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39 problems tagged with relative motion

Mechanics › Kinematics
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Mechanics › Kinematics
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Mechanics › Kinematics
Mechanics › Kinematics
Mechanics › Kinematics
Mechanics › Kinematics

P0228

Beginner Mechanics › Kinematics

Airplane Round-Trip Time with Wind

An airplane flies a round trip from point A north to point B and then back to A. The airplane's speed relative to the air is $v$. The round-trip time in still air (when air speed relative to ground, $u$, is 0) is $t_0$. Now, consider a wind blowing from south to north with speed $u$ (where $u eq 0$).

Prove that the new round-trip time, $t$, is given by the formula $t = t_0 / (1 - u^2/v^2)$.
relative motion

P0279

Intermediate Mechanics › Kinematics

Train Collision Avoidance Kinematics

A high-speed train travels at initial velocity $v_H$. It is a distance $D$ behind a locomotive moving in the same direction at a constant velocity $v_L$, where $v_H > v_L$. The train's engineer immediately applies the brakes, causing a constant deceleration of magnitude $a$.

  1. Find the minimum deceleration magnitude $a$ required to just avoid a collision.
  2. Sketch the position-time, $x(t)$, curves for both vehicles, showing the cases where a collision is just avoided and not quite avoided.
linear motion relative motion

P0280

Intermediate Mechanics › Kinematics

Final Separation of Two Braking Objects

Two trains are moving along the same track and are headed toward each other. Their conductors simultaneously apply the brakes. The velocity-time graph in Figure shows their velocities $v$ as a function of time $t$ during the slowing process. The vertical scaling of the graph is set by $v_s = 40.0$ m/s. The braking process begins when the trains are 200 m apart.

What is their separation when both trains have stopped?
linear motion relative motion

P0332

Advanced Mechanics › Kinematics

Velocity of the Intersection Point of Moving Lines

In a plane, two straight lines, AB and CD, intersect at an angle $\phi$. The line AB moves with a velocity $v_1$ in a direction perpendicular to itself. The line CD moves with a velocity $v_2$ in a direction perpendicular to itself. The intersection of the two lines is point P.

Find the magnitude of the velocity of the intersection point P, denoted as $v_P$.
relative motion

P0337

Expert Mechanics › Kinematics

Maximum Speed for Intercepting a Boat

The lakeshore MN is a straight line. A small boat starts from point A on the shore and travels into the lake at a constant speed, at an angle $\alpha = 15^\circ$ with the shore. At the same time, a person also starts from point A. The person first runs along the shore for some distance and then swims in the water to chase the boat. The person's running speed on the shore is $v_1 = 4$ m/s, and their swimming speed in the water is $v_2 = 2$ m/s.

To be able to catch the boat, what is the maximum speed the boat can have?
relative motion

P0740

Intermediate Mechanics › Kinematics

Airplane Maximum Range with Wind

An airplane has a constant airspeed $v$ and a maximum round-trip range $R$ in still air. Now, a wind is blowing with speed $u$ in a direction N$\alpha$E (North-East by $\alpha$). The plane flies along a ground track that is N$\beta$E (North-East by $\beta$).

Find the new maximum round-trip range of the airplane.
relative motion

P0262

Beginner Mechanics › Kinematics

Relative Velocity of Raindrops to a Train

A train is traveling west on a horizontal track at a speed of 10 m/s. Due to the influence of wind, raindrops are falling with a speed of 5 m/s at an angle of $30^{\circ}$ west of the vertical.

Find the speed of the raindrops relative to the train.
relative motion

P0745

Advanced Mechanics › Kinematics

Kinematics analysis of a triangle and square

A right angle triangle ABC is held between a wall by a right-angle side AC, and a square block by the hypotenuse AB. Angle C is the right angle, and angle A is $\alpha$. The block is sitting on the ground. When the triangle is sliding down the wall vertically with speed $v$ and acceleration $a$, find the speed and acceleration of the block that is being pushed rightward.

relative motion

P0291

Intermediate Mechanics › Kinematics

Symbolic Analysis of Ship Minimum Separation

Ship A is located 4.0 km north and 2.5 km east of ship B. Ship A has a velocity of 22 km/h toward the south, and ship B has a velocity of 40 km/h in a direction 37° north of east. Let $t=0$ when the ships are in the positions described.

  1. What is the velocity of A relative to B in unit-vector notation with $\hat{i}$ toward the east?
  2. Write an expression (in terms of $\hat{i}$ and $\hat{j}$) for the position of A relative to B as a function of $t$.
  3. At what time is the separation between the ships least?
  4. What is that least separation?
relative motion

P0225

Beginner Mechanics › Kinematics

Airplane Ground Speed with Wind

An airplane's speed in still air is 180 km/h. The wind speed is 10 m/s.

  1. What is the airplane's speed relative to the ground when flying with a tailwind?
  2. What is the airplane's speed relative to the ground when flying with a headwind?
  3. What is the airplane's speed relative to the ground when flying perpendicular to the wind?
relative motion

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