Tutorial sheet 3

Terminal velocity is the constant velocity that an object falling freely eventually reaches. This
velocity is achieved when the drag forces due to the medium that the object is falling through
prevent further acceleration. In general, when an object falls through a fluid, such as air, it
initially accelerates due to gravity. As it gains speed, the air-resistive forces acting in the
opposite direction increase. Eventually, an equilibrium is reached where the gravitational
force pulling the object down is equal in magnitude but opposite in direction of the air
resistive forces. This results in a net force of zero, which implies that the object no longer
accelerates, as stated by Newton’s second law of motion.
 −1
v /m s

t /s
Question 2

Horizontal Vertical

−g v x gv y
a x= a y =−g−
vt vt

v x (t=0)=v x 0 v y (t=0)=v y 0

x (t=0 )=0 y ( t=0 )=0

i.
d vx vx
a x= =−g
dt vT

v x (t) t
1 1
∫ vx
d v x =−g∫ dt
vx 0 0 vT

v x (t) −g
ln = t
v x0 vT

−¿
vT dx (t )
v x ( t )=v x 0 e =
dt
x(t) t −¿

∫ dx (t)=v x 0∫ e vT
dt
0 0

( )
−¿
e v vTT

x (t )=v x 0 +
−g g
vT

( )
−¿
vx 0 vT
x (t )= 1−e v T

g
ii.
d v y (t )
a y=
dt

d v y (t) gv
=−g− y
dt vt

d v y ( t ) −g v T −g v y
=
dt vT

v y (t ) t
1 1
∫ −g v T −g v y
d v y (t )= ∫ dt
vT 0
v y0

g
ln
|
−1 v T + v y ( t )
vT + v y 0
=
t
vT |
−¿
vT vT + v y ( t )
e =
vT +v y0

−¿
vT
( v T + v y 0 ) e −v T =v y (t)

dy (t)
v y ( t )=
dt

y (t ) t −¿ t −¿ t

∫ dy (t)=∫ v T e v dt+∫ v y 0 e v dt−∫ v T dt

T T

0 0 0 0

−¿ −¿
2 vT 2 vT
vT e vT v y 0 vT e v y0 v T
y (t)= + − + −v T t
−g g g g

[ ( )]
−¿
vT v y 0 v y 0e v −¿
v
T

y ( t ) =v T − t+ 1+ − −e T

g vT vT

( ( )( ) )
−¿
vT vy0 v
y ( t ) =v T −t+ 1+ 1−e Question 3 T

g vT
Give
Question 4

Considering that the tension is the same throughout the inextensible rope because the pulley
is frictionless:

M 1 → T −M 1 g=M 1 a (1)

M 2 → M 2 g−T =M 2 a (2)

( 1 ) + ( 2 ) → M 2 g−M 1 g=M 2 a+ M 1 a

g (M 2−M 1)
a=
(M 2+ M 1 )

The acceleration of both masses will be equal in magnitude but opposite in direction.
Question 5

From the F.B.D of M 2 one can deduce that: T =M 2 g

From the F.B.D of M 2 one can deduce that: 2 T =M 1 g

Substituting for T:

2 M 2 g=M 1 g→ M 1=2 M 2

Figure 1 – Two pulley system