Problem Set 1

You can either write your solutions and answers on a paper, take a photo or scan it then compile it
in MS Word or you can encode your solutions and answers directly on MS Word using its equation
writer. The file that you will submit, however, must be a PDF. Upload your problem sets in our MS
Teams classroom.

1. The position of the bumper of a moving car is given by x(t) = a + bt2 − ct6 where a = 2.17 m,
b = 4.80 m/s2 , and c = 0.100 m/s6 . Find the (a) position and (b) acceleration at the instants
when the car has vx = 0 m/s. (c) Suppose ax (t) = a + bt2 − ct6 , find x(t).

2. A particle is moving with a velocity that varies with time given by vx (t) = α − βt2 , where α =
5.00 m/s and β = 3.00 m/s3 . At t = 0 the particle is at x = 0. (a) Find the particle’s x(t) and
(b) a(t). (c) What is the object’s maximum positive displacement from the origin?

3. A 15-kg rock is dropped from rest on the earth and reaches the ground in 1.75 s. When it is
dropped from the same height on Saturn’s satellite Enceladus, it reaches the ground in 18.6 s.
(a) What is the acceleration due to gravity on Enceladus? (b) How long will it take for the
rock to reach the ground on Earth if it was released 100 m above the Earth’s surface? (c) in
Enceladus?

4. Two particles, A and B, are moving in a straight line. Take this to be the x−axis. At t = 0,
particle A is trailing particle B, initially at some distance x behind B. Particle B is accelerating
at a constant 2.00 m/s2 and particle A is constantly accelerating at 3.00 m/s2 . Particle A was
able to overtake B after B has moved 50.0 m. (a) How long does it take for particle A to
overtake B? (b) Initially, how far was A behind B? (c) How fast are the two particles moving
as soon as they’re at the same position?

5. A web page designer creates an animation in which a dot on a computer screen has position
r = [4.0 cm + (2.5 cm/s2 )t2 ı̂ + (5.0 cm/s)t̂. (a) Find the magnitude and direction of the dot’s
~
average velocity between t = 0 and t = 2.0 s. (b) Find the magnitude and direction of the
instantaneous velocity at t = 0, t = 1.0 s, and t = 2.0 s. (c) Find ~a.

6. A ball is fired from the origin with an initial velocity of 60.0 m/s at 70.0◦ above the x−axis.
Ignore air resistance. (a) What are the horizontal and vertical components of the ball’s initial
velocity? (b) Find the maximum height above the the ball can reach. (c) What are the
horizontal and vertical components of the ball’s velocity and acceleration at its maximum
height?