Solutions for Selected Homework Problems

6. A projectile is red from the top of a 20 meter tall building with an initial speed of
50 m/s and angle of elevation 300 : Find (a) the range of the projectile, (b) the maximum
height reached, and (c) the speed at impact.
Solution: For this problem, we take h = 20 (m), v0 = 50; = 6 : Assuming the origin is
at the bottom of the building, the position vector and velocity are, respectively,
1 2 ~
~r (t) = (v0 t cos ) + h + v0 t sin gt j
D p E
2
= 25 3t; 20 + 25t 4:9t2
D p E
~v (t) = 25 3; 25 9:8t :
(a) The projectile landed when the y component of the position vector is zero, i.e., 20 +
25t 4:9t2 = 0:The solution is
p
25 + 252 + 40 9:8
t= ' 5: 805:
9:8
So the range is p p
L = 25 3t = 25 3 5: 805 = 251: 36
(b) The projectile reached max height when its vertical velovcity is zero, ie., 25 9:8t; or
t = 25=9:8 ' 2: 55: Thus the max height is

H = 20 + 25t 4:9t2 = 20 + 25 2:55 4:9 2:552 = 51: 888 (m).

(c) From (a), it landed when t = 5: 805: So the impact speed is

r
p 2
v = j~v (5: 805)j = 25 3 + (25 9:8 5: 805)2 = 53: 776 (m/s)

7. A ball is thrown at an angle of 450 to the ground. If the ball lands 90 meter away,
what was the initial speed of the ball?
Solution: Set h = 0; = 4 ; L = 90: Let v0 = x be unknown initial speed. Then the
position vector is
1 2 ~
~r (t) = (v0 t cos ) + h + v0 t sin gt j
2
*p p +
2 2 2
= xt; xt 4:9t :
2 2

The ball landed when p p

2 2 2
xt 4:9t = 0; t= x;
2 9:8

1
and the landing distance is p
2
L = v0 t cos = xt:
2
We thus obtain the relation p p !
2 2
90 = x x :
2 9:8
It follows that p
x= 9:8 90 ' 29: 698:
8. A gun is red with angle of elevation 300: : What is the muzzle speed if the maximum
height of the shell is 500 m?
Solution: = =6; h = 0; H = 500; x = v0 : The position vector is
1 2 ~
~r (t) = (v0 t cos ) + h + v0 t sin gt j
2
*p +
3 1 2
= xt; xt 4:9t ;
2 2

and velocity is *p +
3 1
~v (t) = x; x 9:8t :
2 2
It reaches max height when
1 x
x 9:8t = 0; or t = :
2 19:8
The max height is then

1 1 x x 2 x2
H = xt 4:9t2 = x 4:9 = :
2 2 19:8 19:8 79:2
Therefore
x2
500 = ;
79:2
or p
x= 500 79:2 = 199:
9. A gun has muzzle speed 150 m/s. Find two angles of elevation that can be used to
hit a target 800 m away.
Solution: v0 = 150; L = 800; h = 0; x = . The position is
1 2 ~
~r (t) = (v0 t cos ) + h + v0 t sin gt j
D
2
E
= 150t cos x; 150t sin x 4:9t2 :

2
It lands when
150 sin x
150t sin x 4:9t2 ; or t = :
4:9
Thus the landing distance is

150 sin x 1502 sin (2x)

L = 150t cos x = 150 cos x = :
4:9 9:8
Substituting L = 800; it follows

1502 sin (2x)

800 = :
9:8
We solve for x as
800 9:8
sin (2x) = = 0:348 44:
1502
So
2x = arcsin 0:348 44 = 20: 392 (degree)
or
2x = 180 20: 392 = 159: 61 (degree)
The required two angles are
x = 10:196; 79: 805: