Example Problems for Motion in 2-d Answers

1. A stone is thrown horizontally at 15 m/s from a cliff

44 m high.
(a) How long does it take the stone to reach the ground?
vx = 15 m/s
Stone takes parabolic path to the ground

44 m Gravity acts in a vertical direction;

horizontal velocity as no effect on gravity

B A
So gravity acts equally on object projected horizontally (which
lands at A), and object that is dropped (which lands at B)
To find time of flight to A (which is difficult), find instead the
time it takes to drop the same vertical distance to B (easier)
(a) t = ? Vertically, vi = 0 vx = 15 m/s
g = - 9.8 m/s2 d = - 44 m

Use d = vi t + ½ g t2 44 m

d = 0 + ½ g t2
B A
2 ( d = ½ g t2 ) 2

2 d = g t2 2d 2 ( - 44 m )
t = =
g g g - 9.8 m/s2

2d
t2 =
g t = 3.0 s
(b) How far from the base of vx = 15 m/s
the cliff does it land?
44 m t = 3.0 s
Gravity acts vertically;
horizontal motion is unaffected
dx = ?

Motion in horizontal is at constant velocity

dx = vx t
= ( 15 m/s )( 3.0 s )
dx = 45 m
2. A stone is thrown horizontally at 10.0 m/s from a cliff
78.4 m high.
(a) How long does it take the stone to reach the ground?
vx = 10.0 m/s
Instead of finding time of flight to A,
find the time it takes to drop the
same vertical distance to B
78.4 m

B A
(a) t = ? Vertically, vi = 0 vx = 10.0 m/s
g = - 9.8 m/s2 d = - 78.4 m

Use d = vi t + ½ g t2 78.4 m

d = 0 + ½ g t2
B A
2 ( d = ½ g t2 ) 2

2 d = g t2 2d 2 ( - 78.4 m )
t = =
g g g - 9.8 m/s2

2d
t2 = t = 4.0 s
g
(b) How far from the base of vx = 10.0 m/s
the cliff does it land?
78.4 m t = 4.0 s
Gravity acts vertically;
horizontal motion is unaffected
dx = ?

Motion in horizontal is at constant velocity

dx = vx t
= ( 10.0 m/s )( 4.0 s )
dx = 40.0 m
3. vx = 0.800 m/s vx = 0.800 m/s
Height of table = 0.960 m
dx = vx t t = ? 0.950 m

Use dy = viy t + ½ g t2
dx = ?

2 dy see earlier
t = examples
g
3. vx = 0.800 m/s vx = 0.800 m/s
Height of table = 0.960 m
dx = vx t t = ? 0.950 m

Use dy = viy t + ½ g t2
dx = ?

Time of flight for

2 dy 2h
t = t = object dropped
g g from height h
3. vx = 0.800 m/s vx = 0.800 m/s
h = 0.960 m
dx = vx t t = ? 0.950 m

2h dx = ?
t =
g

2 ( 0.950 m )
= = t = 0.440 s
9.8 m/s2

Then dx = vx t = ( 0.800 m/s )( 0.440 s )

dx = 0.352 m
4. dx = 52 m
h = 122 m
(a) Time of flight = ?
122 m t =?

2h
t = 52 m
g

2 ( 122 m )
=
9.8 m/s2

t = 5.0 s
4. dx = 52 m vx = ?
h = 122 m
(b) vx = ?
122 m t = 5.0 s

dx = vx t
52 m
t t
dx 122 m
vx = =
t 5.0 s

vx = 24 m/s
5. t = 4.5 s dx = 36 m vx = ?

(a) vx = ?
t = 4.5 s
dx = v x t
t t
36 m
dx 36 m
vx = =
t 4.5 s

vx = 8.0 m/s
5. t = 4.5 s dx = 36 m vx = 8.0 m/s

(b) dy = ?
dy = ? t = 4.5 s
Vertically, vi = 0
d y = v i t + ½ g t2 36 m

= 0 + ½ g t2
= ½ g t2
= ½ ( - 9.8 m/s2 )( 4.5 s )2

dy = - 99 m So cliff is 99 m high
6. A projectile is fired with a velocity of 196 m/s at an
angle of 60.0o with the horizontal.
(a) Find the vertical and horizontal velocities
Draw horizontal and
196 m/s vertical components
vy
60o
Use SOH-CAH-TOA
vx
 SOH-CAH-TOA
196 m/s
vy
60o
vx
vx : vy :
adj opp
cos 60 = sin 60 =
hyp hyp
vx 196 vy 196
(196) 0.500 = (196) 0.866 =
196 196
vx = 98 m/s vy = 170 m/s
(b) Find the time the projectile is in the air

Projectile takes parabolic

path to the ground
170 m/s
As in earlier case, gravity is
98 m/s unaffected by
horizontal motion

Time of flight depends only on initial vertical velocity

(b) Find the time the projectile is in the air

Projectile takes parabolic

path to the ground
170 m/s
As in earlier case, gravity is
98 m/s unaffected by
horizontal motion

Time of flight depends only on initial vertical velocity

Time of flight will be the same for this projectile and

for a projectile shot straight up with an initial velocity
of 170 m/s
vi = 170 m/s g = - 9.8 m/s2 vf = 0
t = ?
As in earlier cases, consider only
1st half of flight : vf = 0 170 m/s

vf = vi + g t
98 m/s
0 = vi + g t
- vi - vi - 170 m/s
t = = 17.3 s
- vi = g t - 9.8 m/s2
g g
Multiply by 2 to get
total flight time:
- vi
t =
g tt = 2 ( 17.3 s ) = tt = 34.6 s
(c) Find the horizontal distance the projectile travels (this
is called the range)
Again, horizontal motion is
t = 34.6 s affected only by
horizontal velocity
170 m/s

98 m/s
dx = ?

dx = vx t
= ( 98 m/s )( 34.6 s )

dx = 3390 m
(d) Find the maximum height the projectile reaches
Height reached depends only on
initial vertical velocity and time to reach
the highest point
170 m/s
vi = 170 m/s g = - 9.8 m/s2
t = 17.3 s (time of 1st half)
98 m/s

d y = v i t + ½ g t2
= ( 170 m/s )( 17.3 s ) + ½ ( - 9.8 m/s2 )( 17.3 s )2
= 2940 m + ( - 1470 m )
dy = 1470 m
7. A projectile is fired at an angle of 53.0o with the
horizontal at a velocity of 200 m/s.
(a) Find the time the
projectile is in the air 200 m/s
vy
Use SOH-CAH-TOA to find 53o
components of velocities vx
vx : vy :
adj opp
cos 53 = sin 53 =
hyp hyp
vx 200 vy 200
(200) 0.602 = (200) 0.799 =
200 200
vx = 120 m/s vy = 160 m/s
Use vertical velocity to find time of flight vf = 0
vi = 160 m/s g = - 9.8 m/s2
t = ? vf = 0 ( for 1st half )
160 m/s

vf = vi + g t 120 m/s
0 = vi + g t
- vi - vi - 160 m/s
t = = 16.3 s
- vi = g t - 9.8 m/s2
g g Multiply by 2 to get
total flight time:
- vi
t = tt = 2 ( 16.3 s ) = tt = 32.6 s
g
(b) Find the horizontal distance the projectile travels
(the range)

t = 32.6 s

160 m/s

120 m/s
dx = ?

dx = vx t
= ( 120 m/s )( 32.6 s )

dx = 1960 m
8. A golf ball is hit at an angle of 45o with the
horizontal at a velocity of 52 m/s. Find the range.

52 m/s
45o
dx = ?

dx = vx t Need to find vx and

the time of flight
First, find the velocity components
using SOH-CAH-TOA
 52 m/s vy
45o
vx
vx : vy :
adj opp
cos 45 = sin 45 =
hyp hyp
vx 52 vy 52
(52) 0.707 = (52) 0.707 =
52 52
vx = 36.8 m/s vy = 36.8 m/s
Use vertical velocity to find time of flight vf = 0
vi = 36.8 m/s g = - 9.8 m/s2
t = ? vf = 0 ( for 1st half )
36.8 m/s

vf = vi + g t 36.8 m/s

0 = vi + g t
- vi - vi - 36.8 m/s
t = = 3.75 s
- vi = g t - 9.8 m/s2
g g Multiply by 2 to get
total flight time:
- vi
t = tt = 2 ( 3.75 s ) = tt = 7.50 s
g
 t = 7.50 s

36.8 m/s
dx = ?

dx = vx t
= ( 36.8 m/s )( 7.50 s )

dx = 276 m