Student Expectations to be evaluated on the Vectors and Projectiles Test

Vectors
● Define, compare, contrast, provide examples for vector and scalar quantities
● Be able to sketch a vector correctly given its direction…. Be able to sketch in the horizontal and vertical
components showing their correct directions as well
● Be able to decompose (resolve) vectors into horizontal and vertical components
● Be able to add vectors mathematically (and perhaps graphically as well) in order to find the resultant
vector’s magnitude and direction. Be able to draw the resultant vector correctly in the correct direction.
Relative Motion
● Consistently be able to use the correct subscript notation to indicate the velocity of object A with
respect to object B… or in slightly other words the velocity of object A from the perspective or viewpoint
of object B…. vAB
● Be able to calculate the relative velocity in situations where motion is in one dimension.
● Be able to calculate the relative velocity in situations where motion is in two dimensions. (A boat
crossing a river, an airplane flying through air that is blowing)
● Be able to describe the path a projectile takes from a viewpoint of a stationary observer with a side view
of the projectile.
● Be able to describe the path a projectile takes from the viewpoint of an observer that is moving with the
same horizontal velocity (relative to the Earth) as the projectile.
Projectiles
● Be able to define and give examples of what a projectile is.
● Be able to generate Motion Diagrams that show what happens to the …
○ Vertical velocity vectors
○ Horizontal velocity vectors
○ Velocity vectors
○ Acceleration vectors
○ - and be able to explain why they appear the way they do
● Be able to generate Position-Time graph for a given situation that show
○ The horizontal position as a function of time
○ The vertical position as a function of time
○ - and be able to justify the appearance of your Position-Time graph
● Be able to generate Velocity-Time Graph for a given situation that show
○ The horizontal velocity as a function of time
○ The vertical velocity as a function of time
○ - and be able to justify the appearance of your Velocity-Time graph
● Be able to generate Acceleration-Time graph for a given situation that show
○ The horizontal acceleration as a function of time (careful)
○ The vertical acceleration as a function of time
○ - and be able to justify the appearance of your Velocity-Time graph
● Be able to analyze the motion of a projectile
○ Which angle(s) provide the maximum angle, range, hang time, vertical velocity, horizontal
velocity, height above ground for a projectile that is launched from the same height to which it
returns?
○ What does the hang-time of a projectile depend on? Max Height? Max Range?
● Be able to analyze projectile problems mathematically
○ Sketch and label the trajectory of the projectile
○ Identify your knowns and separate them into horizontal and vertical information.
○ Apply the correct kinematics equations to your vertical information
○ Apply the correct equation to your horizontal information
○ Substitute and solve correctly showing your answer with the correct units… checking that your
answer makes sense.
Practice Free Response
1.

(c) Rank the relative velocities of each of the objects, relative to the spaceship, in order from most
positive to most negative. Explain/Justify your answer. Be sure to utilize the subscript notation in your
justification.
2.
3.

4.
5.

6.
 7. A skier leaves the horizontal end of a ledge with a velocity of 25.0 m/s and lands
70.0 m from the base of the ledge. How high is the end of the ledge from the ground?
(Be sure to show the complete solution that is expected for projectile calculation
problems!)

8. A football is kicked at 35.0o to the horizontal at 18.0 m/s from the player’s foot at
1.50 m above the ground.
(Be sure to show the complete solution that is expected for projectile calculation
problems!)
What was the hang-time?
What was the maximum height above the ground reached by the ball?
With what velocity does the ball reach the ground?
What is the range?
Sketch a graph of the x-position as a function of time.
Sketch a graph of the x velocity as a function of time.
Sketch a graph of the y-position as a function of time.
Sketch a graph of the y-velocity as a function of time.

9. A pilot would like to fly with a velocity of 300 m/s due North relative to the
ground. The wind is blowing at 50 m/s due West with respect to the ground.
With what velocity with respect to the air must the plane fly in order to make this
so? Be sure to write a valid vector equation, write in words what this vector equation
says. Show the complete solution of course.

10. A boat can travel at 4.5 m/s in still water. If the boat points directly north as it
attempts to cross a river that flows at 2 m/s to the west, find the velocity of the boat
relative to the shore. Be sure to write a valid vector equation, write in words what this
vector equation says. Show the complete solution of course.
11(You did this already…. You can do it again only if you want to..

For the above diagram….

- What is the direction of the acceleration at P?
- What is the magnitude of the vertical velocity at P?
- Which trig function would you use to find the initial vertical velocity?
- Which trig function would you use to find the horizontal velocity?
- What is the magnitude of the final velocity at T?
- Describe how the vertical velocity changes during the flight of this projectile.
- Describe how the horizontal velocity changes during the flight of this projectile (neglecting air resistance)
- Find the horizontal velocity, initial vertical velocity, maximum height, range, and time for the above projectile. What is
the velocity at P?
- Find the velocity of the projectile at 5s. (Direction and magnitude).