KINEMATICS

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS

1. A particle is projected upward with an initial speed u making
an angle  with the horizontal. The radius of curvature of the
curve at the instant when the particle strikes the ground is
2
 2
u sin  2 2

(A) u cos
g
(B) g

u2 u2
(C) gsin 
(D) gcos 

Sol. D
Radius of curvature R = y

v
v2 v2

an gcos   u cos 
x


u cos 
v

2. The co-ordinates of a moving particle at any time t are given

by x = ct2 and y = bt2. The speed of the particle is given by
(A) 2t (c + b) (B) 2t (c  b ) 2 2

(C) t (c  b )
2 2
(D) 2t (c  b ) 2 2

Sol. D
X = ct2 and y = bt2
 dx
dt
 2ct & dy
dt
 2bt

2 2
ds  dx   dy 
Since v = dt
    
 dt   dt 

v = (2ct)2  (2bt)2 = 2t b2  c 2 .

1
3. A bus is moving with a constant velocity v1 along a
horizontal road. A man standing inside the bus throws a ball
upward with velocity v0 and catches the ball. The magnitude
of displacement of the ball with respect to ground is
2

(A) vg 0
(B) zero
2v 0 v 1 v 0 v1
(C) g
(D) g

Sol. C
2v 0
T= g
2v 0 v 1
x= g

4. A particle is projected vertically upwards and it attains

maximum height H. If the ratio of times to attain height h
(<H) is 1/3, then h equals
(A) (2/3) H (B) (3/4) H
(C) (4/3) H (D) (3/2) H
Sol. B
Let the particle be projected vertically upward with velocity
u. Further, let t be the time when projectile be at height h.
Then
h = ut 21 gt2 or 1
2
gt 2
– ut + h = 0
 t2 2ug t  2hg  0 . . . (1)
From equation (1),
Sum of roots, t1 + t2 =  ba  2ug . .. (2)

2
 c 2h
Product of roots, t1t2 = a

g
. .. (3)
t1 1
Given that 
t2 3
or t2 = 3t1 .. . (4)
From equations (2) and (4), we get
4t1 = 2ug or t  2gu 1 . . . (5)
From equations (3) and (4), we get
2
2h  u  2h
3t =
2
1
or 3   
g  
2g g

u2 4h
or 2g

3
. .. . (6)
2
u
Also, maximum height, H = 2g . . . (7)
From Eqs. (6) and (7), we obtain
H = 4h3  h  3H
4

5. A body A is thrown vertically upward with initial velocity v 1

. Another body B is dropped from a height h at time t = 0.

Which equation represents correct relationship between
distance of separation between the two particles (x) and time
t (before they collide with ground)?
(A) X = |h  v t | 1
(B) X = |h + v t | 1

(C) X = | v t + 1
1 2
2
gt | (D) X = | 21 gt  v t |
2
1

Sol. A
1
XA  v1t  gt 2
2
1
XB   h  gt 2
2

XA  XB  v1t  h

3
 X = |h  v t | 1

6. A man can swim at a speed of 5 km/h w.r.t. water. He wants

to cross a 1.5 km wide river flowing at 3 km/h. He keeps
himself always at an angle of 60o with the flow direction
while swimming. The time taken by him to cross the river
will be
(A) 0.25 hr (B) 0.35 hr
(C) 0.45 hr (D) 0.55 hr
Sol. B
The angle between v and v is  mw w

v d mw
(say).
 The required time for crossing,  v
w

t = v dsin
mw

t = 1.5
5 sin60
= 3
hr 
5
3
hr
5 3

7. A disc of radius R is rotating inside a room. A boy standing

near the rim of the disc, finds that water droplets falling from
the ceiling always hit on his head. As one drop hits his head,
the next one starts from the ceiling. If height of the roof
above his head is H, angular velocity of the disc is
2gR 2gH
(A) 
H2
(B) 
R2
2g 2g
(C) 
H
(D) 2
H

Sol. C
4
 The time period of revolution of the disc is equal to the
time of motion of water drop in air.
2R / = 2H
g
or  = 2R g
2H

8. A body is moving in a circle at a uniform speed v. The

magnitude of the change in velocity when the radius vector
describes an angle of 60 is
(A) v (B) v/2
3
(C) 2
v (D) v
Sol. D
v  v 2  v1

2v 2
 v 2  v12  v22  2v1v 2 cos  = v2  v2 
2
 v2

v = v

9. A projectile is thrown with a velocity u0 at an angle  with

the horizontal. The ratio of the rate of change of speed w.r.t.
time at the highest point to that at the point of projection is
(A) g sin  (B) g sin 
(C) zero (D) g
Sol. C
dv
dt
(at the top) = 0
As tangential acceleration at the top = 0
dv
dt
(at the starting point) = g sin 
So, required ratio = zero.
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10. A particle starts sliding down a frictionless inclined plane. If
Sn is the distance travelled by it from time t = (n  1) sec to
t = n sec, then the ratio Sn/Sn+1 is
2n  1 2n  1
(A) 2n 1
(B) 2n
2n 2n  1
(C) 2n  1
(D) 2n  1

Sol. A
sn = u + (a/2)(2n  1) g sin 
 g cos 
gsin  
sn = 2
2n  1 .. 

. (1)
g sin 
sn+1 = 2
 2n  1

. . . (2)
sn 2n  1
so, 
sn 1 2n  1

11. A particle starts moving from rest along a circle of radius 4

m with a constant tangential acceleration of 3 m/sec2. The
total acceleration of the particle at t = 2 seconds makes an
angle  with the tangential acceleration, where  is equal to
 1
(A) tan1  3  (B) tan1(3)
 1  1 
(C) tan1  3 3  (D) tan1  
10 

Sol. B

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 At t = 2 seconds, V

v = 6 m/sec and a = 3
m/sec2
v 2 36
  9m / sec 2
R 4

 = tan1(3)

12. A particle starts moving with constant acceleration and

covers a distance x in first t seconds. The distance travelled
by it in the next 2t seconds is
(A) 8x (B) 3x
(C) x (D) none of these
Sol. A
1
XA  v1t  gt 2
2
1
XB   h  gt 2
2

XA  XB  v1t  h

X = |h  v t |1

13. A particle moves in the x-y plane with a velocity vx = 8t  2

and vy = 2. If it passes through the point x = 14 and y = 4 at
t = 2 s, the equation of the path is
(A) x = y2 y + 2 (B) x = y + 2
(C) x = y2 + 2 (D) x = y2 + y + 2

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Sol. A
dx
dt
 8t  2   dx    8t  2 dt

 x = 4t2 2t + c
At t = 2, x = 14  C = 2
x = 4t2 2t + 2 …(1)
dy
 2   dy   2dt
dt

 y = 2t +c
At t = 2, y = 4  c = 0
 y = 2t …(2)
From (1) and (2), eliminating t
x = y2 y + 2

14. A rocket is fired upwards and its fuel v

1000
is exhausted in 10 sec. The figure
shows its v–t graph, where v is in m/s 10 100 t

and t is in sec. What is the maximum

height reached?
(A) 1000  5 m (B) 1000  10 m
(C) 1000  50 m (D) 1000  100 m
Sol. C
Maximum height reached = area of v–t graph = 21  100 
1000 m.

8
15. If the range of a gun which fires a shell with muzzle speed v
is R, then the angle of elevation of the gun is
(A) cos1  gR
v 
(B) cos1  gR 
2

 
 
2
  v

1 1  v 2  1 1  gR 
(C) sin   (D) sin  2 
2  gR  2 v 

Sol. D
v 2 sin2
R= g

sin 2 = Rq/v2
 = 21 sin  Rg
u 

1
 2

A
16. A man starts running with constant speed
along a circular path of radius 2 m. He 2
C 2 B
completes two rounds in 16 seconds. The
magnitude of the average velocity in first 2
seconds is
(A) 2 m/s (B) 1 m/s
(C) 3 m/s (D) 6 m/s
Sol. B
a = kv
v dv
dx
 kv

v L

 dv  k  dx
v0 0

 v = v0 – kL

9
17. A particle is moving on a circle of radius R such that at every
instant the tangential and radial accelerations are equal in
magnitude. If the velocity of the particle be v0 at t = 0, the
time for the completion of half of first revolution will be
(A) vR (B) vR (1e)
0 0

(C) R
v0
e (D) R
v0
(1e2)
Sol. B
2R = R ddt ,  = d

0
dt 1  0 t

T = R
v0
(1e)

18. A boy throws a ball in a train, moving at a speed of 18 kmph,

with a velocity of 15 2 m/s at an angle of 45 to the horizontal
in the direction of motion of the train. The angle with which
it strikes the plane of projection w.r.t. an observer watching
from the road nearby to the train is
(A) 45 (B) 60
(C) 37 (D) none of these
Sol. C

Time of flight t = 2usin
g
= 3 sec
Final velocities w.r.t. ground are
v y  usin   gt  15 2 sin45  10(3)  15m/ s

5
v x  ucos   utrain  15 2 cos 45  18   20m / s
18
vy
 tan      37
vx

10
19. If position vector of a particle at time t is r  3tiˆ  (8  4t ) ˆj m , then
a) Particle is moving with constant velocity in straight line
b) Particle is moving with variable velocity in straight line
c) Particle moving is in parabolic path
d) Particle is in rest

Ans. a)
Explanation:
r  3tiˆ  (8  4t ) ˆj m
dr
v  3iˆ  4 ˆj m/s
dt
v  constant

x 3g 2
20. A ball thrown in air follows a path given by y = 3

8
x m,
where x-axis is taken along the horizontal and y-axis along the
vertical. The maximum displacement of the ball along x-direction
for which displacement along y is zero equals to
(A) 15 3 m (B)  4 15 3  m
(C) 4/3 m (D) data insufficient
Sol. B
On comparing the given equation with the standard equation
of a projectile
gx 2
y= x tan  
2u2 cos2 

  30 and u = 4/3 m/s

u2 sin 2  4 3  sin 2  30 
2
4
 R   m
g 10 15 3

11
21. The velocity vector of a particle moving over a horizontal
plane is given by v = 2t î . The ratio of the magnitude of
instantaneous acceleration of the particle at t = 2 sec to the
magnitude of displacement of the particle during the interval
of first 2 sec is
(A) 3/4 (B) 4/3
(C) 5/4 (D) cannot be determined
Sol. A
2
v = 2t î
dv
a  4iˆ
dt t 2

a = 4
2  ˆ 16 ˆ
2
d   2t 2 dt ˆi  i i
0 4 3

22. A particle under the action of a constant force moves from rest
upto 20 seconds. If distance covered in first 10 seconds is S1
and that covered in next 10 seconds in S2, then
(a) S1 = S2 (b) S2 = 3S1
(c) S2 = 2S1 (d) S2 = 4S1
Sol . (b)
1
S  ut  at 2 , given u = 0, t = 10 for S1
2
1
t  20 for  S1  S2  S1  a 10   50a
2
2
1
S1  S2  a  20   200a
2
2
 S2  200a  50a  150a  3S1

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23. A simple pendulum hangs from the roof of train. The string is
inclined towards the rear of the train. What is the nature of
motion of the train?
(a) Uniform (b) Accelerated
(c) Retarded (d) At rest
Sol. (b)
Train is accelerating horizontally. So, the resultant of
horizontal acceleration and vertical acceleration is inclined to
the vertical.

24. A juggler throws balls into air. He throws one whenever the
previous one is at its highest point. If he throws n balls each
second, the height to which each ball will rise is
g g
(a) (b)
2n 2 n2
2g 2g
(c) (d)
2n 2n 2

Sol . (a)
Time taken by each ball to reach highest point,
1
t s
n
As the juggler throws the second ball, when the first ball is at
its highest point, so v = 0
Using v = u + at, we get

13
 1
0  u   g   
n

g
or u  …(i)
n

Also v2 = u2 + 2aS
2
g
 0     2  g  h using (i)
n
g
or h
2n 2

INTEGERS TYPE QUESTIONS

25. A cricketer hits a ball in a vertical x-y plane from the ground
level with a velocity v  10 3iˆ  30ˆj  m/s. Find the time in which
0

velocity vector makes an angle of 30 with horizontal x-axis.

(Take g = 10 m/s2.)
Ans. 2 sec
26. A car accelerates from rest at a constant rate of 2 m/s2 for
some time. Then, its retards at a constant rate of 4 m/s2 and
comes to rest. What is the maximum speed attained by the
car if it remains in motion for 3 seconds?
Sol. v = a1t1 = a2t2
14
  t1 = (a2/a1) t2 = (4/2)t2 = 2t2.
Next, t1 + t2 = 3 or 2t2 + t2 = 3t2
t2 = 1 sec and t1 = 2 sec
 v = 2  2 = 4 m/s.

27. A swimmer wishes to reach directly opposite bank of a

river, flowing with velocity 8 m/s. The swimmer can swim
10 m/s in still water. The width of the river is 480 m. Time
taken by him to do so is

Sol. Time taken = vd = d = 480 = v w
m
2
v mw  v 2w 102  82

 vm
480
6
 80 s vmw


vw

28. A boat which has a speed of 5 km/hr in still water crosses a

river of width 1 km along the shortest possible path in 15
minutes. The velocity of the river water, in kilometer per
hour, is
Sol. v  v  v
m m   

vm vm
d
 

vm  vm  v  v

v m2   v m2  v 2  2 vmvm cos 90

v m2   v m2  v 2

m2  v m2 v 2
No d2
 2  2
d d

 251   15
2
60  v 2
 
 1

15
 v = 3 km/hr

m 2m
29. Two particles, one of mass m and the 10 m/s 5 m/s

other of mass 2m, are projected 60m

A B
horizontally towards each other from
the same level above the ground with
velocities 10 m/s and 5 m/s,
respectively. They collide in air and
stick to each other. The distance of the
combined mass from point A is
Sol. They will fall through the same height say h. Let them
collide at a distance x from tower A.
 h = 21 gt
2
. . . (1)
x = 5t . . . (2)
60  x = 10t . . . (3)
solving (2) and (3) we get x = 20 m, t = 4 sec, h = 80 m

30. A constant retardation of 2.5 m/s2 is applied to a body of

mass 20 kg moving initially with a speed of 15 m/s. How
long does the body take to stop?
Sol. v = u gt
t = u/g as v = 0
15
= 2.5 = 6 sec
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