Al Ain University (AAU)
College of Engineering (CoE)
Physics I (0108103)
Spring
Assignment 1
2024
Student ID
Student Name Key
Course Learning Total Student
Question #
Outcomes (CLO) Mark Mark
1 1 5
2 1 5
3 1,2 3
4 1,2 3
5 1,2 4
Total: 20
Weight (5%)
Instructions:
1. Read these instructions and the questions carefully.
2. Do not forget to write your name and your student ID.
3. Submit it as a hard copy.
4. This is an individual assignment; you can’t solve it in groups or with partners.
5. Plagiarism is not tolerated.
A=3i−2 j and ⃑
Question 1 (5 marks): Consider the two vectors ⃑ B=−i−4 j.
Calculate
(a) ⃑
A+ ⃑
B
(b)⃑
A−⃑
B
(c) |⃑ B|
A+ ⃑
(d) |⃑ B|
A −⃑
(e) the directions of ⃑
A+ ⃑
B and ⃑
A−⃑
B
One point each
Question 2 (5 marks): Consider the three displacement vectors ⃑
A=3i−3 j,
B=i−4 j, and ⃑
⃑ C =−2 i+ 5 j. Use the component method to determine
(a) the magnitude and direction of ⃑
D= ⃑
A +⃑
B+ ⃑
C
(b) the magnitude and direction of ⃑
E =−⃑
A−⃑ ⃑
B +C
Solution:
a) We add the solutions of the three vectors
⃑
D= ⃑
A +⃑
B+ ⃑
C = (3+1-2) i + (-3 -4 + 5) j = 2 i – 2 j 1.5 pt on the
correct magnitude
θ = tan-1 (-2,2) = -50 ᴼ 1 pt on the
correct direction
b) We add the solutions of the three vectors
⃑
D=−⃑
A−⃑
B +⃑
C = (-3-1-2) i + (3 +4 + 5) j = -6 i + 12 j 1.5 pt on the
correct magnitude
θ = tan-1 (12,-6) = - 70.5 ᴼ + 180ᴼ = 109.5 ᴼ 1 pt on the
correct direction
Question 3 (3 marks): Rachel walks on a straight road from her home to a
gymnasium 2.80 km away with a speed of 6.00 km/h. As soon as she reaches
the gymnasium, she immediately turns and walks back home with a speed of
7.70 km/h, as she finds the gymnasium closed. What are the (a) magnitude
of average velocity and (b) average speed of Rachel over the interval 0.00-
35.0 min?
Answer:
Since the trip consists of two parts, let the displacements during first and
second parts of the motion be Δx 1 and Δx 2, and the corresponding time
intervals be Δt 1 and Δt 2, respectively. Now, because the problem is one-
dimensional and both displacements are in the opposite direction, the total
displacement is Δx=Δx 1− Δx 2, and the total time for the trip is Δt =Δt 1+ Δt 2.
Using the definition of average velocity, we have
Δx
v avg=
Δt
To find the average speed, we note that during a time Δt if the velocity
remains a positive constant, then the speed is equal to the magnitude of
velocity, and the distance is equal to the magnitude of displacement, with
d=¿ Δx∨¿ vΔt .
2.8
t 1= =0.4667 hours=28 min 0.5 pts
6
t 2=35−28=7 min 0.5 pts
Δx 1=2.8 km
7.7∗7
Δx 2= =0.898 km
60
2.8−0.898 1.902
(a) v avg= = =3.262 km/h 1 pt
35/60 0.583
2.8+ 0.898 3.698
(b) Savg = = =6.343 km/h 1 pt
35 /60 0.583
Question 4 (3 marks): A car moves uphill at 35 km/h and then back
downhill at 60 km/h. What is the average speed for the round trip?
Answer:
Average speed, as opposed to average velocity, relates to the total distance, as opposed to
the net displacement. The distance D up the hill is, of course, the same as the distance
down the hill, and since the speed is constant (during each stage of the motion) we have
speed = D/t. Thus, the average speed is
Dup+ D down 2D
=
t up+ t down D D 2 pt
+
v up v down
which, after canceling D and plugging in v up =35 km/h and v down=60 km/h, yields 44.21 km/h
for the average speed. 1 pt
Question 5 (4 marks): The displacement of a particle moving along an x-
axis is given by x=18 t+ 5.0t 2, where x is in meters and t is in seconds.
Calculate (a) the instantaneous velocity at t=2.0 s and (b) the average
velocity between t=2.0 s and t=3.0 s .
Answer:
(a) The velocity of the particle is : applying correct formula: 2 marks, Derivation: 2 marks,
Substituting for t=2 sec: 2 marks
dx d
= ( 18 t +5.0 t ) =18+10 t
2
v=
dt dt
Thus, at t=2 s , the velocity is v=(18+(10)(2))=38 m/s.
(b) v = ∆ x =
( ( 18 ) (3 )+(5)(3)2 )−( ( 18 ) (2 )+(5)(2)2) 43 :Applying correct formula: 2
avg = =43 m/ s
∆t 3−2 1
marks, substituting the correct values: 2 marks
