically downward with velocity 6 m/s and man is moving horizontally with velocity
8 m/s. Find the velocity of rain with respect to man ?
Find the velocity of rain with respect to man ?

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B B r i l l i a n t ST U DY CE NT R E REPEATERS PHYSICS (ONLINE) -2021

vR = 6 ( ˆj) = 6ˆj

v M = 8iˆ

v RM = v R vM = 6jˆ 8iˆ

v RM = v RM = 62 + 82 = 10 m / s
Note :

Take man at rest

Angle made by umbrella with vertical = angle made by v RM with vertical

Example And
18
A man is walking due west with a velocity 3 km/h and rain appears to be falling vertically, with a velocity
4 km/h. Find the velocity of rain with respect to the ground

v M = 3iˆ

v RM = 4iˆ

v RM = v R vM

v R = v RM + v M = 4jˆ 3iˆ

v R = v R = 42 + 32 = 5 km / h

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B B r i l l i a n t ST U DY CE NT R E REPEATERS PHYSICS (ONLINE) -2021

a.
Example 19
A man running on a horizontal road at 6 km/h finds rain falling vertically. He double his speed and finds
that rain drops makes an angle 37 o with the vertical. Find the velocity of rain with respect to ground
assume that actual velocity of rain

v R = aiˆ bjˆ
1st Case

v M = 6ˆj

v R = aiˆ bjˆ

v RM = v R (
v M = aiˆ bjˆ ) (6iˆ)
v RM = ( a 6 ) ˆi bjˆ

In this case v RM is vertical

No horizontal component
a–6=0

a=6
2nd Case

v M = 12iˆ

v R = aiˆ bjˆ

v RM = ( a 12 ) ˆi bjˆ

In this case v RM makes an angle 37 o with vertical

Ax
tan 1
= 37 o
Ay

a 12
= tan 37
b

6 12 3
=
b 4

6 3
= b = 24 3 b= 8
b 4
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v R = aiˆ bjˆ

v R = a 2 + b 2 = 62 + ( 8 ) = 10 km / h
2

Example Mk
20
A standing man observes rain falling with velocity 20 m/s at an angle of 30o with the vertical. Find the
velocity with which the man should move so that the rain appears to fall vertically to him

v R = 20sin 30 ( iˆ) + 20 cos 30 ( ˆj)

v R = 10iˆ 10 3jˆ

v M = aiˆ

v RM = v R vM

= ( 10iˆ 10 3jˆ ) aiˆ

(10 + a ) ˆi 10 3jˆ

v RM is vertical so no horizontal component

horizontal comp = 0
10 + a = 0
a = -10

v M = aiˆ = 10iˆ

v M = v M = 10 m / s
Aircraft wind Problems
This is similar to river boat problem

v MR is replaced by v AW (velocity of aircraft with respect to wind)

v R is replaced by v W (velocity of wind)

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B B r i l l i a n t ST U DY CE NT R E REPEATERS PHYSICS (ONLINE) -2021

Relative Motion between two Projectiles

Consider two projectiles projected simultaneously.

1st projectile is seen from second projectile, for that second projectile makes at rest

Since acceleration is zero both horizontal and vertical component remains constant. Therefore it looks
like a straight line
Note

If u1 cos 1 = u 2 cos 2

then it will be a vertical straight line

If u1 sin 1 = u 2 sin 2

then it will be a horizontal straight line and they will collide after some time

Condition for collision is u1 sin 1 = u 2 sin 2

Example 22
A particle A is projected with an initial velocity of 60 m/s at an angle 30o to the horizontal. At the same
time second particle B is projected in opposite direction with initial speed 50 m/s from a point at a
distance 100m from A. Find the time when the collision take place.
Circular Motion
Angular displacement ( )
Angle traced by the position vector of a particle moving w.r.t some fixed point is called angular
displacement

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