Newton's Laws of Motion 89

where we have let Xo (the value of x at t = 0) be equal to O. The

speed desired is v o' When the body stops, V x = 0 and t = vo/fJg.
Putting this value into the equation for x, we obtain, setting x equal
to D,

or

Vo = V2DfJg

PROBLEMS

(Note: Always give units with numerical answers. Without

units, a numerical answer is meaningless.)
1. Newton's Third Law. A student in elementary physics finds
himself in the middle of a large ice rink with a small but finite
coefficient of friction between his feet and the ice. He has P
been taught Newton's Third Law. Since the law says that for
-1
// I
every action there is an equal and opposite reaction, all forces / I
add up to zero. Therefore he assumes that there will be no // I

__/_/_-~-_: -
force possible to accelerate him toward the side of the rink
and so he must stay at the center.
(a) How do you tell him to get to the side?
(b) Once he is at the edge, what do you tell him about
Newton's Second and Third Laws?
o.-c.-L
2. Monkey and hunter. A familiar demonstration in freshman
physics lectures is illustrated by Fig. 3.22. A projectile is shot
from a gun at 0 aimed at a target object located at P. The
target object is released at the same instant the projectile is
"fired." The projectile strikes the falling object as shown. Prove FIG. 3.22
that this midair collision will result independent of muzzle ve-
locity.
3. Ceiling height for a game of catch. Two boys "play catch"
with a ball in a long hallway. The ceiling height is H, and
the ball is thrown and caught at shoulder height, which we
call h for each boy, If the boys are capable of throwing the (a) How many bullets will be in the air at any time?
ball with velocity v o, at what maximum separation can they (b) At what heights above the ground will they pass each
play? Ans. R = 4V(H - h)[v(?/2g - (H - h)]. other?
Show that if H - h > v oz/4g, R = voz/g. Explain the physical 5. Friction on two inclined planes. In Fig. 3.23 planes 1 and
significance of the condition H - h > voz/4g. 2 are both rough with coefficients of friction fJl and fJz. Find
4. Shooting upward. The muzzle velocity of a gun is the relation between M1, M z, 01' 0z' fJI' and fJz such that
3.0 X 10 3 cm/s. A man shoots one shot each second straight (a) M 1 is about to slip down plane 1.
up into the air, which is considered frictionless. (b) Mz is about to slip down plane 2.
90 Chapter 3

m q q m

FIG. 3.23 FIG. 3.25

From the facts that the moon has a period of about 27 days
and a radius of orbit 240,000 mi and that the radius of the
earth is 4000 mi, find the period of the satellite.
9. Electrostatic force. Two identical, small conducting
spheres are suspended from P by threads of equal length.
Initially the spheres hang in contact with each other, with
8 :::::: O. They are given electric charge that is shared equally,
and they then assume an equilibrium situation as shown in
Fig. :3.2,5. Find an expression giving q in terms of m, g, i, and
8. (Treat the small spheres as if they were point charges.)
FIG. 3.24 1O. Proton in an electric field
(a) What force (in dynes) acts upon a proton in an electric
field of 100 statvolts/cm?
6. Friction not equal to fLMg. Figure :3.24 shows a force F (b) If a proton were released at rest in a uniform field of this
acting on a block of mass M resting on a horizontal rough intensity, what would be its speed after 10- 5 s?
surface with coefficient of friction fl. (c) How far would it be from its release point after this time?
(a) Assuming F » Mg, find the maximum angle 8 at which 11. Proton in a magnetic field. A proton (e = 4.80 X
the force F can not make the block slip, no matter how 10- 10 esu) is projected with a velocity vector v = 2 X 108 i cm/s
large it is. into a region where a uniform magnetic field exists described
(b) Find the ratio F /Mg in terms of 8 and fL such that the block by B = 1000z G.
will just slip. Show that the answer reduces to that of (a) in (a) Evaluate the force (in magnitude and direction) acting
the limit F » JIg. on the proton immediately after its projection.
7. Atu;ood's machine. In the Atwood's machine shown in Fig. (b) What is the radius of curvature of its subsequent path?
:3.17, find the tension in the string OA supporting the pulley. (c) Locate the position of the center of its circular path if
Show that the vector sum of the three forces-this tension, the projection point is the origin.
mIg, and m 2g-is equal to the rate of change of the vertical 1 2. Ratio of electric and gravitational forces between two
momentum. electrons. The magnitude of the electrostatic force between
8. Satellite and moon. \Vhich travels faster, the moon or a two electrons is e2 /r 2 ; the magnitude of the gravitational force
satellite traveling around the earth at a radius just greater than is Gm 2 /r 2 , where G = 6.67 X 10- 5 dyn-cm 2 /g 2 • What is the
the radius of the earth? \Vhat is the ratio of the speeds in order of magnitude of the ratio of the electrostatic to the grav-
terms of the ratio of the radii? What is the ratio of the periods? itational forces between two electrons? Ans. 1042 .
 Newton's Laws of Motion 91

1 3. Crossed electric and magnetic fields. A charged particle

moves in the x direction through a region in which there is
an electric field E y and a perpendicular magnetic field Bz •
vVhat is the condition necessary to ensure that the net force
on the particle will be zero? Show the v, E, and B vectors
on a diagram. What is the condition on V x if E y = 10 stat-
volts/em and Bz = 300 G?
14.
Ans. V x = 1 X 10 9 cm/s.
Deflection between condenser plates. A particle of charge
q and mass M with an initial velocity vox enters an electric
:t~rl--'--",
field -Ey (see Fig. 3.26). We assume E is uniform, i.e., its
value is constant at all points in the region between plates
of length L (except for small variations near the edges of the
plates, which we shall neglect).
--L--J
1--"

(a) What forces act in the x and Y directions, respectively?

Ans. Fx = 0; Fy = -qEY.
(b) vVill a force in the y direction influence the x component
of the velocity? FIG. 3.26
(c) Solve for V x and v y as functions of time, and write the
complete vector equation for v(t).
Ans. Vox - (qE/M)tY.
(d) Choose the origin at the point of entry, and write the
complete vector equation for the position of the particle z
as a function of time while the particle is between the
plates.
1 5. Continuation of preceding problem. If the particle in
Prob. 14 is an electron of initial kinetic energy 10- 10 erg
(kinetic energy = ~mvz; 1 erg is the kinetic energy of a mass
of 2 g moving with speed 1 cm/s), if the electric field strength
is (Ull statvolt/cm, and if L = 2 em, find:
(a) The vector velocity as it leaves the region between the
plates.
(b) The angle (v,x) for the particle as it leaves the plates.
Ans.2.7°.
(c) The point of intersection between the x axis and the
direction of the particle as it leaves the field.
Ans. 1.0 em. FIG. 3.27
1 6. Collision courses. Initially two particles are at positions
Xl = 5 em, Yl = 0; and x2 = 0, Yz = 10 em, with VI = -4 X
104 x cm/s, and V z is along -y as in Fig. 3.27.
(a) What must be the value of v 2 if they are to collide?
Ans. -8 X 1()4y cm/s.
(b) What is the value of V r ' the relative velocity?
Ans. 4 X 104 (2y - x) cm/s.
(c) Establish a general criterion for recognizing a collision
course for two objects in terms of their positions r1' r 2
and velocities v1' v z.
1 7. Collision kinematics. Two masses constrained to move in
a horizontal plane collide. Given initially that M 1 = 85 g,