Kinematics of a Particle

Masaru Q. Nakaegawa
Example # 1
A stone is thrown down from the top of the cliff 150 m high with an
initial speed of 30 m/sec. How long will it take to reach the bottom?
Example # 2
A ball is thrown vertically into the air at 120 fps. After 3 sec, another
ball is thrown vertically. What initial velocity must the 2nd ball have to
pass the 1st ball at 100 ft from the ground?
Example # 3
A ball is thrown vertically upward from the ground and a student gazing
out of a window sees it moving upward pass him at 5 m/s. The window
is 10 m above the ground. How high does the ball go above the
ground?
Example # 4
A player throws a baseball upward with an initial velocity of 30 fps and
catches it with a baseball glove. Solve for:
(a) the time to catch the ball with the glove
(b) the highest point the ball reached
(c) the ball’s final velocity before hitting the ground

Assume the glove is positioned in the same elevation when the ball left
his hand.
Example # 5
A stone is dropped from the top of a cliff and 1 sec later, a second stone
is thrown vertically downward with a velocity of 20 m/s. When and
where will the 2nd ball overtake the 1st ball?
Example # 6
A ball is thrown vertically upward from a point near the cornice of a tall
building. It just misses the cornice on its way down and passes a point
160 ft below its starting point 5 seconds later after it leaves the
thrower’s hand. Find:
(a) the velocity of the ball as it leaves his hand
(b) the distance between the ball’s highest point from the his hand
(c) the time it takes to reach that point
Example # 7
A student throws a set of keys vertically upwards to her sorority sister
in a window 4 m above. The keys are caught 1.5 seconds later. What
was the final velocity of the keys just before they were caught?
Example # 8
A rope of length L connects the wheel A and the weight B by passing
over a pulley of negligible size at C (as shown in the figure). At the
instant when x = 9 ft, the center of wheel A has a velocity vA = 10 fps
and an acceleration aA = 4 fps2, both rightward. What is then the
velocity and acceleration of B?
Example # 9
A particle moves in a straight line according to the law s = t3 – 40t
where s is in ft and t in seconds.
(a) When t = 5 sec, compute the velocity.
(b) Find the average velocity during the 4th second.
(c) When the particle again comes to rest, what is its acceleration?
Example # 10
A stone is dropped down a well and 5 seconds later the sound of the
splash is heard. If the velocity of sound is 1120 ft/s, what is the depth
of the well?