01

NOTE
P H Y S I C S

MOTION IN TWO DIMENSIONS

GENERAL TWO-DIMENSIONAL MOTION

What you already know What you will learn

• Parameters of projectile motion • Horizontal projectile

• Equation of trajectory • General motion in 2D
• Special cases of projectile motion

BOARDS
Horizontal Projectile

In horizontal projectile motion, the particle is projected with an initial horizontal velocity u from a
certain height having zero angle of projection. In other words, the initial vertical velocity component
of the projectile is zero.

A boy standing on the terrace of a building performs the following experiments:

Case 1: Boy dropped the ball from height H

Take downward direction as positive y-axis and rightward direction as positive x-axis direction.
Let H be the height of the building.
Initial velocity of the ball = u y = 0
Acceleration in vertical direction = a y = g
Displacement in vertical direction = s y = H
Second equation of kinematics:
1
=
s y u yt + g yt 2
2 H
Substituting value of velocity, acceleration and displacement,
1
H = gt 2
2
Time required for the ball to reach on the ground
2H
t =
g

Case 2: Boy threw the ball with initial velocity u from height H

Take downward direction as positive y-axis and rightward direction as positive x-axis.
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Given,
=
u x u= ; uy 0
= =
a x 0; ay g
=
s x R=
; sy H
Second equation of kinematics :
1
s=
y
u yt + g yt 2
2 H
Displacement of ball in vertical direction,
1
H = 0×t + × g ×t2
2
1 R
H = × g ×t2
2
Rearranging the above equation,
2H
Time of flight is, t =
g
Displacement of the ball in horizontal direction will be equal to the range of projectile (R).
R = uxt
Putting the value of time of flight,

2H
R= u ×
g
2H
Range of the projectile, R = u
g

NEET
Equation of Trajectory for Horizontal Projection

For horizontal projection, y component of initial velocity will be zero.

Let the particle be projected from height h with initial horizontal velocity u.
Take downward direction as positive y-axis and right direction as positive x-axis.
Displacement in horizontal direction at time t,
=
u x u=; ax 0
1 O u
=
x ux t + ax t 2
2
x = ut ..... ( i )
Displacement in vertical direction at time t,
= =
u y 0; ay g h (x, y)
1
=
y u y t + ayt 2
2
1
y = gt 2 ...... ( ii )
2
x
Putting t = from equation (i) in equation (ii),
u
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2
1 x 
y = g 
2 u 
gx 2
y =
2u 2
gx 2
Therefore, equation of trajectory for horizontal projection is, y = .
2u 2

Displacement vector of horizontal projection


r xiˆ + yjˆ
=
From equations (i) and (ii)
 1
r ut ˆi + gt 2 ˆj
=
2

Velocity for horizontal projection

O u
Velocity in x-direction, x
=
u x u= ; ax 0
v= u + at
vx = u
h (x, y)
Velocity in y-direction,
=
u y 0;= ay g θ vx
v= u y + ayt vy v
y
v y = gt

v v x i + v y jˆ
As velocity vector ==
 y
v u iˆ + gt jˆ
=
As the angle between velocity vector and horizontal component of velocity vector at any time t is θ,
vy gt
θ
tan= =
vx u

A bullet is to be fired with a speed of 2000 ms –1 to hit a target 200 m away on the ground
level. If g = 10 ms –2, where should the gun be aimed?
(A) Directly at the target (B) 5 cm above the target
(C) 2 cm below the target (D) 5 cm below the target

Solution

Given, the horizontal displacement of the bullet is,

1
=
s x u x t + ax t 2
2
=u x 2000= ms −1 ; a x 0=
ms −2 ; s x 200 m
⇒ 200 = 2000 × t
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1 2
=
s x uxt +
at
2 x
= ms −1 ; a x 0=
u x 2000= ms −2 ; s x 200 m
⇒ 200 = 2000 × t
200
⇒=
t = 0.1 s
2000
Time taken by the bullet to cover the horizontal distance is t = 0.1 s
The vertical displacement of the bullet by the time it covers the horizontal distance of 200 m is,
=u y 0= ms −1 ; a y 10=ms −2 ; s y h
1
=
s y u yt + ayt 2
2
1
h = × 10 × ( 0.1)
2

2
h = 0.05 m
h = 5m
Positive sign of height indicates that the gun should be aimed 5 cm above the target.
Hence, option (B) is correct.

Water is flowing at the rate of 10 ms –1 through a pipe which is at a height of 10 m from the
ground. How far should the pot be kept from the pipe so that the water reaches the pot?

Solution

Given, water is flowing at a rate of, i.e., initial velocity of water is u = 10 ms –1

For vertical direction,
u y= 0 ms −1 ; a y= g= 10 ms −2 ; s y= 10 m
1 −1 −2
s y u y t + uay=y t 20 ms ; a y= g= 10 ms ; s y= 10 m
= 10 ms –1
2 1
=s y 1 u y t + 2a y t 2 10 m
⇒ 10 = 0 × t + × 10 × 2t
2 1
⇒ t =2 s ⇒ 10 = 0 × t + × 10 × t 2
2
⇒ t is
The time of flight =2 s . R
The horizontal distance covered by water is,
1
=
s x u x t + ax t 2
2
s=x
R ; u=
x
u= 10 ms −1 ; a=
x
0 ms −2 ; t= 2s

1
( )
2
⇒R= 2 × 10 + ×0× 2
2
R = 10 2 m
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At the height 80 m, an airplane is moving with 150 ms –1. A bomb is dropped from it to
hit the target. At what horizontal distance from the target should the bomb be dropped?
(g = 10 ms –2)

(A) 605.3 m (B) 600 m (C) 80 m (D) 230 m

Solution

As the bomb is dropped from a flying airplane, its initial velocity will be the same as the airplane,
i.e., 150 ms –1 in horizontal direction.
For vertical direction,
s y= 80 m ; u y= 0 ms −1 ; a y= g= 10 ms −2

1
=
s y u yt + ayt 2
2
1
80 = 0 × t + × 10 × t 2
2
=
t 16 4 s ....... ( i )
=
For horizontal direction,
1
=
s x u x t + ax t 2
2
=u x 150 ms= −1
ms −2 ;t 4 s ......from equation ( i )
; a x 0=

1
⇒ s x= 150 × 4 + × 0×t2
2
⇒ sx =
600 m

At t = 2 s, velocity vector of the two balls projected v 3v

horizontally with initial velocities v and 3v in opposite
directions make an angle of 90° with each other. What h
is the value of v?

Solution

Considering vertically downward direction v 3v

is positive, ()
g ĵ

Let the velocity after t = 2 s be v 1 and ( )
v 1 sin θ -î ( )( )
v 2 sin 90 - θ ˆi

v 2 with the initial velocity v and 3v, -x θ h 90° – θ x
respectively. v1 ()
v 1 cos θ ˆj v2
  y
At t = 2 s, the angle between v 1 and v 2 is ( )( )
v 2 cos 90 - θ ˆj

90°.
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
For
 velocity v 1
,
( )
v 1= v 1x −iˆ + v 1 y jˆ ()

= ( )
v 1 v 1 sin θ −iˆ + v 1 cos θ jˆ ()
− v 1 sin θ ; v 1 y =
⇒ v 1x = v 1 cos θ ; a y =
10 ms −2

1
=
s y v 1y t + ayt 2
2
1
⇒ h v 1 cosθ t +
= a t2
2 y
h − 5t 2
⇒ v 1 cosθ = ....... ( i )
 t
 velocity v 2 ,
For
=v 2 v 2x iˆ + v 2 y jˆ

=v 2 v 2 sin ( 90° − θ ) iˆ + v 2 cos ( 90° − θ ) jˆ
=v 2x v 2 sin ( 90
=° − θ ) v 2 cos
= θ ; v 2 y v 2 cos ( 90
=° − θ ) v 2 sin
= θ ; a y 10 ms −2
1
=
s y v 2yt + a t2
2 y
1
v 2 sinθ t +
⇒h = a t2
2 y
h − 5t 2
⇒ v 2 sin θ = ........ ( ii )
t
From (i) and (ii),
⇒ v 1 cos θ =v 2 sin θ
v
⇒ tan θ =
1
......... ( iii )
v2
Horizontal components of velocities remain constant because there is no acceleration in the
horizontal direction.
v 1 sinθ =v ......(iv)
v 2 cosθ = 3v ......(v)
From (iv) and (v),
v2
⇒ 3 tan θ ......(vi)
=
v1
From (vi) and (iii),
1
⇒ tan2 θ =
3
1
⇒ tan θ =
3
 1 
⇒θ = tan −1  
 3
⇒ θ = 30°
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At t = 2 s,
v=
1y
u1 y + a1 y t
= ms −1 ; a y 10=
u1 y 0= ms −2 ; t = cos θ ; θ 30°
2 s ; v 1 y v 1=

⇒ v 1 cos 30° = 0 + 10 2
⇒ v 1 cos 30°= 10 × 2
40
⇒ v 1 = ms −1 .....(vii)
3
Substituting value of v1 in equation (iv)
⇒ v 1 sin 30° =v

401
⇒ =
v ×
3 2
20
⇒ v = ms −1
3

General Motion in Two Dimensions

Let the particle be moving in the Cartesian coordinate system and the particle is at x and y distances
from x - axis and y - axis respectively at a point P.
Position vector of the particle at point P is,
 
r xiˆ + yjˆ ....(i)
=
y v y

On differentiating (i), v
Velocity vector of the particle at point P is,

dr dx  dy ˆ y
= i + j  P 
dt dt dt r vx

v v x iˆ + v y jˆ .......(ii)
=
On differentiating (ii), x
Acceleration vector of the particle at point P is, x

dv dv x ˆ dv y ˆ
= i + j
dt dt dt
 dv x ˆ dv y ˆ
=a i + j
dt dt

A particle moves in 2D motion such that its position and time are related to each other as,
x =−t 2 + 10t + 1, y =3t + 1 . Find the velocity of the particle at t = 3 s.

Solution

Given, x =−t 2 + 10t + 1, y =3t + 1

We know that,
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
v v x i + v y jˆ
= 
( −2t + 10) + 32
2
⇒ v =
 dx  dy ˆ
⇒ v= i + j 
dt dt ⇒ v= 4t 2 − 40t + 109

⇒ v =( −2t + 10) iˆ + 3 jˆ Velocity at t = 3 s,
 
Magnitude of velocity ==
v v x2 +v y 2 v= 4 × 9 − 40 × 3 + 109

=
v 25 5 ms −1
=

A particle starts its 2D motion from origin such that its velocity in x-direction remains
constant at 1 ms –1 and in y-direction, its acceleration varies with time as ay = (t + 3) ms –2.
Find the position vector of the particle at t = 1 s.

Solution

Given, v=
x
1 ms −1 , a=
y (t + 3) ms −2 We know that,
We know that, dy
vy =
dx dt
vx =
dt Rearranging above equation
dx dy = v y dt
⇒1=
dt Integrating both sides,
⇒ dx = dt y 1 t
2

Integrating both sides, =∫0 dy ∫ 0  2 + 3t dt
x 1
∫ dx = ∫ dt
0 0  t 3 3t 2 
⇒ y=  +  .......(ii)
⇒x = t ......(i)  6 2 
We know that,
Position vector of the particle is,
dv y 
ay = r= xiˆ + yjˆ
dt
From (i) and (ii),
dv y
⇒t + 3 =  t 3 3t 2  ˆ
dt ⇒ r = tiˆ +  + j
6 2 
⇒ dv y =(t + 3)dt At t = 1 s,
Integrating both sides,   13 3×12  ˆ
⇒ r = 1iˆ +  + j
∫ 0 (t + 3)dt
vv y tt
⇒ ∫ y dv y = 6 2 
0 0y 0

t 22
vv yy 
tt
(
⇒ r= 1 iˆ + 1.67 jˆ m )
⇒ v y  = + 3t  
y 0 0
2 0 0
Position vector is,=
r (1 iˆ + 1.67 jˆ ) m
 t 22  0 
⇒ v=yy  + 3t  −  2 + 3 × 0
2   
 t 22 
⇒ v yy =  + 3t 
2 