RELATIVE VELOCITY

INTERCEPTION AND COLLISION

By
Ronald Ddungu
ronaldddungu@yahoo.com
 Relative Displacement
Consider two ships A and B initially at points P and Q
moving with constant velocities VA and VB
respectively. We can then find the relative velocity
VAB and relative displacement rAB. This relative
velocity considers A moving while B is taken to be
stationary. Thus if VAB is said to be in the direction PQ
then most likely A will get to Q and collide with B.
Hence VAB is in the same direction as rAB. This means
that the vector rAB is a simple multiple of VAB which
means that rAB = KVAB where k is a constant.
 Explanation
Consider two ships A and
B initially at points P and
Q moving with constant
velocities VA and VB
respectively. We can then
find the VAB .This relative
velocity considers A
moving while B is taken to
be stationary. Thus if VAB
is said to be in the
direction PQ then most
likely A will get to Q and
collide with B.
Diagram;
VA VB
P Q
When the direction of motion for A
and B is known and VAB calculated
to be in the direction from P to Q
then collision of A and B is
expected. When we use vectors,
the vectors VAB and rAB are in the
same direction and thus parallel.
VAB = VA – VB and rAB = rA – rB.
 Example One
At 12 noon two ships A Solution;
VB= 10kmh-1
and B are 10km apart
with B due east of A. A is
travelling at 20kmh-1 in a
direction N 600 E and B is VA= 20kmh-1
travelling at 10kmh-1 due 600
north. Show that, if the
A 10km B
two ships maintain these
velocities , they will
collide and find, to the VA = 20Cos 300 i + 20 Sin 300j.
nearest minute, when the VA = 10√3i + 10j.
collision occurs.
VB = 10j.
 Using the vector approach
If we assume A to be at the origin Time = Distance/velocity
then B will be at (10,0). T = rAB
Hence rA = 0i + 0j VAB
rB = 10 i.
rAB = rA – rB = (0i + 0j) - 10 i T = √(-10)2
= - 10 i. √ (10√3)2
VAB = VA- VB
= 10√3i + 10j - 10j = 0.57735 Hrs
= 34.6 minutes = 35 minutes.
= 10√3i
Since rAB = KVAB Therefore collision occurs at 12.35p.m
Then the relative velocity VAB is
in the direction of the relative
displacement rAB. Hence
collision is expected.
 Using the sketch diagram
2 2 2 0
VB= 10kmh-1 VAB = 20 +10 - 2(20)(10)Cos60 .
= 500 – 200
= 300
VAB = √300
= 10√3 kmh-1
VA= 20kmh-1 From;
0 VAB = 20 Kmh-1
60
Sin600 Sinx0
Sin x0 = 20 Sin 600
10km
10√3
Sin x0 = 1
To find VAB = VA – VB x0 = Sin-1 (1)
= VA + - VB x0 = 900.
Direction of VAB is due east hence collision is
600 expected.
-VB = 10kmh -1
V = 20kmh-1
A
x0

VAB
 Example two
At 11:30a.m a jumbo jet has a
position vector
(-100i + 220j)km and velocity
vector (300i+400j)kmh-1 .At
11:45 a.m a cargo plane has a
position vector
(-60i + 355j)km and a velocity
vector (400i + 300j)kmh-1.
Show that if these velocities
are maintained the planes will
crash into each other and find
the time and position vector
of the crash.
At 11:30 a.m;
rJ= (-100i + 220j)km
VJ = (300i+400j)kmh-1
At 11:45a.m;
rJ =(-100i + 220j)+(300i+400j)x1/4
= (-25i + 320j)km.
At 11:45a.m;
rC = (-60i + 355j)km
VC = (400i + 300j)kmh-1
Finding VJC = VJ – VC
VJC = (300i+400j)-(400i + 300j)
= (-100i + 100j) kmh-1
 Finding the relative displacement
Finding rJC = rJ– rC Time = rJC
rJC=(-25i+320j)-(-60i +355j) VJC
= (35i -35j)km t = √( 352 + -352)
Since (35i -35j)= k(-100i + 100j) √(-1002 + 1002)
Where k is a constant then t = 0.35hrs
rJC is simple multiple of VJC. t = 0.35x 60 minutes
Hence the two vectors are in the t = 21 minutes
same direction and collision is Time of the crash;
expected. = 11:45 + 21min
= 12:06p.m
 Position of the crash
Using the jumbo’s position at the crash time;
New position = (-25i + 320j)+(300i+400j)x 0.35
= (80i+ 469j) km.
Example three: At 2p.m,the position vectors r and
velocity vectors v of three ships A and B are as follows:
rA = (5i +j)km VA = (9i + 18j ) kmh-1
rB = (12i + 5j)km VB = (-12i +6j) kmh-1
Assuming that all three ships maintain these velocities ,
show that A and B will collide and find when and where
the collision occurs.
 Solution
Let the particles collide after time t;
The new positions are: For collision rAB(t) = 0 for a particular
rA(t) = rA + VAt value of t.
= (5i +j)+ (9i + 18j )t -7+21t = 0 and -4 +12t = 0
Similarly; 21t =7 12t = 4
rB(t) = (12i + 5j) + (-12i +6j)t t= 7/21 and t = 4/12
Thus rAB(t)= rA(t) - rB(t) t = 1/3 and t = 1/3
Since t is unique where t = 1/3
rAB(t) = 5+ 9t - 12-12t then collision is expected.
1+18t 5 + 6t
The unique value of t indicates
that there is a particular time t
= when the particles collide and the
-7 + 21t displacement between them
-4 + 12t expressed as rAB(t) = 0.
 Time of collision
Thus since t= 1/3 x 60
= 20 minutes.
Collision is expected at 2:20p.m
Position of collision;
rA(t=1/3) = rA + VAt
= (5i +j)+ (9i + 18j )x 1/3
= (8i + 7j)km.
 Example four
The driver of a speed boat travelling at
75kmh-1 wishes to intercept a yatch travelling
at 20kmh-1 in a direction N 400 E. Initially the
speedboat is positioned 10km from the yatch
on a bearing S300 E. Find the course that the
driver of the speed boat should set to
intercept the yatch and how long the journey
will take.
 Solution
Diagram: Using vectors;
VY = 20 Cos 500i + 20 Sin 500j
= 12.85575i + 15.32089j
20kmh-1 VS = -75 Sinx0i +75Cosx0j.
400 VSY = VS – VY
Yatch =-75Sinx0i +75Cosx0j-(12.85575i + 15.32089j)
0
75kmh-1 = (-75Sinx0-12.85575)i+(75Cosx0 -15.32089)j
30
VSY should be in the direction N300W for interception .
10km Tan 1200 = y/x
x0
-1.7321 = 75Cosx0 -15.32089
(-75Sinx0-12.85575)
Speed boat
129.9075Sinx0+22.26744 = 75Cosx0 -15.32089
129.9075Sinx0 -75Cosx0 = -15.32089-22.26744

Let the speed boat travel N x0 W

 Finding the direction
Dividing through by 75;
1.7321Sinx0 – Cosx0 = -0.501178
Rsin (x-a) = - 0.501178
RSina0 = 1 and
RCosa0 = 1.7321
Tan a0 = 1/1.7321
= 0.5773339
a0 = Tan-1(0.5773339)
= 300.
R = √(12 + 1.73212)
R=2
From
Rsin (x-a) = - 0.501178
2Sin (x-30)0=- 0.501178
Sin(x-30)0=-0.250589
(x-30)0 =Sin-1 (- 0.250589)
(x-30)0 = -14.510
x = ( 30-14.51)0
x = 15.490
The speed boat must steer in
the direction N 15.490 W in
order to intercept the yatch.
 The time taken
VSY = (-75Sinx0-12.85575)i+(75Cosx0 -15.32089)j
= (-75Sin15.50-12.85575)i+(75Cos15.50 -15.32089)j
= (-32.8986)i +(56.9514)j
VSY = √(-32.89862 + 56.95142)
= 65.77066kmh-1
Therefore time taken for the journey;
t = 10km
65.77066kmh-1
= 0.15204hrs
= 9 min 7 sec.
 Home work
Question one:
A batsman hits a ball at 15ms-1 in a direction S
800W. A fielder ,45m and S 650W from the
batsman, runs at 6ms-1 to intercept the ball.
Assuming the velocities remain unchanged,
find in what direction the fielder must run to
intercept the ball as quickly as possible. How
long does it take him, to the nearest tenth of a
second?
 Research
1.Please watch the video at:

http://www.yourepeat.com/watch/?v=W1Mx
EsqX09k

2. Download the power point and run it on your

computer;
www.freewebs.com/amaths1/Relative%20vel
ocity7.ppt