1

SACE Stage 2 Physics

Motion In Two Dimensions
2
Motion in two dimensions
Errors in Measurement
Suppose we want to find the area of a piece of paper (A4)
Length = 297 0.5 mm
Width = 210 0.5 mm
Area
max
= 62623.75 mm
2

Area
min
= 62116.75 mm
2
Area = 62370 253.5 mm
2
3
Motion in two dimensions
Significant Figures
When calculating data, the accuracy of the answer is only as accurate as
the information that is least accurate.
307.63 five significant figures
0.00673 three significant figures
12000 can be 2,3,4, or 5 significant figures depending on whether the
zeros are just place holders for the decimal point
12.45 x 10
12
has four significant figures
4
Motion in 2 - Dimensions
Scientific Notation
The diameter of the solar system is 5 946 000 000 000 metres
Can write this as 5.946 x 10
12
m in scientific notation
The decimal place has moved 12 places to the left
This figure is correct to four significant figures

Calculations
b a b a
b a b a
b a b a

+
=
=
=
10 ) 10 (
10 10 10
10 10 10
5
Motion in 2 - Dimensions
Scientific Notation
Example

Evaluate where

k = 9.00 x 10
9

q
1
= 1.60 x 10
-19

q
2
= 3.20 x 10
-19

r = 6.273 x 10
-11
2
2 1
r
q kq
6
Motion in 2 - Dimensions
Scientific Notation
2
2 1
r
q kq
Example

Evaluate where,

k = 9.00 x 10
9

q
1
= 1.60 x 10
-19

q
2
= 3.20 x 10
-19

r = 6.273 x 10
-11
7
22
29
2 11
19 19 9
2
2 11
19 19 9
2
2 1
10 17 . 1
10
10
171 . 1
) 10 (
10 10 10
273 . 6
2 . 3 6 . 1 9
) 10 273 . 6 (
) 10 2 . 3 ( ) 10 60 . 1 ( ) 10 9 (

=
=

=



r
q kq
Answer given to three significant figures
as the least accurate piece of data was
given to three sig. figs.
7
Motion in 2 - Dimensions
Equations of Motion
Initial Velocity
Final Velocity


Average Velocity



Average Acceleration
2
2 1
v v
t
s
v
+
=
A
A
=
t

t
v
a
A

=
A
A
=
1 2
1 v
2 v
Difference in displacement
Change in time
s A
t A
8
Motion in 2 - Dimensions
Equations of Motion
Using average velocity and average acceleration to derive two other
equations.
(a) Assuming velocity and acceleration remain constant
t
v v
a
v v
t
s
A

=
+
=
A
A
1 2 2 1
and
2
Become
t a v v v
t
s
v A + =
A
A
=
1 2 1 2
also and
2
9
Motion in 2 - Dimensions
Equations of Motion
Combining the equations (and thus removing v
2
) we get
t a v v
t
s
A + =
A
A
1 1
2
t a v
t
s
A + =
A
A

1
2
2
2
1
2 2 t a t v s A + A = A
2
1
2
1
t a t v s A + A = A
10
Motion in 2 - Dimensions
Equations of Motion
( ) 1
2
2
2 1
t
v v
s 2

v v
t
s
1
A =
+
A

+
=
A
A (b)
( ) 2
1 2 1 2

a
v v
t
t
v v
a

= A
A

=
equation (1) = equation (2) (thus removing t)
a
v v
v v
s
1 2
2 1
2
=
+
A
11
Motion in 2 - Dimensions
Equations of Motion
( )( )
2 1 1 2
2 v v v v s a + = A Hence
i.e., s a v v A = 2
2
1
2
2
Note:
(1) the acceleration is constant, and
(2) the directions for velocity and acceleration must be used correctly
12
Motion in 2 - Dimensions
Uniform Gravitational Field
1. Gravity acts vertically downwards, towards the centre of the Earth

2. A mass can only accelerate in the direction of gravity in the absence of
all other forces (including air resistance)

3. The acceleration due to gravity is a vector quantity it has magnitude
and direction

4. The acceleration due to gravity on Earth is g = 9.8 ms
-2
vertically
downwards

13
Motion in 2 - Dimensions
Uniform Gravitational Field vector diagram
v
H

v
H

v
H

v
H

v
2

v
v

v
v

v
v

v
H

v
H

v
H

v
H

v
1

v
v

v
v

v
v

a = g
= 9.8 m s
-2

a = g
= 9.8 m.s
-2

14
Motion in 2 - Dimensions
Uniform Gravitational Field
1. Vertical and horizontal
components are
independent of each other
2. Vertical separation is
increasing due to gravity
3. Vertical separation is the
same for both balls at the
same time interval
4. The horizontal separation
is at constant intervals if
horizontal speed is
constant
A multi-image photograph
15
Motion in 2 - Dimensions
Vector Resolution
A vector can be resolved into components at right angles to each other.
There is the vertical component and the horizontal component. Pythagorus
Theorem is used (SOH is Sin = O/H rearranged gives O = H . Sin
u
v
v
h
= v cos u
v
v
= v sin u
16
Motion in 2 - Dimensions
Example 1 a known vector
30
o

v = 40 m s
-1

v
vertical

v
horizontal

v
vertical
= 40 sin 30
o

= 20 m s
-1
vertically up
v
horizontal
= 40 cos 30
o

= 34.6 m s
-1
to the right
Trigonometric ratios
17
Motion in 2 - Dimensions
Example 2 an unknown vector
u
v = ?
v
v
= 20m s
-1

v
h
= 50m s
-1

by Pythagoras Theorem (hypotenuse)
2
= (vertical)
2
+ (horizontal)
2
( )
0
1
1
2 2
2 2
2 2 2
8 . 21
50
20
tan
50
20
tan
9 . 53
20 50
=
=
=
=
+ =
+ =
+ =

u
u
u
ms v
v
v v v
v v v
v h
v h
18
Motion in 2 - Dimensions
Time of Flight
Note:
1. Acceleration present is due to gravity and remains constant at 9.8m/s
2. Horizontal velocity remains constant (i.e. ignore air resistance)
3. Vertical motion is independent of horizontal motion.
4. The launch height is the same as the impact height.

We can now determine the time of flight by only considering the vertical
motion of the projectile.
19
Motion in 2 - Dimensions
Time of Flight
s a v v t a t v s
t
v v
a
v v
t
s
v
A = A + A = A
A

=
+
=
A
A
=
2 ) 4 ( ) 3 (
) 2 (
2
) 1 (
2
1
2
2
2
1
1 2 2 1
2
1
We can use the following equations for the vertical motion, (a = -g = 9.8ms
-2
)
We can use the following equation for the horizontal velocity,
2
2 1
v v
t
s
v
+
=
A
A
=
20
Motion in 2 - Dimensions
Time of Flight
We assume the launch point has position s
1
= 0. The projectile is
launched with some initial horizontal velocity (v
h1
) and some initial
vertical velocity (v
v1
). The only acceleration is due to gravity acting
vertically downwards. It reaches a maximum height at the time
At
max
, when,
a g
v v
g
v
v
g
v v
v
v
= =

=

=
2 1
1
1
A
A
A
t
t
t
max
max
max
Assume that upwards
acceleration is positive
so that acceleration due
to gravity is negative
Thus acceleration
(upwards) against
gravity is a = -g
Also, v
v1
which is an
initial upwards launch
velocity is in a positive
direction
v
h1
v
v1
g = 9.8ms
-2
down

21
Motion in 2 - Dimensions
Time of Flight
2
1 1
1
) (
2
1
) (
g
v
g
g
v
v height
v v
v
=
At the time the maximum height is reached,
2
1
1
2
1
t a t v s into
g
v
t
v
max
A + A = A = A
gives,
22
Motion in 2 - Dimensions
Time of Flight
Time of impact occurs when AS = 0. ie,
0
1
2
1
2
= v g
v
A A t t
This equation has two solutions, at At = 0 and
At =
2
1
v
g
v
equation for the time of flight
Comparing the two equations, and

The time of flight is exactly twice the time taken to reach the
maximum height.
At =
2
1
v
g
v
At
max
=
v
g
v1
23
Motion in 2 - Dimensions
Range
The range is simply the horizontal distance attained at the time
At = At
flight

As v
v v
g
range h
h v
= =
1
1 1
2
t
flight
24
Motion in 2 - Dimensions
Example
A rugby player kicks a football from ground level with a speed of 35 ms
-1
at an
angle of elevation of 25
o
to the horizontal ground surface.
Ignoring air resistance determine;

(a) the time the ball is in the air,

(b) the horizontal distance travelled by the ball before hitting the ground

(c) the maximum height reached by the ball.
25
Motion in 2 - Dimensions
Example
(a) the time the ball is in the air,
v
H
m s
-1

v
v
m s
-1

25
o

35 m s
-1

v
H
= v cosu
= 35cos(25) = 31.72 m s
-1

v
v
= v sin(25)
= 35(sin25) = 14.79 m s
-1

Using vertical components to determine time to
reach maximum height

v
v
= v
o
+ aAt
At =
14.79
/
9.8
= 1.509 = 1.5 s

Hence time in the air = 2(1.509) = 3.02 s
26
Motion in 2 - Dimensions
Example
(b) the horizontal distance travelled by the ball before hitting the ground
s
H
= v
H
At
= (31.72)(2(1.5)) = 2(47.8766) = 2(47.9)
= 96 m

(c) the maximum height reached by the ball.

2
o
t
2
1
t A + A = A a v s
As = (14.79)(1.5) + (0.5)(-9.8)(1.5)
2
= 11.16
= 11.2 m
27
Motion in 2 - Dimensions
Launch Angle and Range
The following diagram shows the trajectories of projectiles as a function of
elevation angle. Note that the range is maximum for q = 45
o
and that
angles that are equal amounts above or below 45
o
yield the same range,
eg, 30
o
and 60
o

Projectile ranges
for various angles of launch
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
450
500
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200
range
h
e
i
g
h
t
(ignoring air
resistance)
28
Motion in 2 - Dimensions
Air Resistance
1. Affects all objects moving through air.
2. The force due to air resistance always acts in the opposite
direction to the velocity of the object.
3. Air resistance is proportional to the speed of the object
squared.
4. As speed changes, the air resistance must also change.
5. Streamlining, type of surface, aerodynamic, turbulence
29
Motion in 2 - Dimensions
Air Resistance
Projectile ranges
with / without air resistance
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200
range
h
e
i
g
h
t
no
air resistance
with
air resistance
1. Horizontal velocity
always decreasing.
2. No vertical air
resistance at max
height as v
v
= 0.
3. Time of Flight is
reduced.
4. Range also reduced.
30
Motion in 2 - Dimensions
Application: Projectiles in Sport
1. Launch height affects the range of the football.
2. Maximum distance is achieved for an elevation angle of 45
o
.
3. Air resistance will depend on the type of projectile, i.e. whether it is a
basketball, football or ball of paper (streamlined or not).