Motion in a Plane

Examples
1. Rain is falling vertically with a speed of 35 m s –1. Winds starts blowing
after sometime with a speed of 12 m s–1 in east to west direction. In which
direction should a boy waiting at a bus stop hold his umbrella ?
Ans:

Therefore, the boy should hold his umbrella in the vertical plane
at an angle of about 19o with the vertical towards the east.

2. Find the magnitude and direction of the resultant of two vectors A and B
in terms of their magnitudes and angle θ between them.
Ans:

3. A motorboat is racing towards north at 25 km/h and the water current

in that region is 10 km/h in the direction of 60° east of south. Find the
resultant velocity of the boat.

Ans: vx of current = 10sin(60∘) = 10 ×

√3 = 5 3 m/s
2
√

Vy of current = -10sin(60∘) = -10 x

1
= -5 m/s
2

Resultant velocity of boat = 5√ 3 i^ + 20 ^j m/s

Magnitude of resultant velocity of boat = √ 75+400
= √ 475 = 21.79 m/s

Direction ⇒ tan θ =
5 √3
= 0.433
20
⇒ θ = 23.4°
Therefore, resultant velocity of boat is 21.79 m/s at 23.4° east of
north.
4. The position of a particle is given by r = 3.0t i^ + 2.0t2 ^j + 5.0 k̂ where
t is in seconds and the coefficients have the proper units for r to be in
metres.
(a) Find v(t) and a(t) of the particle.
(b) Find the magnitude and direction of v(t) at t = 1.0 s.
Ans: (a) v = dr/dt = 3.0 i^ + 4.0t ^j m/s a = dv/dt = 4.0 ^j m/s2
(b) v = 3.0 i^ + 4.0 ^j
Magnitude = √ 9+16 = √ 25 = 5 m/s

Direction ⇒ tan θ =
4
= 53° with x-axis.
3

5. A particle starts from origin at t = 0 with a velocity 5.0 i^ m/s and moves
in x-y plane under action of a force which produces a constant
acceleration of (3.0 i^ +2.0 ^j ) m/s2.
(a) What is the y-coordinate of the particle at the instant its x-coordinate
is 84 m ?
(b) What is the speed of the particle at this time ?
6. Galileo, in his book Two new sciences, stated that “for elevations which
exceed or fall short of 45° by equal amounts, the ranges are equal”. Prove
this statement.
Ans:

7. A hiker stands on the edge of a cliff 490 m above the ground and
throws a stone horizontally with an initial speed of 15 m s -1. Neglecting air
resistance, find the time taken by the stone to reach the ground, and the
speed with which it hits the ground. (Take g = 9.8 m s -2).
Ans: uy = 0

S = ut + 1/2at2
⇒ -490 = 0 -1/2 x 9.8 x t2
⇒ -490 = -9.8t2/2
⇒ 10 = t2
⇒ t = 10 s

Vy2 – uy2 = 2 x – 9.8 x 490

⇒ Vy2 = -9604
Vy = -98 m/s

Speed with which it hit ground = √ 225+9604 = √ 9829= 99.1 m/s

8. A cricket ball is thrown at a speed of 28 m s –1 in a direction 30° above

the horizontal. Calculate
(a) the maximum height,
(b) the time taken by the ball to return to the same level, and
(c) the distance from the thrower to the point where the ball returns to the
same level.

√3 = 14 3 m/s
Ans: ux = 28 cos 30° = 28 x
2
√
1
uy = 28 sin 30° = 28 x = 14 m/s
2

(a) v = 0 u = 14 m/s a = -9.8 m/s2

V2 – u2 = 2as
⇒ 0 – (14)2 = 2 x (-9.8) x s
⇒ -196 = -19.6s
⇒ s = 10 m

14
(b) Time taken = 2 x = 2.9 s
9.8

(c) Range = 14√ 3x 2.9 = 69 m

9. An insect trapped in a circular groove of radius 12 cm moves along the

groove steadily and completes 7 revolutions in 100 s.
(a) What is the angular speed, and the linear speed of the motion?
(b) Is the acceleration vector a constant vector ? What is its magnitude ?
Ans: Radius of the circular groove: r = 12 cm = 0.12 m
Time for 7 revolutions: t = 100 s
Angular displacement (θ) = 2π x 7 = 14π
θ
Angular speed (ω) = = 14π/100 = 0.44 rad/s
t
Linear speed= ωr = 0.44× 0.12 = 0.0528 m/s

Questions
3.1 State, for each of the following physical quantities, if it is a scalar or a
vector:
Volume, mass, speed, acceleration, density, number of moles, velocity,
angular frequency, displacement, angular velocity.
Ans: Scalars: Volume, mass, speed, density, number of moles,
angular frequency.
Vectors: Acceleration, velocity, displacement, angular velocity.

3.2 Pick out the two scalar quantities in the following list:
Force, angular momentum, work, current, linear momentum, electric field,
average velocity, magnetic moment, relative velocity.
Ans: Work and current.

3.3 Pick out the only vector quantity in the following list:
Temperature, pressure, impulse, time, power, total path length, energy,
gravitational potential, coefficient of friction, charge.
Ans: Impulse.

3.4 State with reasons whether the following algebraic operations with
scalar and vector physical quantities are meaningful:
(a) Adding any two scalars,
(b) Adding a scalar to a vector of the same dimensions,
(c) Multiplying any vector by any scalar,
(d) Multiplying any two scalars,
(e) Adding any two vectors,
(f) Adding a component of a vector to the same vector.
Ans: (a) No, only the scalars of same dimensions can be added.
(b) No, a scalar cannot be added to a vector.
(c) Yes, a scalar can be multiplied with a vector. For example,
force is multiplied by time to give an impulse..
(d) Yes, a scalar can be multiplied by another scalar having the
same or different dimensions.
(e) No, only two vectors of same dimensions can be added.
(f) Yes, because both are vectors of the same dimensions.

3.5 Read each statement below carefully and state with reasons, if it is
true or false:
(a) The magnitude of a vector is always a scalar.
(b) Each component of a vector is always a scalar.
(c) The total path length is always equal to the magnitude of the
displacement vector of a particle.
(d) The average speed of a particle is either greater or equal to the
magnitude of average velocity of the particle over the same interval of
time.
(e) Three vectors not lying in a plane can never add up to give a null
vector.
Ans: (a) True, the magnitude of a vector is a number. So, it is a
scalar.
(b) False, each component of a vector is also a vector.
(c) False, the total path length is equal to magnitude of
displacement vector only when the particle is moving in a straight
line.
(d) True, It is because of the fact that the total path length is
always greater than or equal to the magnitude of displacement of
a particle.
(e) True, three vectors which do not lie in a plane cannot be
represented by the sides of a triangle taken in the same order.

3.6 Establish the following vector inequalities geometrically or otherwise:

(a) |a + b| ≤ |a| + |b|
(b) |a + b| ≥ ||a| − |b||
(c) |a − b| ≤ |a| + |b|
(d) |a − b| ≥ ||a| − |b||
When does the equality sign above apply?
Ans:
3.7 Given a + b + c + d = 0, which of the following statements are
correct:
(a) a, b, c, and d must each be a null vector,
(b) The magnitude of (a + c) equals the magnitude of (b + d),
(c) The magnitude of a can never be greater than the sum of the
magnitudes of b, c, and d,
(d) b + c must lie in the plane of a and d if a and d are not collinear, and
in the line of a and d, if they are collinear?
Ans:
3.8 Three girls skating on a circular ice ground of radius 200 m start from
a point P on the edge of the ground and reach a point Q diametrically
opposite to P following different paths as shown in Fig. 3.19. What is the
magnitude of the displacement vector for each? For which girl is this equal
to the actual length of path skate?

Ans: Magnitude of displacement vector = 2r = 2 x 200 = 400 m.

For girl B, actual path length = Displacement = 400 m.

3.9 A cyclist starts from the centre O of a circular park of radius 1 km,
reaches the edge P of the park, then cycles along the circumference, and
returns to the centre along QO as shown in Fig. 3.20. If the round trip
takes 10 min, what is the
(a) net displacement,
(b) average velocity, and
(c) average speed of the cyclist?

Ans: (a) Since both the initial and final positions are the same
therefore the net displacement is zero.
(b) Since the net displacement is zero therefore the average
velocity is also zero.
(c)

3.10 On an open ground, a motorist follows a track that turns to his left by
an angle of 60° after every 500 m. Starting from a given turn, specify the
displacement of the motorist at the third, sixth and eighth turn. Compare
the magnitude of the displacement with the total path length covered by
the motorist in each case.
Ans: (i) At third turn, Displacement ⃗
OC = 1 km Path travelled =
1.5 km

(ii) At sixth turn, Displacement = 0, Path travelled = 3 km

=0

(iii) At 8th turn, Displacement ⃗

OB =
√3 = 0.866 km, Path travelled
2
= 4 km
= 0.866/4 = 0.22

3.11 A passenger arriving in a new town wishes to go from the station to a

hotel located 10 km away on a straight road from the station. A dishonest
cabman takes him along a circuitous path 23 km long and reaches the
hotel in 28 min. What is
(a) the average speed of the taxi,
(b) the magnitude of average velocity? Are the two equal?
Ans: Actual distance = 10 km
Distance travelled = 23 km
28
Time = 28 mins = hour
60
60
(a) Average speed = 23 x = 49.3 km/h.
28
 60
(b) Average velocity = 10 x = 21.43 km/h.
28
They are not equal

3.12 The ceiling of a long hall is 25 m high. What is the maximum

horizontal distance that a ball thrown with a speed of 40 m s⁻¹ can go
without hitting the ceiling of the hall?
Ans: v = 0 u = 40 sinθ m/s a = -10 m/s s = 25 m
v2 - u2 = 2as
0 – 1600 sin2 θ = 2 x (-10) x 25
-1600 sin2 θ = -500
sin2 θ = 0.31
sin θ = 0.5534
θ = 33.60°

Range = u2 sin2θ/g
= (40)2 sin 2 x 33.60°/10
= 1600 sin 67.20°/10
= 1600 x 0.922/10
= 147.5 m

3.13 A cricketer can throw a ball to a maximum horizontal distance of 100

m. How much high above the ground can the cricketer throw the same
ball?
Ans:
3.14 A stone tied to the end of a string 80 cm long is whirled in a
horizontal circle with a constant speed. If the stone makes 14 revolutions
in 25 s, what is the magnitude and direction of acceleration of the stone?
Ans:

3.15 An aircraft executes a horizontal loop of radius 1.00 km with a steady

speed of 900 km/h. Compare its centripetal acceleration with the
acceleration due to gravity.
Ans:

3.16 Read each statement below carefully and state, with reasons, if it is
true or false : (a) The net acceleration of a particle in circular motion is
always along the radius of the circle towards the centre
(b) The velocity vector of a particle at a point is always along the tangent
to the path of the particle at that point
(c) The acceleration vector of a particle in uniform circular motion
averaged over one cycle is a null vector
Ans: (a) False, the net acceleration of a particle in circular motion
is along the radius of the circle towards the centre only in
uniform circular motion.
(b) True, because while leaving the circular path, the particle
moves tangentially to the circular path.
(c) True, the direction of acceleration vector in a uniform circular
motion is directed towards the centre of circular path. It is
constantly changing with time. The resultant of all these vectors
will be a zero vector.

3.17 The position of a particle is given by: r = 3.0t i^ − 2.0t² ^j + 4.0 k̂ m

where t is in seconds and the coefficients have the proper units for r to be
in metres.
(a) Find the v and a of the particle.
(b) What is the magnitude and direction of velocity of the particle at t =
2.0 s?
dr ^ dv
Ans: (a) v = = 3.0 i−¿ 4.0t ^j m/s a= = -4.0 ^j m/s2
dt dt
^
(b) v = 3.0 i−¿ 8.0 ^j at t = 2 sec
Magnitude = √ 9+64 = √ 73 = 8.54 m/s

3.18 A particle starts from the origin at t = 0 s with a velocity of 10.0 ^j m/s
and moves in the x-y plane with a constant acceleration of (8.0i^ + 2.0 ^j )
m/s².
(a) At what time is the x-coordinate of the particle 16 m?
(b) What is the y-coordinate of the particle at that time?
(c) What is the speed of the particle at the time?
Ans:

3.19 i^ and ^j are unit vectors along x and y axis respectively. What is the
magnitude and direction of the vectors: i^ + ^j , and i^ − ^j ? What are the
components of a vector A = 2i^ + 3 ^j along the directions of i^ + ^j and i^ − ^j
? [You may use graphical method.]
Ans:

3.20 For an arbitrary motion in space, which of the following relations are
true:
(a) vaverage = (1/2) (v(t₁) + v(t₂))
(b) vaverage = [r(t₂) − r(t₁)] / (t₂ − t₁)
(c) v (t) = v (0) + at
(d) r (t) = r (0) + v (0)t + (1/2)at²
(e) vaverage = [v(t₂) − v(t₁)] / (t₂ − t₁)
(The average velocity is the average of the quantity over the time interval
t₁ to t₂.)
Ans:
3.21 Read each statement below carefully and state, with reasons and
examples, if it is true or false :
A scalar quantity is one that
(a) is conserved in a process
(b) can never take negative values
(c) must be dimensionless
(d) does not vary from one point to another in space
(e) has the same value for observers with different orientations of axes.
Ans: (a) False, because kinetic energy is a scalar but does not
remain conserved in an inelastic collision.
(b) False, because potential energy in a gravitational field may
have negative values.
(c) False, because mass, length, time, speed, work etc., all have
dimensions.
(d) False, because speed, energy etc., vary from point to point in
space.
(e) True, because a scalar quantity will have the same value for
observers with different orientations of axes since a scalar has no
direction of its own.

3.22 An aircraft is flying at a height of 3400 m above the ground. If the

angle subtended at a ground observation point by the aircraft positions
10.0 s a part is 30°, wat is the speed of the aircraft?
Ans: OC = 3400 m
tan 15° = AC/OC
AC = tan 15° OC
AC = 0.2679 x 3400
AC = 910.86 m

AB = 2 x 910.86 m
2 x 910.86
Speed of aircraft = = 182.2 m/s
10