Projectile motion old

1. This question is about projectile motion and the use of an energy argument to find the speed
with which a thrown stone lands in the sea.

Christina stands close to the edge of a vertical cliff and throws a stone. The diagram below (not
drawn to scale) shows part of the trajectory of the stone. Air resistance is negligible.

1 5 m s –1
O
Q

25 m

sea

Point P on the diagram is the highest point reached by the stone and point Q is at the same
height above sea level as point O.

(a) At point P on the diagram above draw arrows to represent

(i) the acceleration of the stone (label this A).

(1)

(ii) the velocity of the stone (label this V).

(1)

−1
The stone leaves Christina’s hand (point O) at a speed of 15 m s in the direction shown. Her
hand is at a height of 25 m above sea level. The mass of the stone is 160 g. The acceleration due
−2
to gravity g = 10 m s .

(b) (i) Calculate the kinetic energy of the stone immediately after it leaves Christina’s
hand.

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(1)

(ii) State the value of the kinetic energy at point Q.

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(1)

(iii) Calculate the loss in potential energy of the stone in falling from point Q to hitting
the sea.

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(1)

(iv) Determine the speed with which the stone hits the sea.

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(2)
(Total 7 marks)

2. This question is about projectile motion.

A small steel ball is projected horizontally from the edge of a bench. Flash photographs of the
ball are taken at 0.10 s intervals. The resulting images are shown against a scale as in the
diagram below.

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 d is ta n c e / c m
0 20 40 60 80 100
0

20

40

60

d is ta n c e / c m

80

100

120

140

(a) Use the diagram to determine

(i) the constant horizontal speed of the ball.

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(2)

(ii) the acceleration of free fall.

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(2)

(b) Mark on the diagram the position of the ball 0.50 s after projection.

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 In the space below, you should carry out any calculations so that you can accurately
position the ball.

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(3)

(c) A second ball is projected from the bench at the same speed as the original ball. The ball
has small mass so that air resistance cannot be neglected. Draw on the diagram the
approximate shape of the path you would expect the ball to take.

(3)
(Total 10 marks)

3. This question is about throwing a stone from a cliff.

Antonia stands at the edge of a vertical cliff and throws a stone vertically upwards.

v = 8 .0 m s –1

Sea

–1
The stone leaves Antonia’s hand with a speed v = 8.0ms .
–2
The acceleration of free fall g is 10 m s and all distance measurements are taken from the
point where the stone leaves Antonia’s hand.

(a) Ignoring air resistance calculate

(i) the maximum height reached by the stone.

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...........................................................................................................................

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(2)

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 (ii) the time taken by the stone to reach its maximum height.

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(1)

The time between the stone leaving Antonia’s hand and hitting the sea is 3.0 s.

(b) Determine the height of the cliff.

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(3)
(Total 6 marks)

4. This question is about trajectory motion.

Antonia stands at the edge of a vertical cliff and throws a stone upwards at an angle of 60° to
the horizontal.

v = 8 .0 m s –1

60°

S ea

–1
The stone leaves Antonia’s hand with a speed v = 8.0 m s . The time between the stone leaving
Antonia’s hand and hitting the sea is 3.0 s.

–2
The acceleration of free fall g is 10 m s and all distance measurements are taken from the
point where the stone leaves Antonia’s hand.

Ignoring air resistance calculate

(a) the maximum height reached by the stone.

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(3)

(b) the horizontal distance travelled by the stone.

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(2)
(Total 5 marks)

5. This question is about projectile motion.

A marble is projected horizontally from the edge of a wall 1.8 m high with an initial speed V.

1 .8 m

g ro u n d

A series of flash photographs are taken of the marble. The photographs are combined into a
single photograph as shown below. The images of the marble are superimposed on a grid that
shows the horizontal distance x and vertical distance y travelled by the marble.

The time interval between each image of the marble is 0.10 s.

6
 x / m
0 0 .5 0 1 .0 1 .5 2 .0
0

– 0 .5 0

y / m – 1 .0

– 1 .5

– 2 .0

(a) On the images of the marble at x = 0.50 m and x = 1.0 m, draw arrows to represent the
horizontal velocity VH and vertical velocity VV.

(2)

(b) On the photograph, draw a suitable line to determine the horizontal distance d from the
base of the wall to the point where the marble hits the ground. Explain your reasoning.

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(3)

(c) Use data from the photograph to calculate a value of the acceleration of free fall.

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(3)
(Total 8 marks)

6. This question is about linear motion.

A police car P is stationary by the side of a road. A car S, exceeding the speed limit, passes the
–1
police car P at a constant speed of 18 m s . The police car P sets off to catch car S just as car S
–2
passes the police car P. Car P accelerates at 4.5 m s for a time of 6.0 s and then continues at
constant speed. Car P takes a time t seconds to draw level with car S.

(a) (i) State an expression, in terms of t, for the distance car S travels in t seconds.

7
 ...........................................................................................................................

(1)

(ii) Calculate the distance travelled by the police car P during the first 6.0 seconds of
its motion.

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(1)

(iii) Calculate the speed of the police car P after it has completed its acceleration.

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(1)

(iv) State an expression, in terms of t, for the distance travelled by the police car P
during the time that it is travelling at constant speed.

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(1)

(b) Using your answers to (a), determine the total time t taken for the police car P to draw
level with car S.

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(2)
(Total 6 marks)

7. This question is about projectile motion.

A stone is thrown horizontally from the top of a vertical cliff of height 33 m as shown below.
–1
18 m s

33 m

s e a le v e l

8
 –1
The initial horizontal velocity of the stone is 18 m s and air resistance may be assumed to be
negligible.

(a) State values for the horizontal and for the vertical acceleration of the stone.

Horizontal acceleration: ............................................................................................

Vertical acceleration: ................................................................................................

(2)

(b) Determine the time taken for the stone to reach sea level.

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(2)

(c) Calculate the distance of the stone from the base of the cliff when it reaches sea level.

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(1)
(Total 5 marks)

8. This question is about projectile motion.

–1
A stone of mass 0.44 kg is thrown horizontally from the top of a cliff with a speed of 22 m s as
shown below.

2 2 m s–1

32 m c liff

s e a le v e l

The cliff is 32 m high.

(a) Calculate the total kinetic energy of the stone at sea level assuming air resistance is
negligible.

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(3)

(b) In practice, air resistance is not negligible. During the motion of the stone from the top of
the cliff to sea level, 34% of the total energy of the stone is transferred due to air
resistance. Determine the speed at which the stone reaches sea level.

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(2)
(Total 5 marks)

9. This question is about the trajectory of a golf ball.

A golfer hits a golf ball at point A on a golf course. The ball lands at point D as shown on the
diagram. Points A and D are on the same horizontal level.

–1
30m s

–1
20m s
A D
–1
The initial horizontal component of the velocity of the ball is 20 m s and the initial vertical
–1
component is 30 m s . The time of flight of the golf ball between point A and point D is 6.0 s.
–2
Air resistance is negligible and the acceleration of free fall g = 10 m s .

Calculate

(a) the maximum height reached by the golf ball.

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(3)

(b) the range of the golf ball.

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(2)
(Total 5 marks)

10. This question is about projectile motion.

–1
A stone is projected horizontally from the top of a cliff with a speed 15 m s .

1 5 m s–1

70 m

sea
–2
The height of the cliff is 70 m and the acceleration of free fall is 10 m s . The stone strikes the
surface of the sea at velocity V.
–1
(a) Ignoring air resistance, deduce that the stone strikes the sea at a speed of 40 m s .

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(2)

(b) Use your answer in (a) to calculate the angle that the velocity V makes with the surface of
the sea.

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(2)
(Total 4 marks)

11. This question is about projectile motion.

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 w a ll h
30°
16m

There is a wall of height h at a distance of 16 m from the point of projection of the ball. Air
resistance is negligible.

(a) Calculate the initial magnitudes of

(i) the horizontal velocity of the ball;

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(1)

(ii) the vertical velocity of the ball.

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(1)

(b) The ball just passes over the wall. Determine the maximum height of the wall.

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(3)
(Total 5 marks)

12. This question is about projectile motion.

The barrel of a rifle is held at an angle q to the horizontal. A bullet fired from the rifle leaves the
–1
barrel at time t = 0 with a speed 200 m s . The graph below shows the variation with time t of

12
the vertical height h of the bullet.

600

500

400

h / m 300

200

100

0
0 5 10 15 20 25
t / s

(a) Using the axes below, draw a sketch graph to show the variation of h with the horizontal
distance x travelled by the bullet. (Note: this is a sketch graph; you do not have to add
any values to the axes.)

(2)

(b) State the expression for the initial vertical component of speed Vv in terms of the initial
speed of the bullet and the angle q.

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(1)

(c) Use data from the graph to deduce that the angle q = 30°. (The acceleration for free fall
–2
g = 10 m s )

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(3)
(Total 6 marks)

13. Linear motion

At a sports event, a skier descends a slope AB. At B there is a dip BC of width 12 m. The slope
and dip are shown in the diagram below. The vertical height of the slope is 41 m.

A
(n o t to s c a le )

s lo p e
41m

B C D
1 .8 m

d ip 12m

The graph below shows the variation with time t of the speed v down the slope of the skier.

2 5 .0

2 0 .0

1 5 .0
v / m s –1
1 0 .0

5 .0

0 .0
0 .0 1 .0 2 .0 3 .0 4 .0 5 .0 6 .0 7 .0 8 .0
t / s

The skier, of mass 72 kg, takes 8.0 s to ski, from rest, down the length AB of the slope.

(a) Use the graph to

(i) calculate the kinetic energy EK of the skier at point B.

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 (2)

(ii) determine the length of the slope.

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(4)

(b) (i) Calculate the change DEP in the gravitational potential energy of the skier between
point A and point B.

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(2)

(ii) Use your answers to (a) and (b)(i) to determine the average retarding force on the
skier between point A and point B.

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(3)

(iii) Suggest two causes of the retarding force calculated in (ii).

1. ...............................................................................................................

2. ...............................................................................................................

(2)

(c) At point B of the slope, the skier leaves the ground. He “flies” across the dip and lands on
the lower side at point D. The lower side C of the dip is 1.8 m below the upper side B.

Determine the distance CD of the point D from the edge C of the dip. Air resistance may
be assumed to be negligible.

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15
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(4)

(d) The lower side of the dip is altered so that it is inclined to the horizontal, as shown below.

B C D
s lo p e
1 .8 m

d ip
12m

(i) State the effect of this change on the landing position D.

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(1)

(ii) Suggest the effect of this change on the impact felt by the skier on landing.

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(2)
(Total 20 marks)

14. This question is about projectile motion.

A ball is kicked at an angle to the horizontal. The diagram below shows the position of the ball
every 0.50 s.

16
 30

25

20

v e rtic a l d is p la c e m e n t / m 15

10

0
0 10 20 30 40
h o riz o n ta l d is p la c e m e n t / m

–2
The acceleration of free fall is g = 10 m s . Air resistance may be neglected.

(a) Using the diagram determine, for the ball

(i) the horizontal component of the initial velocity.

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(1)

(ii) the vertical component of the initial velocity.

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(2)

(iii) the magnitude of the displacement after 3.0 s.

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(2)

(b) On the diagram above draw a line to indicate a possible path for the ball if air resistance
were not negligible.

(2)
(Total 7 marks)

15. This question is about projectile motion.

A stone is thrown from the top of a cliff of height 28 m above the sea. The stone is thrown at a

17
 –1
speed of 14 m s at an angle above the horizontal. Air resistance is negligible.

1 4 m s–1

...........
28m

sea

The maximum height reached by the stone measured from the point from which it is thrown is
8.0 m.

(a) By considering the energy of the stone, determine the speed with which the stone hits the
sea.

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(3)

(b) The stone leaves the cliff at time t = 0. It reaches its maximum height at t = TH. On the
axis below, draw a sketch-graph to show the variation with time t of the magnitude of the
vertical component of velocity of the stone from t = 0 to t = TS, the time just before the
stone strikes the sea.

speed

0 t
0
T H T S

(4)
(Total 7 marks)

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19
16. This question is about projectile motion.

A projectile is fired horizontally from the top of a vertical cliff of height 40 m.

p ro je c tile

c liff

40 m

sea

At any instant of time, the vertical distance fallen by the projectile is d. The graph below shows
the variation with distance d, of the kinetic energy per unit mass E of the projectile.

1400

1300

1200

E / J kg –1 11 0 0

1000

900

800
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40
d /m

(a) Use data from the graph to calculate, for the projectile,

(i) the initial horizontal speed.

...........................................................................................................................

(1)

(ii) the speed with which it hits the sea.

...........................................................................................................................

(1)

(b) Use your answers to (a) to calculate the magnitude of the vertical component of velocity
with which the projectile hits the sea.

20
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(2)
(Total 4 marks)
17. This question is about throwing a stone from a cliff.

Antonia stands at the edge of a vertical cliff and throws a stone vertically upwards.

–1
The stone leaves Antonia’s hand with a speed v =8.0 m s . Ignore air resistance, the
–2
acceleration of free fall g is 10 m s and all distance measurements are taken from the point
where the stone leaves Antonia’s hand.

(a) Determine,

(i) the maximum height reached by the stone.

.........................................................................................................................

.........................................................................................................................

.........................................................................................................................

(2)

(ii) the time taken by the stone to reach its maximum height.

.........................................................................................................................

.........................................................................................................................

(1)

(b) The time between the stone leaving Antonia’s hand and hitting the sea is 3.0 s. Determine
the height of the cliff.

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21
 (3)
(Total 6 marks)

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