PHYS101 Fall 2022

Midterm#1 Model Answer

University of Science and Technology
Zewail City

1 Problem 1
Consider the two vectors A ⃗ = 3î + 4ĵ + 6k̂ and B
⃗ = 7î − 3ĵ − 4k̂.
⃗ ⃗
a) Find | A | and | B |.
b) Find A⃗ · B.
⃗
c) Find θ, the angle between the two vectors.
⃗ × B.
d) Find a unit vector in the direction of the vector A ⃗

Answer

a)
p p
⃗| =
|A ⃗·A
A ⃗= 32 + 42 + 62 ≈ 7.8
p p
⃗ | =
|B ⃗ ·B
B ⃗ = 72 + 32 + 42 ≈ 8.6

b)
⃗·B
A ⃗ = 3 ∗ 7 − 4 ∗ 3 − 6 ∗ 4 = −15

c)

⃗·B
⃗ ⃗ || B
⃗ | cos θ ⇒ cos θ ≈ −15
A = |A ⇒ θ ≈ 1.8
7.8 ∗ 8.6
d)
       
3 7 −16 + 18 2
⃗n ≡ A⃗×B ⃗ = 4 × −3 =  42 + 12  =  54 
6 −4 −9 − 28 −37
 
2
⃗n 1 
n̂ ≡ =√ 54 
| ⃗n | 4289 −37

1
2 Problem 2
The position vector of a particle is given by x(t) = 20t − 5t3 , where x is in meters and t is in seconds.
a) When, if ever, is the particle’s velocity zero?
b) When is its acceleration zero?
c) For what time range is the acceleration a(t) negative?
d) At what time does the particle return to the origin?
e) Graph x(t), v(t), and a(t).

Answer

a)
dx(t)
v(t) ≡ = 20 − 15t2
dt
2
v(tf ) = 0 ⇒ 20 − 15t2f = 0 ⇒ tf = ± √
3
b)
dv(t)
a(t) ≡ = −30t
dt
a(tf ) = 0 ⇒ tf = 0

c)

a(t− ) < 0 ⇒ −30t− < 0 ⇒ t− > 0

d)

x(tO ) = 0 ⇒ 20tO − 5t3O = 0

tO ∈ {0, −2, 2}

e)

2
3 Problem 3
A person standing on the edge of a 50 meters-high cliff throws a stone horizontally with a speed of 18 m/s.
a) What is the initial position of the stone?
b) What are the components of the initial velocity?
c) What are the x− and y−components of the velocity of the stone at any arbitrary time t?
d) How long will it take the stone to strike the bottom of the cliff?
e) With what angle and speed do the stone strike the ground below the cliff?

Answer

a) I’ll set up a coordinate system where the origin is at the ground right below the cliff, the x-axis is
horizontal to the right and the y-axis is vertical upward;

⃗r0 = 50ĵ

b)
⃗v0 = v0 î = 18î
d⃗
v
c) ⃗a ≡ dt and the object is in free-fall;
Z t
⃗a(t) = −g ĵ ⇒ ⃗v (t) − ⃗v (0) = a(t)dt
0
⃗v = ⃗v0 − gtĵ
⃗v = 18î − gtĵ

so v0 = 18 and vy = −gt.
d) ⃗v ≡ d⃗
r
dt ;
Z t
⃗r(t) − ⃗r0 = ⃗v dt
0
g
⃗r(t) = 50ĵ + 18tî − t2 ĵ
2
g 2
= 18tî + (50 − t )ĵ
2

The stone hits the ground if ⃗r(tf ) = dî;

d = 18tf
r
g 100
50 − t2f = 0 ⇒ tf = ≈ 3.2 s
2 g

e) The speed (magnitude of the velocity) and the angle is θ the vector make with the positive x-axis can
be found as follows;
√
⃗v (tf ) = 18î − 10 g ĵ
⇒| ⃗v (t) | ≈ 36.1
vy
θ = arctan ≈ 5.23
vx

3
4 Problem 4
A particle, moving on a horizontal, frictionless xy plane, is tied to the origin with a massless, inextensible
string of length L. At time t = 0, its position vector is given as ⃗r(0) = Lî, and its velocity vector is given
as ⃗v (0) = v0 ĵ.
a) Find the position vector ⃗r(t) of the particle as a function of time.
b) Find the acceleration vector ⃗a(t) of the particle as a function of time.
At time t = 5πL 3v0 the string connecting the particle to the origin snaps, subsequently, no forces act on the
particle.
c) Find the velocity vector of the particle at all later times.
d) When and where does the particle cross the x axis in terms of v0 and L?
Answer
a) The rope is inextensible so the particle must be in circle of radius L. The net force acting on it is the
tension from the string radially inward;

X
F⃗i = m⃗a
i
v2 dv
−T r̂ = m( r̂ + v̂)
L dt
dv
⇒ = 0 ⇒ v(t) = v0
dt
the position vector of a particle in a circle
⃗r(t) = L(cos θî + sin θĵ)
d⃗r dθ
⃗v (t) = = L (− sin θî + cos θĵ)
dt dt
v0
but v = v0 t hence L dθ
dt = v0 ⇒ θ(t) − |{z}
θ(0) = L t;
=0
 
⃗r = L cos(ωt)î + sin(ωt)ĵ
v0
where ω ≡ L.
b)
d2⃗r d 
⃗a ≡ = − Lω sin(ωt)î + Lω cos(ωt)ĵ
dt2 dt 
= −Lω 2 cos(ωt)î + sin(ωt)ĵ

c)
d⃗r
⃗v (t) ≡ = Lω(− sin(ωt)î + cos(ωt)ĵ)
dt
P ⃗
After the rope snaps (at ts ) i Fi = 0 ⇒ ⃗
a = 0 ⇒ ⃗v (t) = ⃗v (ts )
v0 5πL v0 5πL
⃗v (t) = v0 (− sin( × )î + cos( × )ĵ)
L 3v0 L 3v0
√
3 1
= v0 ( î + ĵ), t > ts
2 2
d) The particle crosses the x-axis if ⃗r(tx ) = dî
L
L sin(ωtx ) = 0 ⇒ tx = n
π, n ∈ {0, 1, 2, · · · },
v0
(
L n ∈ even
d = L cos(ωt) =
−L n ∈ od

4
5 Problem 5

Three masses are tied to each other with massless, inextensible cords over a frictionless pulley as
shown in the figure on the left. The table surface is horizontal and frictionless. The value of gravitational
acceleration is given as 10 m/s2.
(a) Draw free body diagrams for all masses.
(b) Find the acceleration of the system.
(c) What is the tension in the cord connecting the 1 kg mass to the 2 kg mass?
(d) Now consider the arrangement in the right figure, where one of the 2 kg masses is removed, but the
cord hanging from the pulley is pulled down with 20 N of force. Does the tension in the cord connecting
the 1 kg mass to the 2 kg mass increase, decrease, or stays the same? Explain your answer.

Answer

a)
b)

20 − T1 = 2a (1)
T1 − T2 = 2a (2)
T2 = a (3)

by summing the three equations

20 = 5a ⇒ a = 4

c) From the third equation T2 = 4.

d) Let’s consider the system of equations, now the tension in the right rope is 20;

20 − T1 = 2a
T1 = a

solving the two equations together one gets; T1 = a = 20

3 ≈ 6.67 so the tension increases.
Now m3 is removed, the force used to accelerate the system 20 N experiences less inertia; 3 kg instead of
5 kg.

5
 N2 N1

T2 T2 T1

g 2g
(a) The mass at the left (b) The mass at the middle

T1

2g
(c) The hanging mass