A1 231

PHYS1150 Problem Solving in Physics
Assignment 1
Due Date: September 16, 2023 at 11:00 pm
The problems in this paper have a wide range of difficulties. They are specially designed to strengthen
students’ concepts and to develop the problem solving skills. Students are expected to drill the prob-
lems with perseverance.
~ × (B
1. (a) Show that if A ~ × C)
~ = (A ~ × B)
~ ×C ~ then B
~ × (C
~ × A)
~ = 0. (6 marks)
~ × (B
[Hint: A ~ × C)
~ =B ~ (A
~ · C)
~ −C ~ (A
~ · B)]
~
(b) Let [~a ~b ~c] = ~a · (~b × ~c). Show that [~a × ~b ~b × ~c ~c × ~a] = [~a ~b ~c]2 . (6 marks)
[Hint: ~a · (~b × ~c) = ~b · (~c × ~a) = ~c · (~a × ~b)]
~ = a1 (t) î + a2 (t) ĵ + a3 (t) k̂ and B(t)
2. (a) If A(t) ~ = b1 (t) î + b2 (t) ĵ + b3 (t) k̂, show that
~
d ~ ~ dA ~
A·B = ·B ~ · dB
~ +A
dt dt dt
(4 marks)
~
(b) Show that A~ · dA = A dA , where A = |A|.
~ (3 marks)
dt dt
~
(c) Show also that A~ is perpendicular to dA if A is a constant. (3 marks)
dt
3. A particle travels from point A to point B along a straight path in one second. The position
vector of the particle is ~r(t) = (3 − t) î + (4 − 7 t) ĵ + (5 − t) k̂, where t is the time in seconds
and 0 ≤ t ≤ 1. The measurement of distance is in meters.
(a) Find the position vectors of A and B respectively. (4 marks)

(b) Find the velocity of the particle at t = 0.5 s. (2 marks)
(c) A constant force F~ = 3 î − ĵ + 2 k̂ (N) acts on the particle when it transits from A to B.
Find the work done by this force. Given the work done by a force is W = F~ · d, ~ where d~
is the displacement of the particle. (5 marks)
(d) Given the moment of a force about the origin is ~τ = ~r × F~ , find ~τ at t = 0.5 s. (5 marks)
4. A particle moves in a plane elliptical orbit described by the position vector
~r = 2 b sin ωt î + b cos ωt ĵ ,
where b and ω are positive constants.
(a) Find the velocity ~v and acceleration ~a of the particle at time t. Show that ~a and ~r are
antiparallel vectors. (8 marks)
(b) Find the particle speed at time t. Hence, determine the greatest speed of the particle.
(5 marks)
π
(c) What is the angle between ~v and ~a at time t = ? (5 marks)
2ω
1
5. A particle moves along the curve x = 2 t2 , y = t2 − 4 t, and z = 3 t − 5, where t represents the
time.
(a) Find the magnitudes of the tangential and normal accelerations at time t = 1.
(6 marks)
(b) Find also the components of its velocity and acceleration at the same instant in the
direction of the vector î − 3 ĵ + 2 k̂. (6 marks)
6. A ship A is observed to be at position 0 î + 5 ĵ moving with velocity 4 î − 3 ĵ. At the same time
another ship B is observed to be at position 4 î + 4 ĵ moving with velocity −2 î − ĵ. Distances
are given in nautical miles, velocities in knots and time in hours.
(a) Find the position of ship B relative to ship A at that instant. (1 marks)
(b) Find the velocity of ship A relative to ship B. (1 marks)
(c) Find the least distance between the ships, and the time that this occurs. (8 marks)
7. The line of action of a force is the line through the point of application of a force. Mathemat-
ically, the line is represented by a vector equation:
~r = ~r0 + λF~
where ~r is the position vector of a point on the line, ~r0 is the position vector of the point of
application of a force F~ and λ is any real number.
(a) Two forces F~1 = î + ĵ + k̂ and F~2 = î + 2 ĵ − k̂ act through points whose position vectors
are ~r1 = î + ĵ + 2 k̂ and ~r2 = p ĵ + 5 k̂ respectively, relative to a fixed point O. If the lines
of action of F~1 and F~2 intersect, find p and the intersecting point. (5 marks)
(b) Find also the vector equation of the line of action of the resultant of F~1 and F~2 .
(5 marks)
8. To an observer on a ship travelling due west at 16 km/hr another ship 1 km due south appears
to be travelling north-east at 12 km/hr. Find the magnitude and direction of the velocity of
the second ship, and the distance apart of the two ships when nearest to each other.
(12 marks)
END OF PAPER

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PHYS1150 Problem Solving in Physics

(a) Find the position vectors of A and B respectively. (4 marks)

4. A particle moves in a plane elliptical orbit described by the position vector

where b and ω are positive constants.

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