STPM Physics [Term 1]

Chapter 2 − KINEMATICS
Syllabus

Topic Outcome Mastery

Linear motion i. derive and use equations of motion with constant
acceleration;

ii. sketch and use graphs of displacement-time,

velocity-time, and acceleration-time for the
motion of a body with constant acceleration;

Projectiles i. solve problems on projectile motion without air

resistance;

ii. explain the effects of air resistance on the motion

of bodies in air;

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STPM Physics [Term 1]

2.1 Linear Motion

0 − displacement; 1 − time; 2 − initial velocity; 3 − 4inal velocity; 5 − acceleration

Definitions;

• Displacement is the shortest distance of an object with respect to its initial position.
• Velocity is the rate of change of displacement.
• Acceleration is the rate of change of velocity.

From the definition of acceleration;

3−2
59
1
Rearranging;

; 9 < = >? … ABC

Displacement 0 is given by the area under the velocity-time graph

B
D 9 E A< = ;C? … AEC
Velocity

3
Substituting A1C into A2C;
F
0 9 [2 = A2 = 51C]1 2
G

F
0 9 G A221 = 51 G C

B
D 9 <? = >?E … AHC
E
0
1 Time
Squaring A1C;

3 G 9 A2 = 51CG

3 G 9 2G = 2251=5G 1 G

1
3 G 9 2G = 25 I21 = 51 G J
2

;E 9 <E = E>D … AKC

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STPM Physics [Term 1]

Displacement-time graph

• Gradient 9 velocity
• Positive gradient 9 positive velocity Amoving away from starting pointC
• Negative gradient 9 negative velocity Amoving towards the starting pointC

Velocity-time graph

• Area under the graph 9 displacement

• Gradient 9 acceleration
• Positive gradient 9 acceleration Aincreasing velocityC
• Negative gradient 9 deceleration Adecreasing velocityC or acceleration Aincreasing
velocity in opposite direction.

Acceleration-time graph

• Acceleration must be a straight line, usually parallel to O-axis

• Area under the graph 9 change in velocity

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STPM Physics [Term 1]

Example 1

1. A car travelling at 16 m s RF is at a distance of 36 m from a stationary lorry when the brakes

of the car are applied. The car crashes into the lorry 4.0 s later.

AaC what is the speed of the car just before colliding with the lorry?

1
0 9 A2 = 3C1
2
1
36 9 A16 = 3CA4C
2
3 9 2 m s RF

AbC what is the car’s deceleration?

3−2
59
1
2 − 16
59
4
5 9 −3.5 m s RF

2. A lift, initially at rest, moves upwards at constant acceleration. After 4.0 s, it reaches a
velocity of 8.0 m s RF and moves at this velocity for 2.0 s. After that the lift decelerates at
constant deceleration and stops after 9.0 s.

AaC Sketch the variation of velocity with time for the motion of the lift.

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STPM Physics [Term 1]

AbC Use the graph to calculate

AiC the total distance travelled by the lift

Total distance 9 area under the graph

1
Y 9 A2 = 9CA8C
2
Y 9 44 m

AiiC the acceleration of the lift

8
59
4
5 9 2 m s RG

AiiiC the deceleration of the lift

8
59−
3
5 9 −2.7 m s RG

AivC the average speed of the lift.

total distance
39
time
44
39
9
3 9 4.9 m s RF

3. The velocity of a car which decelerates uniformly decreases from 30 m sRF to 15 m s RF

within a distance of 75 m. Calculate the extra distance travelled by the car before it stops.

3 G 9 2G = 250

A15CG 9 A30CG = 25A75C

5 9 −4.5 m s RG

3 G 9 2G = 250

0 9 15G = 2A−4.5C0

0 9 25 m

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STPM Physics [Term 1]

4. A car moves at constant velocity 80 km hRF on a straight road. At the moment the car is 10
m away from a cat on the side of the road, the cat suddenly dashes across the road. Brakes
are applied and the car comes to a stop after travelling 10 m. Determine

AaC the deceleration, assumed to be constant, of the car

80 000
29 9 22.2 m sRF
3 600
3 G 9 2G = 250

0 9 A22.2CG = 25A10C

5 9 −24.6 m s RG

AbC the time taken by the car to move through the 10 m.

3 9 2 = 51

0 9 22.2 = A−24.6C1

1 9 0.90 s

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STPM Physics [Term 1]

Checkpoint 2.1

1. The speed of a car which is moving on a straight road is reduced from 30 m sRF to 15 m s RF
over a distance of 800 m. If the deceleration is constant, determine the additional distance
through which the car must travel in order to come to rest.

[268 m]

2. A car is travelling at 13 m s RF towards some traffic lights. When the driver sees the light
change to red, the car is at a distance of 25 m from the stop line. The reaction time of the
driver is 0.7 s and the condition of the road does not permit the car to decelerate greater
than 4.5 m s RG. With the brakes fully applied, how far from the stop line is the car when it
stops? On which side of the line is the car?

[2.9 m]

3. A rocket is launched vertically and it moves upwards with a uniform acceleration of

19.6 m s RG for 60 s. At that point the rocket stops burning fuel and continues to move as a
free object under the influence of gravity.

AaC what is the maximum height reached by the rocket?

AbC what is the total time of travel from the moment the rocket is launched until it crashes
to the ground?

[AaC 106 km, AbC 326.8 s]

4. An object is released from rest and falls freely under gravity. Sketch the following graphs
for the motion of the object.

AaC displacement-time graph

AbC velocity-time graph

AcC acceleration-time graph

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STPM Physics [Term 1]

2.2 Projectiles

When an object is thrown at an angle ] to the horizontal, its motion consists of two
components;

• vertical component under uniform acceleration due to gravity _

• horizontal component of constant velocity
• this results in parabolic path of the object in the air.

Suppose an object is launched with initial velocity of 3` at an angle of projection ] to the

horizontal, the vertical 3a and horizontal 3b components of velocity is given by;

• 3a 9 3` sin ]
• 3b 9 3` cos ]

Analysing the vertical component to get the expression for maximum height c and time of
flight d.

Initial velocity 9 3` sin ]

Acceleration 9 −_

At maximum height, vertical component of velocity 9 0

From 3 G 9 2G = 250

From 0 9 A3` sin ]CG = 2A−_Ce

fg h ijkh l
From e 9
Gm

Time taken to reach maximum height, 1n ;

From 3 9 2 = 51

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STPM Physics [Term 1]

From 0 9 3` sin ] − _1n

fg ijk l
From 1n 9
m

The instantaneous height o, at any time 1 is expressed as;

F
From 0 9 21 = 51 G
G

F
From o 9 A3` sin ]C1 = A−_C1 G
G

F
From o 9 A3` sin ]C1 − G _1 G

The total time of flight p, consider when the object lands on the ground, 0 9 0.
F
From 0 9 21 = 51 G
G

1
From 0 9 A3` sin ]Cp − _p G
2
23` sin ]
From p 9 9 21n
_

The relation p 9 21n implies that the time taken by the object to reach its maximum height is
the same as the time it takes to move from maximum height to the ground.

Analysing the horizontal component to obtain the expression for the range q, the maximum
horizontal distance travelled by the object.

Initial velocity 9 3` cos ]

The horizontal displacement at any time 1;

From 0 9 31

From 0 9 A3` cos ]C1

The range of the projectile r;

From 0 9 3p

Gfg ijk l
From r 9 A3` cos ]C s t
m

fg h ijk Gl
From r 9
m

Maximum range R occurs when sin 2] 9 1 → ] 9 45°.

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STPM Physics [Term 1]

Effects of air resistance

• Think of air resistance as a friction when an object moves in air

• Air resistance will introduce a force acting in opposite direction of motion
• Taking air resistance into account, projectile motion will not follow a perfect parabolic
path

Without air resistance

Actual path

Example 2

1. A ball is thrown horizontally with a velocity of 20 m s RF from a cliff. Assuming that air
resistance may be neglected, what is the speed of the ball 5.0 s later?

Initial velocity 3b 9 20 m s RF, 2a 9 0 20 m s RF

Consider the vertical component of the velocity, after 5.0 s later;

From 3 9 2 = 51

From 3a 9 2a = _1

From 3a 9 0 = A9.8CA5C

From 3a 9 49 m s RF

Horizontal component of velocity remains the same

Resultant velocity 3 9 x3b G = 3a G

Resultant velocity 3 9 xA20CG = A49CG

Resultant velocity 3 9 53 m s RF

Direction of resultant velocity;

3a
tan ] 9
3b

49
tan ] 9
20
] 9 −67.8° from positive O-axis or 22.2° from vertical.

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STPM Physics [Term 1]

2. A bomb is released from a plane which is diving at an angle of 30° from vertical. The plane
is at a height of 1000 m when the bomb is released. The bomb hits the ground 10 s later.
What is the speed of the plane when the bomb is released? Take _ 9 10 m s RG.

Consider the vertical component of velocity

1
From 0 9 21 = _1 G
2
1
From 1000 9 A2 cos 30°CA10C = A10CA10CG
2
From 2 9 57.7 m s RF

3. A ball is thrown horizontally from a point 5.0 m above the ground with a speed of 30 m s RF .
How far away does the ball land on the ground? Calculate the velocity of the ball when it
land on the ground.

Consider the vertical component of velocity, time taken to land on the ground;

1
From 0 9 2a 1 = 51 G
2
1
From 5.0 9 0 = A9.81C1 G
2
From 1 9 1.01 s

Range 9 2b t

Range 9 30A1.01C

Range 9 30.3 m

Velocity of the ball when it land on the ground;

Resultant velocity 3 9 xA9.91CG = A30CG

Resultant velocity 3 9 31.6 m s RF

Direction of resultant velocity;

3a
tan ] 9
3b

30
tan ] 9
9.91
] 9 −71.2° from positive O-axis or 18.2° from vertical

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STPM Physics [Term 1]

Checkpoint 2.2

1. When a rifle is fired horizontally at a target P on a screen at a range of 50 m, the bullet the
strikes the target at a point 20.0 mm below the initial height. The screen is now moved to a
distance of 100 m and the rifle is fired again at P in its new position. Neglecting air
resistance, what is the new distance below the initial height at which the target would now
be struck?

[80.0 mm]

2. Refer to the diagram below;

Determine the minimum acceleration of a car which has to travel through 10 m on a

horizontal floor so that it can just clear the vertical wall XY.

[8.2 m s RG]

3. AaC An object is projected with initial speed 3 at angle ] with the horizontal. Show that

_O G
vertical displacement o 9 O tan ] − G G
23 cos ]
AbC The diagram below shows a jeep travelling at a constant speed 10 m s RF towards a
security post.

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STPM Physics [Term 1]

A security guard holding his rifle 15 m above the ground shoots horizontally when the
jeep is 0.7 km from the security post. The bullet of the rifle strikes the jeep. Calculate

AiC the time taken by the bullet to strike the jeep

AiiC the distance of the jeep from the security post when it is struck,

AiiiC the initial speed of the bullet,

AivC the speed and direction of the bullet when it strikes the jeep.

[AiC1.7 s AiiC683 m AiiiC402 m sRF AivC402.3 m sRF at 2.4° from horizontal or 87.6° from vertical ]

Solution

1.

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STPM Physics [Term 1]

Tutorial 2

1. The variation of acceleration 5 with time 1 for a car which is initially at rest is shown in the
graph below.

A 32.0 m s RF B 35.0 m s RF C 36.0 m s RF D 37.0 m s RF

2. A long jumper jumps at an angle of 20.0° to the horizontal with a take-off speed of
11.0 m s RF . What is the distance of his jump?

A 3.96 m B 4.22 m C 7.93 m D 12.33 m

3. A train covers the first half of it journey with a speed of 20 m sRF and the other half with a
speed of 40 m s RF . What is the average speed of the train during the whole journey?

A 25 m s RF B 27 m s RF C 30 m s RF D 35 m s RF

4. A particle moves along PQ, QR and RS, as shown in the diagram below with a uniform
velocity of 2 m s RF, 4 m s RF and 5 m s RF respectively. Find the mean velocity of the particle
for the whole journey.

A 0.00 m s RF B 0.60 m s RF C 2.18 m s RF D 3.43 m s RF

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STPM Physics [Term 1]

5. An object, launched from point X travels in a vertical path and point Y is the highest point
on the path. Neglecting air friction, the vertical component of the acceleration of the object

A is zero at point Y

B is a minimum at point Y

C is a maximum at point Y

D at point X is the same as that at point Y

6. An airplane moves at constant height ℎ from the ground in a straight line at a constant
speed 2. At the instant when the airplane is directly above a cannon on the ground, a shell
is fired from the cannon. In the end the shell strikes the airplane. Assume that air
resistance can be neglected,

AaC show that the minimum velocity of the shell at the moment it comes out of the cannon
is given by 3 9 x2_ℎ = 2G .

AbC derive an expression for the angle at which the cannon must make with the horizontal.

7. A ball is thrown horizontally from the roof of a building of height e as shown in the
diagram below.

The initial speed of the ball is 16.0 m s RF . It hits the ground at an angle of 60.0° with the
horizontal.

AaC Assuming that air resistance is negligible, determine

AiC the vertical component of the velocity of the ball when it hits the ground

AiiC the height H of the building.

AbC If there is air resistance, what is the effect on the angle when the ball hits the ground?
Give a reason for your answer.

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