Dunman High School (Senior High)

Topic 2 Solutions: Kinematics 2019

Rectilinear Motion: Concept of distance, displacement, speed, velocity and

acceleration

1. (a) D
(b) A
(c) C

2. B

Rectilinear Motion: Graphical Analysis

3. B

4. D

5. (a) (i) Yes. A body thrown vertically upwards is instantaneously at rest at the top and
still has a downward acceleration of 9.81 m s-2.

(ii) Yes. A body moving with a constant velocity.

(iii) Yes. A vehicle that is slowing down (braking).

(iv) No, as long as the body is accelerating, the velocity is changing and hence it
cannot be constant.

(b) The displacement of an object is the distance of the position of the moving
object from a fixed point in a specific direction. Hence if the car returns back to
its initial position, its displacement is zero but the total distance travelled is not
zero.

(c) Speed is a physical quantity and hence must be defined in terms of physical
quantities. The second used in the statement is the SI unit for time. Hence the
correct statement should be speed is the total distance travelled per unit time.

6. C

7. C

8.(a) (i) At section A: a = (20 - 0)/10 = 2.0 m s-2

At section E: a = (-5 - 30)/5 = -7.0 m s-2

(ii) Since distance travelled = area under the graph,

At section B, distance = 20  15 = 300 m
At section C, distance = ½(20 + 30)(10) = 250 m

(b)  Object decelerates uniformly from 30 m s-1 to zero in about 4.0 s. (4.29 to
be exact, but students are not expected to be exact since they just have to
describe qualitatively)
 After which, it reverses its direction of travel and accelerates to 5 m s-1 in
the opposite direction in about 1.0 s. (0.71 to be exact)
 It then travels with constant velocity of 5 m s-1 in the opposite direction to
its initial direction of travel in section F.

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 (c)
x/m

Distance -
time
Graph must be continuous

Displacement
- time

t/s
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

9.(a) Distance travelled by Car A = Area under the graph for car A
= 40  20
= 800 m

(b) a = (v - u)/t
= (50 - 25)/20
= 1.25 m s-2

(c) Distance travelled by Car B = Area under the graph for car B
= ½  (25 + 50)  20
= 750 m

(d) Speed difference between car B and A is 10 m s-1.

Time taken for car B to catch up = 50  10
= 5.0 s

(e) Distance travelled from 20 to 25 seconds by Car B = 50  5

= 250 m
Hence the total distance travelled by the cars = 750 + 250
= 1000 m

(f) Maximum distance between both cars occurs at the time when car A has the
same velocity as car B.
Time taken = 15/1.25 = 12.0 s
Therefore distance = ½  (40 - 25)  12
= 90 m (area of triangle where velocity of car A is
greater than that of car B)
Hence the maximum distance between the cars is 90 m.

Rectilinear Motion: Equations of Motion

10. C

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11.(a) (i) u = 0, t = 8.0 s, v = 20 m s-1
Use v = u + at
20 = 0 + a(8)
a = 2.5 m s-2

(ii) s = ut + ½ at2
= 0 + ½(2.5)(64)
= 80 m

(b) s = ut (since v is constant; ie a = 0)

= 20(30)
= 600 m

(c) (i) u = 20 m s-1, v = 0, t = 10 s

v = u + at
0 = 20 + a(10)
a = - 2.0 m s-2

(ii) Using v2 = u2 + 2as

0 = 202 + 2(-2.0)s
s = 100 m

(d) (i) v / m s-1

20

t / st / s
0 8 38 48

(ii) a / m s-2
2.5

0 8 t/s
38 48

-2.0

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 (iii) s/m
780
680 The slope of the graph is
zero at t = 0 s and t = 48 s.
The curved parts of the
graph with the straight line
section at t = 8 s and
t = 38 s must be joined
smoothly.

80

t/s
0 8 38 48

12. 100 m

Take the forward direction as positive

Given s = 100 m, a =  5.0 m s-2, v = 0 m s-1
Using v2 = u2 + 2as,
0 = u2 + 2(-5.0)(100)
u = 31.6 m s-1
= 114 km h-1
The motorist must have been travelling at a speed of 114 km h-1 and hence is
definitely speeding.

13.(a) s/m

t/s
t1 t2 t3
v / m s-1

t1 t2 t3 t/s

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 a / m s-2
t1 t2 t3 t/s

-9.81

Displacement-time graph
Due to energy loss on hitting the floor, the maximum height to which the ball
rises decreases with each bounce.

Velocity- time graph

The velocity of the ball is negative on its downward motion, positive on its
upward motion, and zero momentarily at maximum height of each bounce.

Acceleration-time graph
This is mainly a horizontal straight line for most parts of the motion where the
ball is under free-fall. It is acting downward and is hence negative. However,
upon impact with the floor, the change in direction of motion of ball within a
small time interval causes the ball to experience a large acceleration which
acts upward and is hence positive, which appear as the spikes.

(b) The initial height of the ball, which is also the displacement prior to the first
bounce, can be found from the area under the velocity-time graph.

14.(a) 1.75 s

(b) The gradient of the tangent at the given time gives the magnitude of the
acceleration at that time.

(c) Draw the tangent to the graph at t = 0 s.

Acceleration = gradient of v-t graph
= (26.0 - 0.0)/(0 - 1.10)
= -23.6 m s-2
Hence its initial deceleration is 23.6 m s-2.

Initially, the ball is thrown upwards with a certain speed. As air resistance is not
negligible, there will be an additional force acting vertically downwards besides
the gravitational force acting on the ball. Hence the resultant acceleration that
acts downwards will be greater than g.

(d) 1.75 s. Acceleration is g only at this time. This is because only at that time,
when the ball is stationary (the instantaneous velocity is zero), the air
resistance is zero. Therefore only gravitational force acts on the ball.

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 (e) a / m s-2
1.75 t/s
0
-9.81

-23.6

(f) v / m s-1

2.65 t/s
5.30

15. At time tx, a = ½gtx2

At time ty, a + h = ½gty2

½ gtx2 + h = ½gty2
g = 2h/(ty2 - tx2)

16.(a) Taking upwards as positive,

u = 8.0 m s-1, a = -9.81 m s-2, v = 0 m s-1, s = ?
Use v2 = u2 + 2as
0 = (8.0)2 + 2(-9.81)s
s = 3.3 m

(b) Taking downwards as positive,

u = -8.0 m s-1, a = 9.81 m s-2, s = 100 m, t = ?
Use s = ut + ½at2
100 = (-8.0)t + ½ (9.81)t2
t = 5.4 s, -3.8 s (rejected)

(c) (i) If air resistance is ignored, both the ball and rock will have the same speed
when they reach the bottom of the cliff.

Since the ball and the rock are thrown downwards with the same speed of
8.0 m s-1 and there is no air resistance, the 2 objects have the same downward
acceleration of 9.81 m s-2. They will have the same final speed having travelled
the same displacement.

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 (ii) If air resistance is taken into account, the ball will have a greater speed at the
bottom of the cliff.

As the rock has a rough surface, it experiences a greater drag force and hence
smaller acceleration than the ball (with a smoother surface). Hence, although
both objects have the same initial velocity and travel the same displacement,
the rock has a smaller acceleration and thus smaller final velocity.

17. C

18. C

19. B

20.(a) (i) Taking downwards as +ve

sy = uyt + ½ayt2
1.20 = 0 + ½(9.81)t2
t = 0.495 s

(ii) sx = uxt
1.52 = ux(0.495)
ux = 3.07 m s-1

(iii) vx = ux = 3.07 m s-1

vy = uy + ayt
= 0 + 9.81(0.495)
= 4.86 m s-1

(iv)
v= v x2  v y2 = 5.75 m s-1 Vx

vy
  tan 1 ( )  57.7 0
vx
Vy

(b) There is no change from (a)(i) since there is no change in the vertical
conditions of the ball. (vertical component of velocity is zero.)

21.(a) Taking downwards as +ve

sy = uyt + ½ ayt2
sy = (ucosθ)t + ½gt2 (θ is the angle with the vertical)
730 = (ucos530)5.0 + ½(9.81)(5.0)2
u = 201.8 = 202 m s-1

(b) sx = uxt
= (usinθ)t
= (201.8sin530)5.0
= 805.8 = 806 m

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 (c) vx = ux = usinθ
= 201.8sin530
= 161.2 = 161 m s-1
vy = uy + ayt
= ucosθ + gt
= 201.8cos530 + 9.81(5.0)
= 170.5 = 171 m s-1

(d) v = (vx2 + vy2)1/2

= (161.22 + 170.52) 1/2
= 235 m s-1
α = tan-1 (170.5/161.2)
= 46.6°

Velocity = 235 m s-1 at an angle of 46.6° below the horizontal.

(e) If air resistance is not neglected, the bomb would travel a shorter horizontal
distance as it would lose energy due to work done to overcome air resistance.

The horizontal and vertical components of its velocity just before striking the
ground would also be reduced as some energy is lost in overcoming air
resistance, so the kinetic energy of the bomb at any given altitude is reduced.
Thus the magnitude of the velocity of the bomb just before striking the ground
is lesser than before.

22.(a) At the top of its trajectory, the speed of the ball is a minimum as vy = 0. Hence
speed of ball = vx = 19 m s-1.

(b) sx = uxt
= 19(5)
= 95 m

(c) At time t = 0 s, u = 31 m s-1

u = (ux2 + uy2)1/2
31 = (192 + uy2)1/2
uy = 24.5 m s-1

(d) Taking upwards as +ve

sy = uyt + ½ayt2
= 24.5(2.5) - ½(9.81)(2.5)2
= 30.6 m

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23.(a)

1.25 m

10 m
Consider vertical motion,
Taking downwards as positive
uy = 0, ay = 9.81 m s-2, sy = 1.25 m, t = ?
Using s = ut + ½at2,
1.25 = ½(9.81)t2
 t = 0.505 s

Consider horizontal motion,

Taking direction of travel as positive,
ux = vx = ?, ax = 0, t = 0.505 s, sx = 10 m
using s = ut + ½at2,
10 = ux(0.505)
ux = 20 m s-1

Hence the take off speed was 20 m s-1.

(b) Consider vertical motion,

Taking upwards as positive
uy = 30sin, vy = 30sin, sy = 0, ay =  9.81 m s-2
Using v = u + at,
30sin = 30sin + ( 9.81)t
t = 6.12 sin

Consider horizontal motion,

Taking to the right as positive
ux = 30cos, sx = 50 m, ax = 0, t = 6.12sinθ
Using s = ut + ½at2
50 = 30cosθ(6.12sinθ)
sin2θ = 0.545
2θ = 33.0°, 147.0°, 393.0°, 507.0°
θ = 16.5°, 73.5.°, 196.5°, 253.5° (can ignore obtuse angles)

Since maximum speed is 30 m s-1, the range of angles has to be between

16.5° and 73.5°. For speeds slower than 30 m s-1, the angle needs to be closer
to 45°.

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 (c) Maximum range is achieved when take-off is at 45°.

Consider vertical motion,

Taking upwards as positive
uy = usin45°, vy = usin45°, sy = 0, ay =  9.81 m s-2
Using v = u + at,
2 2
u =u + (-9.81)t
2 2
t = 0.144u

Consider horizontal motion,

Taking to the right as positive
ux = u cos45°, sx = 50 m, ax = 0, t = 0.144u
Using s = ut + ½at2
2
50 = u (0.144u)
2
u2 = 490.5
u = 22.1 m s-1

24. (a) Thinking distance is the distance travelled by the car during the driver’s reaction
time. Since it takes a human about 0.60 s to react to an event that happened
and step on the brakes, during this time interval, the car would travel at the
same speed. Hence the thinking distance is directly proportional to speed.

The braking distance is the distance travelled by the car after the driver applied
the brakes. If the maximum brake is applied throughout, there should be a
constant retardation force. Hence the speed of the car would reduce linearly
with time. Since the speed of the car reduces with time, the braking distance
would not be directly proportional to the speed.

(b) Taking values from the first row,

u = 5.0 m s-1, s = 1.9 m, v = 0, a =?
Using v2 = u2 + 2as,
0 = 25 + 3.8a
a = 6.6 m s-2
Hence the constant value is 6.6. (or 6.7 if you use second row)

(c) Thinking distance = 0.6 × 50

= 30 m
Given that u = 50 m s-1, s = ?, v = 0, a = 6.6 m s-2
Using v2 = u2 + 2as
0 = 502  2  6.6  s
 Braking distance = 189 m.

Hence the overall stopping distance is 219 m.

(d)(i) The thinking distance is the same since the reaction time would be the same.
The braking distance would be larger since the braking force would be less in
rainy weather so it takes a longer distance to stop the car.

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 (ii) The thinking distance would be larger since the reaction time of a driver who is
not alert would be much longer.
The braking distance however would be the same since the braking force is not
affected.

25.

arrow H


Considering horizontal motion of the arrow,

Taking the direction of arrow to object as positive,
ux = vx = ucos, ax = 0, sx = L
Using s = ut + 0.5at2,
L = ucos × t
L
t=
u cos 

Considering vertical motion of the arrow,

Taking upwards as positive,
L
uy = usin, a = 9.81 m s2, t =
u cos 
Using s = ut + 0.5at2,
L L
s = usin × - ½ (9.81) ( )2
u cos  u cos 
L
s = Ltan - 4.905 ( )2
u cos 
Since Ltan  = H,
L
s = H - 4.905 ( )2
u cos 
Considering vertical motion of the object,
Taking upwards as positive,
L
u = 0, a =  9.81 m s-2, t =
u cos 
Using s = ut + 0.5 at2, (+ H so that the reference point of the
L object and the arrow would be the same
s =  4.905 ( )2 + H
u cos  for displacement)

The vertical displacements of the object and the arrow are the same when the arrow
reaches the horizontal displacement of the object. Therefore Robin Hood would hit the
target and he was right.

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