Physics of Mechanics and Wave Motion _ Spring 2023

PHYS 100/100L
ASSIGNMENT 2
1. A 0.50-kg croquet ball is initially at rest on the grass. When the ball is struck by a
mallet, the average force exerted on it is 230 N. If the ball’s speed after being
struck is 3.2 m/s, how long was the mallet in contact with the ball?

2. A 150 g baseball is thrown with a speed of 20 m/s. It is hit straight back toward
the pitcher at a speed of 40 m/s. The interaction time between the ball and the bat
is 6 ms. What maximum force does the bat exert on the ball?

3. In a laboratory experiment, a 200 g air-track glider and a 400 g air-track glider are
pushed toward each other from opposite ends of the track. The gliders have Velcro
tabs on the front and will stick together when they collide. The 200 g glider is
pushed with an initial speed of 3.0 m/s. The collision causes it to reverse direction
at 0.40 m/s. What was the initial speed of the 400 g glider?

4. A stone (mass 1.42 Kg) is projected with a speed of 22.5 m s−1at an angle 280 from
horizontal ground at point A and follows a trajectory as shown in the diagram.

22.5 m s−1

a) What is the mechanical energy of the rock as it leaves A?

b) Calculate the speed of the rock when it passes through the highest point B?
c) What is the height of the B from ground?

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 5.

6. A cannon ball of mass 1.5 kg is projected from point P and follows a parabolic
path over the horizontal ground, as shown in the diagram below. Q is the highest
point of flight of the ball.
Q
R

P S

At point P, the kinetic energy of the ball is 125 J. State whether each of the following
statements is True or False. (Ignore the effects of air resistance and assume that total
mechanical energy of the ball is conserved)
(i) The total mechanical energy of the ball at point P is 125 J

(ii) The kinetic energy of the ball at point Q is 0 J

(iii) The total mechanical energy of the ball at point R is 125 J
(iv) The acceleration of the ball at point Q is 0 ms-2 .

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 (v) The horizontal component of the velocity of the ball at point P is the same as
that at point R
(vi) The kinetic energy of the ball just before it hits the ground at point S is 125 J

7. The force-compression graph for a spring is shown below.

(i) How much work is done in compressing the spring 0.15 m?

(ii) How much potential energy is stored in the spring when it is compressed by
0.05m?
(iii) T
he spring is placed on a horizontal frictionless table with one end fixed. A 0.200
kg mass is placed next to the other end of the spring after it has been compressed
by 15 cm. Spring is released. What is the velocity of the mass when it passes the
point where the spring is being compressed by 0.05 m?