Motion in Two Dimensions

1. A projectile is launched horizontally with an initial speed v0 = 3.50 m/s from a height y0. = 4.00
m. Neglect air resistance.
a. How long does it take for the projectile to reach the ground?
1
y = y0 + v0 y t + a y t 2
2
y0 = 4.00 m 1 2
0 = y0 + v0 y t − g t
v0 y = 0 2
ay = − g 1
0 = 4.00 m − (9.81m/s 2 )t 2
y=0
2
t = 2(4.00 m) /(9.81m/s 2 )
2
t =?
t 2 = 0.815s 2
t = 0.903s

b. What is the horizontal component of the projectile’s velocity when it hits the ground?
v0 x = 3.50 m/s
ax = 0
vx = ?
vx = v0 x + ax t
vx = 3.50 m/s

c. What is the speed of the projectile right before it hits the ground?
vx = 3.50 m/s (from part b)
v0 y = 0 m/s
ay = − g
v y = v0 y + a y t
= 0− gt
= −(9.81m/s 2 )(0.903 s ) = −8.86 m/s
v = vx2 + v y2

v = (3.50 m/s) 2 + (−8.86 m/s) 2 = 9.53m/s

d. If the projectile is re-launched horizontally from the same height with initial speed 2v0, what is
the time t for the projectile to reach the ground?
0.903 s (If the projectile is launched horizontally, time does not depend on initial velocity.)
2. A rock is thrown horizontally from a cliff. It takes 3 seconds for the rock to hit the ground. The
range is 40 meters.

a. How high is the cliff?

1 1
d y = g t 2 = (9.81m/s 2 )(3s) 2 = 44.1m
2 2

3. A plane flying horizontally at 120 m/s and a height of 300 m drops a crate.

a. How fast is the crate traveling horizontally as it falls?

120 m/s (Since gx = 0, the horizontal component of the initial velocity does not change.)

b. How long does it take for the crate to hit the ground?
d y0 = 0 m
d y = −300 m (down)
v0 y = 0m/s (as it is dropped)
d y = d y 0 + v0 y t + 12 a t 2
−300 m = 0 m + (0m/s)(t ) − 12 (9.81m/s 2 ) t 2
t 2 = 61.2s 2
t = 7.82s

c. How far, horizontally, from where it was released does it hit the ground?

d x = vx t = (120 m/s)(7.82s)=938 m

d. What is its vertical velocity immediately before it hits the ground?

v y = v0 y + a y t = 0 − (9.81m/s 2 )(7.82s) = − 76.7 m/s

e. What is its velocity immediately before it hits the ground?

vtotal = vx2 + v y2 = (120 m/s) 2 + (−76.7 m/s) 2 = 142 m/s

4. A soccer player kicks a ball from the ground with an initial velocity of 25 m/s at an angle of 37o
above the horizontal. (Use g = 10 m/s2 .)

a. Find the vertical and horizontal components of the initial velocity.

vox = 25 ⋅ cos 37o = 20.0 m s

voy = 25 ⋅ sin 37 o = 15.0 m s
b. Find the horizontal and vertical components of the velocity of the ball after 1.5 s and determine
the magnitude and direction of the resultant velocity.

v1.5 x = vox = 20.0 m s

v1.5 y = voy − g ⋅ t = 15.0 m s − (10 m/s 2 ) ⋅ (1.5 s ) = 0.0 m s

v1.5 = ( 20.0 m s) + ( 0.0 m s ) = 20.0 m s

2 2

⎛ 0.0 m s ⎞
φ = tan -1 ⎜ ⎟ = 0
o

⎝ 20.0 m s ⎠

c. How high is the ball above the ground 1.5 s after it is kicked? How far (horizontally) is it from
the end line? (For ease of calculations, we are treating g as being exactly equal to 10 m/s2 rather
than the real value of 9.81 m/s2.)

1
y1.5 = voy t + ayt 2
2
= (15.0 m/s)(1.5s) −
1
2
(10 m/s 2 ) (1.5s) 2

= 11.3 m
1
x1.5 = vox t + ax t 2
2
1
= (20.0 m s )(1.5s) + (0 m/s 2 ) (1.5s )
2

2
= 30.0 m

5. A boy throws a ball with a speed of 25.3 m/s at an angle of 42.0° above the horizontal directly
toward a wall. The wall is 21.8 m from the boy.
a. How long is the ball in the air before it hits the wall?
b. How far above the release point does the ball hit the wall?
c. What are the horizontal and vertical components of its velocity right before it hits the wall?
d. Has it passed the highest point on its trajectory when it hits the wall?

a. d x = d 0 x + v0 x t + 12 ax t 2
21.8 m = 0 + (25.3m/s)( cos 42o )t + 12 (0 m/s 2 ) t 2
t = 1.16s

b. d y = d 0 y + v0 y t + 12 a y t 2
d y = 0 + (25.3m)( sin 42°)(1.16s) − 0.5(9.81m/s 2 )(1.16s) 2
= 13.0 m
c. vx = v0 x + ax t
= (25.3m/s)(cos 42°) + (0 m/s 2 )(1.16s)
= 18.8 m/s

v y = v0 y + a y t
= (25.3m/s)(sin 42°) − (9.81m/s 2 )(1.16s)
= 5.55 m/s (pointing upwards)

d. We can see from part c that there is no change in sign in the vertical component of the velocity
when the ball hits the wall. Thus, the ball does not reach its maximum height.