Q36 of 37 Page 25

Motion in two dimensions, in a plane can be studied by expressing position, velocity and acceleration as vectors in Cartesian co-ordinates A = Axî + Ayĵ where î and ĵ are unit vector along x and y directions, respectively and Ax and Ay are corresponding components of (Fig. 4.9). Motion can also be studied by expressing vectors in circular polar co-ordinates as A = Ar + Aɵ where = = cosθ î + sin θ ĵ and = sin θ î +cos θ ĵ are unit vectors along direction in which ‘r’ and ‘θ ’ are increasing.

(a) Express î and ĵ in terms of and .


(b) Show that both ř and θ are unit vectors and are perpendicular to each other.


(c) Show that (ř) = ω where and = −ωř


(d) For a particle moving along a spiral given by r= aθ , where a = 1 (unit), find dimensions of ‘a’.


(e) Find velocity and acceleration in polar vector representation for particle moving along spiral described in (d) above.



(a) We know,


(1)


(2)


Multiplying the equation (1) with sin and (2) with cos




Adding the above two equations,




Substituting in equation (1),







(b) In order to show that and are perpendicular, lets show that their dot product is zero.




Therefore, and are perpendicular.


(c)


Differentiating on both sides,



(d)


Writing dimensions on both sides,





(e) We know,


Here, a=1



Differentiating on both sides to find velocity,




Differentiating on both sides to find acceleration,




More from this chapter

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33

A girl riding a bicycle with a speed of 5 m/s towards north direction, observes rain falling vertically down. If she increases her speed to 10 m/s, rain appears to meet her at 45° to the vertical. What is the speed of the rain? In what direction does rain fall as observed by a ground based observer?

(Hint: Assume north to be î direction and vertically downward to be − ĵ. Let the rain velocity vr be a î + b ĵ. The velocity of rain as observed by the girl is always vr – vgirl. Draw the vector diagram/s for the information given and find a and b. You may draw all vectors in the reference frame of ground based observer.)


34

A river is flowing due east with a speed 3m/s. A swimmer can swim in still water at a speed of 4 m/s (Fig. 4.8).

(a) If swimmer starts swimming due north, what will be his resultant velocity (magnitude and direction)?


(b) If he wants to start from point A on south bank and reach opposite point B on north bank,


(a) which direction should he swim?


(b) what will be his resultant speed?


(c) From two different cases as mentioned in (a) and (b) above, in which case will he reach opposite bank in shorter time?



35

A cricket fielder can throw the cricket ball with a speed vo. If he throws the ball while running with speed u at an angle θ to the horizontal, find

(a) the effective angle to the horizontal at which the ball is projected in air as seen by a spectator.


(b) what will be time of flight?


(c) what is the distance (horizontal range) from the point of projection at which the ball will land?


(d) find θ at which he should throw the ball that would maximise the horizontal range as found in (iii).


(e) how does θ for maximum range change if u >vo , u = vo , u < vo?


(f) how does θ in (v) compare with that for u = 0 (i.e.45o )?


37

A man wants to reach from A to the opposite corner of the square C (Fig. 4.10). The sides of the square are 100 m. A central square of 50m × 50m is filled with sand. Outside this square, he can walk at a speed 1 m/s. In the central square, he can walk only at a speed of v m/s (v < 1). What is smallest value of v for which he can reach faster via a straight path through the sand than any path in the square outside the sand?