Chapter 3

Kinematics in one dimension

3.1 Basic concepts and graphs (a) Find the acceleration at t = 1.0 s, 3.0 s, 5.0 s and
8.0 s.
3.1 (Easy) (Qual) For each of the following, select if it is Ans: a = 0 m/s2 , 2 m/s2 , 0 m/s2 and − 1 m/s2 .
a vector or a scalar. (b) Between t = 0.0 s and t = 2.0 s, how much did the
(a) Speed position change?
Ans: scalar. Ans: ∆x = 0 m.
(b) Distance traveled (c) Between t = 2.0 s and t = 4.0 s, how much did the
Ans: scalar. position change?
(c) Velocity Ans: ∆x = 4 m.
Ans: vector. (d) Between t = 4.0 s and t = 6.0 s, how much did the
(d) (Linear) Displacement position change?
Ans: vector. Ans: ∆x = 8 m.
(e) Where is the object at t = 10.0 s if it started at
3.2 (Easy) (Qual) What is the connection between in- x(t = 0.0 s) = 0.0 m.
stantaneous velocity and instantaneous speed? Ans: x = 20 m.
Ans: vinst = |⃗
v inst |
3.5 (Average) An s-t graph plots the position (s) of an
3.3 (Easy) A bus travels from Montreal to Ottawa (dis- object as a function of time (t). The x-axis represents
tance 200 km) in 2.0 h, stays there for 1.0 h and then the time, the y-axis represents the position of an object.
travels back to Montreal in another 2.0 h. Considering (a) What is the average velocity (magnitude and di-
the round trip, rection) between 0.0 and 2.0 seconds?
(a) What is the average speed of the bus? Ans: 0 m/s
Ans: 80 km/h (b) What is the average velocity (magnitude and di-
(b) What is the average velocity of the bus? rection) between 4.0 and 6.0 seconds?
Ans: 0 km/h Ans: approximately + 12−4
2
m/s = +4 m/s
(c) What is the velocity at t = 3.0 s and t = 8.0 s?
3.4 (Average) A v-t graph plots the velocity (v) of an Ans: approximately 2 m/s and 2 m/s
object as a function of time (t). The x-axis represents (d) What is the average acceleration between 3.0 s and
the time, the y-axis represents the velocity of the object 8.0 s?
at each moment. Ans: based on (c), 0 m/s2

v (m/s) 3.6 (Average) An a-t graph plots the acceleration (a) of

an object as a function of time (t). The x-axis repre-
4 sents the time, the y-axis represents the acceleration of
an object at each moment.
(a) Between t = 2.0 s and t = 4.0 s, how much did the
2 velocity change?
Ans: ∆v = +4 m/s2
(b) Between t = 6.0 s and t = 10.0 s, how much did
0 t (s) the velocity change?
2 4 6 8
Ans: ∆v = −4 m/s2
(c) (optional) Assuming v(t = 0.0) = 0.0 m/s, draw a
Figure 3.4 v-t (velocity-time) graph with time on the x-axis

8
3.1. BASIC CONCEPTS AND GRAPHS 9

s (m) v (m/s)
20

15 5

10

5 0 t (s)
2 4 6 8

0 t (s)
2 4 6 8
−5
Figure 3.5

a (m/s2 )

Figure 3.7
2

(c) When is it stationary?

Ans: between 0 s and 3 s and at 7.8 s.
(d) When is it speeding up?
0 t (s) Ans: between 3 s and 5 s and between 7.8 s and 9 s.
2 4 6 8 (e) When is it slowing down?
Ans: between 7 s and 7.8 s.
(f) When does it have positive acceleration?
Ans: between 3 s and 5 s.
−2
(g) When does it have negative acceleration?
Ans: between 7 s and 9 s.
Figure 3.6
v (m/s)

and v on the y-axis. Don’t forget the units! 4

Ans: this is the same graph as in 3.4.

2
3.7 (Average) (Qual) The figure shows the velocity of a
particle at any given moment in time.
t (s)
(a) In what direction is the particle travelling at t = 2 4 6 8 10
3.0 s?
Ans: positive, as v > 0. −2
(b) In what direction is the particle travelling at t =
6.0 s? −4
Ans: positive, as v > 0.
(c) At what time does the particle reverse its direc- −6
tion?
Ans: at t ≈ 7.2 s
(d) When is the acceleration the highest? Figure 3.8
Ans: approximately between 7.0 s and 8.0 s, as the slope is
steepest.
(e) When is the acceleration the lowest? 3.9 (Challenge) For figure 3.8:
Ans: at t ≈ 0.0 s, 4.2 s and 9.8 s (a) Calculate the average acceleration from 0 s to 10 s.

3.8 (Average) The figure shows the velocity of a particle Ans: −0.6 m/s2
at any given moment in time. (b) Calculate the displacement and the average veloc-
(a) When is the object moving forward? ity from 0 s to 10 s.
Ans: between 3 s and 7.8 s. Ans: +4 m and +0.4 m/s
(b) When is it moving backward? (c) Calculate the distance and the average speed from
Ans: between 7.8 s and 10 s. 0 s to 10 s.
 10 CHAPTER 3. KINEMATICS IN ONE DIMENSION

Ans: 23.2 m and 2.32 m/s 3.12 (Easy) (Qual) (Extra) For the s-t graph shown, se-
lect the correct description.
3.10 (Average) (Challenge) For each time given, state if Ans: (b)
instantaneous velocity and instantaneous acceleration (a) v < 0.0 m/s, a = 0.0 m/s2
are positive or negative. (b) v > 0.0 m/s, a > 0.0 m/s2
(a) t = 1.0 s (c) v > 0.0 m/s, a = 0.0 m/s2
Ans: vinst > 0, ainst > 0
(b) t = 5.0 s s (m)
Ans: vinst > 0, ainst < 0
(c) t = 7.0 s 40
Ans: vinst < 0, ainst < 0

s (m)
20

0 t (s)
2 4 6 8

2
Figure 3.12

0 t (s)
2 4 6 8 3.13 (Easy) (Qual) (Extra) For each of the “position vs
time” curves shown, state whether the object is speed-
ing up, slowing down or going at constant velocity.
−2 Ans: A: constant velocity; B: slowing down; C: constant velocity;
D: slowing down; E: slowing down, then speeding up; F: constant
Figure 3.10 velocity.

s (m)

3.11 (Easy) (Qual) (Extra) For the s-t graph shown, se- 10
lect the correct description. C
Ans: (c)
8
(a) v < 0.0 m/s, a = 0.0 m/s2 B
A
(b) v > 0.0 m/s, a > 0.0 m/s2
6
(c) v > 0.0 m/s, a = 0.0 m/s2 E

s (m) 4
6 D

2
F

0 t (s)
4 2 4 6 8 10

Figure 3.13
2

0 t (s)
3.2 Formulas with constant acceler-
2 4 6 8 ation and free-fall
Figure 3.11 3.14 (Easy) (Qual) A chocolate cake is thrown straight up.
At the top of its trajectory its velocity is zero.
(a) Is its acceleration (at the top of its trajectory)
positive, negative, or zero?
 3.3. CATCHUP PROBLEMS 11

3.20 (Average) A car travelling 54.0 km/h towards west is

Ans: downwards, which could be positive or negative de-
pending on the axis choice. 24.0 m from a wall when the driver slams on the brakes.
(b) As the object comes back down, is its acceleration (a) What must its acceleration be in order for it to
positive, negative, or zero? stop just in front of the wall?
Ans: same as (a). Ans: 4.687 5 m/s2 .
(b) What is the direction of the acceleration?
3.15 (Easy) (Qual) A superball is dropped to the floor Ans: east.
and bounces back up. For an instant while it is in
contact with the floor it momentarily stopped. Is its 3.21 (Average) A bus starts from rest at the origin and
acceleration at that moment positive, negative, or zero? accelerates at 2.00 m/s2 for 3.0 s. It moves at con-
stant velocity for 2.00 s and then has an acceleration of
Ans: upward, which could be positive or negative depending on −3.00 m/s2 for 2.00 s. Plot the v-t and the x-t graph.
the axis choice. Take x = 0.00 m and v = 0.00 m/s at t = 0.00 s.

3.16 (Easy) A ball is thrown vertically from ground level 3.22 (Challenge) A car moves along a horizontal road through
to rise to a maximum height of 50.0 m. a distance of 900 m, starting at a speed of 10.0 m/s.
(a) What speed does the ball have when it was thrown? Through the first 1/4 of that distance, its acceleration
is +6.25 m/s2 . Through the next 1/4 of that distance,
Ans: 31.30 m/s it moves with constant velocity. Through the last half
(b) How long will it be in the air? of that distance, its acceleration is −2.08 m/s2 .
Ans: 6.389 s (a) What is its travel time through the 900 m?
(c) Sketch a s-t, v-t and a-t graph of the ball. On the Ans: 21.64 s.
first two graphs, indicate the time at which 50 m (b) What is its maximum speed?
is reached. Ans: 53.97 m/s.
(c) What is its average speed through the 900 m?
Ans: 41.59 m/s.
3.17 (Easy) A bus slows down with constant acceleration
(d) What is its average acceleration through the 900 m?
from 25.0 m/s to 15.0 m/s and moves 50.0 m in the pro-
cess.
Ans: +1.03 m/s2 .
(a) How much further does it travel before coming to
a stop?
Ans: 28.125 m.
(b) How long does it take to stop from 24.0 m/s? 3.3 Catchup Problems
Ans: 6 s.
3.23 (Easy) Two stones are dropped from the same height,
1.0 s apart.
3.18 (Average) A bolt is dropped from a bridge under con- (a) Draw the x-t graph of the problem.
struction, falling 90.0 m to the valley below the bridge. (b) How long after the first stone begins to fall will
(a) What is its speed when it begins the last 20.0 m the two stones be 10 m apart?
of its fall? Ans: 1.52 s.
Ans: 37.04 m/s.
(b) What is its speed right before it lands on the valley
3.24 (Average) A police car is traveling along a straight
beneath the bridge?
road with 72 km/h when it is passed by a Ferrari. The
Ans: 42 m/s.
Ferrari is 54 km/h faster than the police car. 5.0 s after
(c) In how much time does it pass through the last
it is passed, the police car starts to accelerate with
20.0 m of its fall?
a constant acceleration of 4.0 m/s2 . The passing car
Ans: 0.506 s.
continues with constant velocity.
(a) Draw a v-t graph of the police car (continued line)
3.19 (Average) A ball thrown down from a balcony lands and the passing car (dotted line).
in 0.800 s at a speed of 13.0 m/s. Find: (b) How far did the passing car travel in 5 seconds?
(a) the initial velocity; Ans: 175 m.
Ans: −5.16 m/s, the negative sign means downward. (c) How far ahead is the passing car after the 5 sec-
(b) the height from which it was thrown; onds?
Ans: 7.264 m. Ans: 75 m.
(c) the time to land if it were thrown up from the (d) How many seconds after starting to accelerate does
balcony with the same initial speed. the police car catch up with the car?
Ans: 1.853 s. Ans: 10.93 s.
P#1: Earth is approximately a sphere of radius 6.37 × 106 m. What are (a) its circumference, (b) its surface area, and (c)
its volume?

Answers: 40000 km, 5.1x108 km2, 1.08x1012 km3 ,

P#2: Compute your average velocity in the following two cases: (a) You walk 78.7 m at a speed of 1.06 m/s and then run
78.7 m at a speed of 3.12 m/s along a straight track. (b) You walk for 1.00 min at a speed of 1.06 m/s and then run for
1.35 min at 3.12 m/s along a straight track.

Answers: 1.58 m/s , 2.24 m/s

P#3: An automobile travels on a straight road for 33 km at 32 km/h. It then continues in the same direction for another
33 km at 64 km/h. (a) What is the average velocity of the car during this 66 km trip? (Assume that it moves in the
positive x direction.) (b) What is the average speed?

Answers: 42.7 km/h , 42.7 km/h

P#4: A car travels up a hill at a constant speed of 40 km/h and returns down the hill at a constant speed of 76 km/h.
Calculate the average speed for the round trip.

Answers: 52.4 km/h

P#5: Two trains, each having a speed of 36 km/h, are headed at each other on the same straight track. A bird that can fly
72 km/h flies off the front of one train when they are 72 km apart and heads directly for the other train. On reaching the
other train it flies directly back to the first train, and so forth. (We have no idea why a bird would behave in this way.)
What is the total distance the bird travels?

Answers: 72 km ,

P#6: At a certain time a particle had a speed of 67 m/s in the positive x direction, and 2.0 s later its speed was 56 m/s in
the opposite direction. What was the average acceleration of the particle during this 2.0 s interval?

Answers: - 61.5 m/s2 ,

P#7: An electron with initial velocity v0 = 1.61 × 105 m/s enters a region 1.0
cm long where it is electrically accelerated (see the figure). It emerges with
velocity v = 5.27 × 106 m/s. What is its acceleration, assumed constant?

Answers: 1.39x1015 m/s2 ,

P#8: An electric vehicle starts from rest and accelerates at a rate of 1.6 m/s2 in a straight line until it reaches a speed of
28 m/s. The vehicle then slows at a constant rate of 1.2 m/s2 until it stops. (a) How much time elapses from start to
stop? (b) How far does the vehicle move from start to stop?

Answers: 40.8 s , 572 m ,

P#9: A muon (an elementary particle) enters a region with a speed of 5.31 × 106 m/s and then is slowed at the rate of
3.38 × 1014 m/s2. How far does the muon take to stop?

Answers: 0.0417 m

P#10: An electron has a constant acceleration of +2.4 m/s2. At a certain instant its velocity is +8.8 m/s. What is its
velocity (a) 1.7 s earlier and (b) 1.7 s later?

Answers: 4.72 m/s , 12.88 m/s ,

P#11: On a dry road, a car with good tires may be able to brake with a constant deceleration of 3.13 m/s2. (a) How long
does such a car, initially traveling at 27.9 m/s, take to stop? (b) How far does it travel in this time?

Answers: 8.91 s , 124 m ,

P#12: A certain elevator cab has a total run of 209 m and a maximum speed is 324 m/min, and it accelerates from rest
and then back to rest at 1.19 m/s2. (a) How far does the cab move while accelerating to full speed from rest? (b) How
long does it take to make the nonstop 209 m run, starting and ending at rest?

Answers: 12.25 m , 43.2 s

P#13: A car traveling 53.2 km/h is 22.4 m from a barrier when the driver slams on the brakes. The car hits the barrier
2.04 s later. (a) What is the car's constant deceleration magnitude before impact?(b) How fast is the car traveling at
impact?

Answers: 3.72 m/s2 , 7.18 m/s ,

P#14: A hot-air balloon is ascending at the rate of 10 m/s and is 60 m above the ground when a package is dropped over
the side. (a) How long does the package take to reach the ground? (b) With what speed does it hit the ground?

Answers: 4.67 s , 35.7 m/s ,

P#15: As a runaway scientific balloon ascends at 19.6 m/s, one of its

instrument packages breaks free of a harness and free-falls. The
figure gives the vertical velocity of the package versus time, from
before it breaks free to when it reaches the ground. (a) What
maximum height above the break-free point does it rise? (b) How
high is the break-free point above the ground?

Answers: 19.6 m , 58.8 m ,

P#16: A key falls from a bridge that is 48 m above the water. It falls directly into a model boat, moving with constant
velocity, that is 14 m from the point of impact when the key is released. What is the speed of the boat?

Answers: 4.47 m/s ,

P#17: A stone is dropped into a river from a bridge 46.5 m above the water. Another stone is thrown vertically down
1.35 s after the first is dropped. Both stones strike the water at the same time. What is the initial speed of the second
stone?

Answers: 18.4 m/s

P#18: A ball of moist clay falls 19.0 m to the ground. It is in contact with the ground for 16.0 ms before stopping. (a)
What is the average acceleration of the ball during the time it is in contact with the ground? (Treat the ball as a particle.)
(b) Is the average acceleration up or down?

Answers: 1206 m/s2 , upward ,

P#19: To test the quality of a tennis ball, you drop it onto the floor from a height of 4.49 m. It rebounds to a height of
2.19 m. If the ball is in contact with the floor for 10.9 ms, what is its average acceleration during that contact?

Answers: 1462 m/s2 ,

P#20: A pilot flies horizontally at 1300 km/h, at height h = 71 m above initially level ground. However, at time t = 0, the
pilot begins to fly over ground sloping upward at angle θ = 5.4° (see the figure). If the pilot does not change the
airplane's heading, at what time t does the plane strike the ground?

Answers: 2.1 s ,

P#21: A car moving with constant acceleration covered the distance between two points 55.4 m apart in 5.97 s. Its speed
as it passes the second point was 14.2 m/s. (a) What was the speed at the first point? (b) What was the acceleration? (c)
At what prior distance from the first point was the car at rest?

Answers: 4.36 m/s , 1.65 m/s2 , 5.76 m ,

P#22: A parachutist bails out and freely falls 62 m. Then the parachute opens, and thereafter she decelerates (slows
down) at 2.8 m/s2. She reaches the ground with a speed of 2.9 m/s. (a) How long is the parachutist in the air? (b) At what
height does the fall begin?

Answers: 15 s , 277 m ,