Relative Velocity in Two Dimensions (Application) - Kinematics Fundamentals - OpenStax CNX

Relative velocity in two dimensions (application) - Kinematics fundamentals - OpenStax CNX 25/12/20, 7:54 PM
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3.4 Relative velocity in Get This Book!

two dimensions
(application) Page by: Sunil Kumar Singh
Summary
Questions and their answers are presented here in the module text format as if it were an
extension of the treatment of the topic. The idea is to provide a verbose explanation,
detailing the application of theory. Solution presented is, therefore, treated as the part of the
understanding process – not merely a Q/A session. The emphasis is to enforce ideas and
concepts, which can not be completely absorbed unless they are put to real time situation.
Hints on solving problems

Solution of problems involving relative motion in two dimensions involves evaluation
of vector equation. The evaluation or analysis of vector equation is not limited to the
use of pythogoras theorem, but significantly makes use of goemtric consideration like
evaluating trigonometirc ratios.
Generally, we attempt graphical solution. This is so because graphical solution is
intuitive and indicative of actual physical phenomenon. However, most of the problem
can equally be handled with the help of algebraic vector analysis, involving unit
vectors.
Representative problems and their solutions

We discuss problems, which highlight certain aspects of the study leading to the relative
https://cnx.org/contents/UYPplaH7@29.32:tvn5KlEJ@7/Relative-velocity-in-two-dimensions-application Page 1 of 12
We discuss problems, which highlight certain aspects of the study leading to the relative
velocity in two dimensions. The questions are categorized in terms of the characterizing
features of the subject matter :
Velocity of an individual object
Relative velocity
Closest approach
Velocity of an individual object
Problem : A man, moving at 3 km/hr along a straight line, finds that the rain drops are
falling at 4 km/hr in vertical direction. Find the angle with which rain drop hits the
ground.
Solution : Let the man be moving in x-direction. Let us also denote man with “A” and
rain drop with “B”. Here, we need to know the direction of rain drop with respect to
ground i.e. the direction of vB .
Here,
vA = 3 km / hr
vB = ?
vBA = 4 km /hr : in the vertical direction
Using equation, vBA = vB − vA ,
⇒ vB = vA + vBA
In order to evaluate the right hand side of the equation, we construct the vector
diagram as shown in the figure.
Relative motion in two dimensions
Figure 1.
From inspection of given data and using appropriate trigonometric function in ΔOBR,
we have :
3
tan θ = 4
= tan 370
⇒ θ = 370
Problem : A person, moving at a speed of 1 m/s, finds rain drops falling (from back) at
2 m/s at an angle 30° with the vertical. Find the speed of raindrop (m/s) with which it
hits the ground.
Solution : Let the person be moving in x-direction. Let us also denote man with “A”
and rain drop with “B”. Here we need to know the speed of the rain drops with respect
to ground i.e. vB .
Here,
vA = 1 m/s
vB = ?
vBA = 2 m/s
⇒ vB = vA + vBA
In order to evaluate the right hand side of the equation, we construct the vector
diagram as shown in the figure.
Figure 2.
From parallelogram theorem,

From parallelogram theorem,
vB = √(vA 2 + vBA 2 + 2vA vBA cos 600 )

⇒ vB = √(12 + 22 + 2 x 1 x 2 x 12 )
⇒ vB = √(1 + 4 + 2) = √7 m/s
Problem : A boy moves with a velocity 0.5 i – j in m/s. He receives rains at a velocity
0.5 i – 2j in m/s. Find the speed at which rain drops meet the ground.
Solution : Let the person be moving along OA. Let us also denote man with “A” and
rain drop with “B”. Here we need to know the speed at which rain drops fall on the
ground ( vB ).
Here,
vA = 0.5i − j
vB = ?
vBA = 0.5i − 2j
⇒ vB = vA + vBA
Kinematics fundamentals Book by: Sunil Kumar Singh
Figure 3.
Back (/contents/UYPplaH7@29.32:JMEVITi8/Relative-velocity
Nex
⇒ vB = 0.5i − j + 0.5i − 2j = i − 3j
! Contents + Search this book " in-two-dimensions
⇒ vB = √(1 + 9) = √(10) m/s
Relative velocity
Problem : Rain drop appears to fall in vertical direction to a person, who is walking at a
velocity 3 m/s in a given direction. When the person doubles his velocity in the same
direction, the rain drop appears to come to make an angle 45° from the vertical. Find
the speed of the rain drop.
Solution : This is a slightly tricky question. Readers may like to visualize the problem
and solve on their own before going through the solution given here.
Let us draw the situations under two cases. Here, only the directions of relative
velocities in two conditions are given. The figure on left represents initial situation. Here,
the vector OP represents velocity of the person ( vA ); OR represents relative velocity of
rain drop with respect to person ( vBA ); OS represents velocity of rain drop.
The figure on right represents situation when person starts moving with double velocity.
Here, the vector OT represents velocity of the person ( vA1 ); OW represents relative
velocity of rain drop with respect to person ( vBA1 ). We should note that velocity of rain
( vB ) drop remains same and as such, it is represented by OS represents as before.
Relative Figure
velocity 4.
4b: Raindrop appears to fall at angle of
45°.
4a: Raindrop appears to fall vertically.
According to question, we are required to know the speed of raindrop. It means that we
need to know the angle “θ” and the side OS, which is the magnitude of velocity of
raindrop. It is intuitive from the situation that it would help if consider the vector
diagram and carry out geometric analysis to find these quantities. For this, we
substitute the vector notations with known magnitudes as shown here.
Relative velocity
Figure 5. Values of diﬀerent segments are shown.
We note here that
WR = UQ = 4 m∕s
Clearly, triangles ORS and ORW are congruent triangles as two sides and one enclosed
angle are equal.
WR = RS = 4m/s
OR = OR
∠ORW = ∠ORS = 900

Hence,
∠WOR = ∠SOR = 450

In triangle ORS,
RS
sin 450 =
OS
RS
⇒ OS = = 4√2
‾ m/s
sin 450
Problem : Rain drop appears to fall in vertical direction to a person, who is wlaking at a
velocity 3 m/s in a given direction. When the person doubles his velocity in the same
direction, the rain drop appears to come to make an angle 45° from the vertical. Find
the speed of the rain drop, using unit vectors.
Solution : It is the same question as earlier one, but is required to be solved using unit
vectors. The solution of the problem in terms of unit vectors gives us an insight into the
working of algebraic analysis and also let us appreciate the power and elegance of
working of algebraic analysis and also let us appreciate the power and elegance of
using unit vectors to find solution of the problem, which otherwise appears to be
diﬃcult.
Let the velocity of raindrop be :
vB = ai + bj
where “a” and “b” are constants. Note here that we have considered vertically
downward direction as positive.
Relative Figure
velocity 6.
6a: Raindrop appears to fall vertically. 6b: Raindrop appears to fall at angle of
45°.
According to question,
vA = 4i
The relative velocity of raindrop with respect to person is :
vBA = vB − vA = ai + bj − 4i = (a − 4)i + bj
However, it is given that the raindrop appears to fall in vertical direction. It means that
relative velocity has no component in x-direction. Hence,
a−4=0
a=4 m/s
and
vBA = bj
In the second case,
vA1 = 8i
B 1
= B − A = ai + bj − 8i = (a − 8)i + bj = (4 − 8)i + bj = −4i + bj
vBA1 = vB − vA = ai + bj − 8i = (a − 8)i + bj = (4 − 8)i + bj = −4i + bj

It is given that the raindrop appears to fall in the direction, making an angle 45° with the
vertical.
4
tan 1350 = −1 = −
b
Note that tangent of the angle is measured from positive x – direction (90° + 45° = 135°)
of the coordinate system.
b=4
Thus, velocity of the raindrop is :
vB = ai + bj = −4i + bj
The speed of raindrop is :
⇒ vB = √‾(‾‾‾‾‾‾‾
42 + 42 ‾) = 4√2
‾ m/s
Closest approach
Problem : The car “B” is ahead of car “A” by 10 km on a straight road at a given time.
At this instant, car “B” turns left on a road, which makes right angle to the original
direction. If both cars are moving at a speed of 40 km/hr, then find the closest approach
between the cars and the time taken to reach closest approach.
Motion of two cars
Figure 7. Motion of two cars in perpendicular directions

Figure 7. Motion of two cars in perpendicular directions
Solution : Closest approach means that the linear distance between the cars is
mimimum. There are two ways to handle this question. We can proceed in the
conventional manner, considering individual velocity as observed from ground
reference. We use calculus to find the closest approach. Alternatively, we can use the
concept of relative velocity and determine the closest approach. Here, we shall first use
the relative velocity technique. By solving in two ways, we shall reinforce the
conceptual meaning of relative velocity and see that its interpretation in terms of a
stationary reference is a valid conception.
The car “A” moves with certain relative velocity with respect to “B”, which is given by :
vAB = vA − vB
Since they are moving with same speed and at right angle to each other, relative
velocity is as shown in the figure. Using pythagoras theorem, the magnitude of relative
velocity is :
Relative velocity
Figure 8. Relative velocity is obtained as sum of vectors.
vAB = √‾(‾‾‾‾‾‾‾
v2 + v2 ‾) = √‾(‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾
402 + 402‾) = 40√2
‾ m/s
Its direction with respect to original direction is :
40
tan θ = =1
40
θ = 450
As we have discussed, relative velocity can be conceptually interpreted as if car “B” is
stationary and car “A” is moving with a velocity 40√2
‾ making an angle 45°. Since
stationary and car “A” is moving with a velocity 40√2 making an angle 45°. Since
perpendicular drawn from the position of “B” (which is stationary) to the path of motion
of “A” is the shortest linear distance and hence the closest approach. Therefore,
closets approach by trigonometry of Δ ABC,
Relative velocity
Figure 9. Closest approach
1
rmin = AB sin 450 = 10x = 5√2
‾ km
√2
‾
We should understand here that car “A” is moving in the direction as shown from the
perspective of car “B”.
The time taken by car “A” to travel 5√2

‾ km with a velocity of 40√2
‾ m/s along the
direction is :
5√2‾ 1
t= = hr = 7.5 min
40√2‾ 8
Now, let us now attempt to analyze motion from the ground’s perpective. The figure
here shows the positions of the car and linear distance between them at a
displacement of 1 km. The linear distance first decreases and then increases. At a
given time, the linear distance between the cars is :
Motion of two cars
Figure 10. Closest approach
r = √‾{‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾
(10 − x)2 + y2 }‾
For minimum distance, first time derivative is equal to zero. Hence,

dy
dr −2 (10 − x) dx
dt
+ 2y dt
⇒ = =0
dt 2√{(10 − x) + y }
‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾
2 2 ‾
dx dy
⇒ −2 (10 − x) + 2y =0
dt dt
⇒ −10 + x + y = 0
⇒ x + y = 10
Since cars are moving with same speed, x = y. Hence,
x=y=5 km
The closest approach, therefore, is :
rmin = √‾{‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾
(10 − x)2 + y2 }‾ = √‾{‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾
(10 − 5)2 + 52 }‾ = 5√2
‾
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Relative velocity in two dimensions (application) - Kinematics fundamentals - OpenStax CNX 25/12/20, 7:54 PM

CNX is retiring! Textbooks by OpenStax will always be available at openstax.org. Community-created ×

3.4 Relative velocity in Get This Book!

Hints on solving problems

Representative problems and their solutions

Velocity of an individual object

Relative motion in two dimensions

Relative motion in two dimensions

From parallelogram theorem,

From parallelogram theorem,

vB = √(vA 2 + vBA 2 + 2vA vBA cos 600 )

Relative motion in two dimensions

Kinematics fundamentals Book by: Sunil Kumar Singh

4a: Raindrop appears to fall vertically.

Figure 5. Values of diﬀerent segments are shown.

We note here that

∠ORW = ∠ORS = 900

∠WOR = ∠SOR = 450

Let the velocity of raindrop be :

In the second case,

vBA1 = vB − vA = ai + bj − 8i = (a − 8)i + bj = (4 − 8)i + bj = −4i + bj

The speed of raindrop is :

Motion of two cars

Figure 7. Motion of two cars in perpendicular directions

Figure 7. Motion of two cars in perpendicular directions

Figure 8. Relative velocity is obtained as sum of vectors.

Its direction with respect to original direction is :

Figure 9. Closest approach

The time taken by car “A” to travel 5√2

Motion of two cars

Figure 10. Closest approach

For minimum distance, first time derivative is equal to zero. Hence,

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Licensing (/license) Terms of Use (/tos)

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