Edexcel AS Mathematics Kinematics
Section 3: The constant acceleration formulae
Solutions to Exercise level 2
15000 −1 25 −1
1. 15 kmh-1 = ms = ms
3600 6
30000 −1 25 −1
30 kmh-1 = ms = ms
3600 3
s = 1300 v 2 = u2 + 2as
25 2
25 25
2
u=
6 = + 2k 1300
3 6
25
v= 625 625
3 = + 2600k
9 36
a=k
1875
= 2600k
36
25
k=
1248
108000 −1
2. 108 kmh-1 = ms = 30ms−1
3600
u=0 v 2 = u2 + 2as
v = 30 302 = 02 + 2a 25
s = 25 900 = 50a
a=? a = 18
The acceleration is 18 ms-2.
Assumption: that the acceleration is constant.
3. While accelerating:
u=0 v = u + at
t = 20 30 = 0 + 20a
v = 30 a = 1.5
a=?
The acceleration in the first 20 seconds is 1.5 ms-2
In the first 20 seconds
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u=0 s = 21 (u + v )t
t = 20 = 21 (0 + 30) 20
v = 30 = 300
s=?
In the minute at constant speed of 30 ms-1, distance = 30 60 = 1800 m
Total distance travelled = 2100 m.
Assumption: that the acceleration is constant during the first 20 seconds.
70000 −1 175 −1
4. 70 kmh-1 = ms = ms
3600 9
175 v 2 = u2 + 2as
u=
9 2
175
v =0 0= + 2 −5s
9
a = −5
s = 37.8 (3 s.f.)
s=?
Yes, she comes to a stop 22.2 m before the accident.
5. u = 20 v 2 = u2 + 2as
v =0 0 = 202 + 2a 30
s = 30 60a = −400
a=? a = −6.67
This is a deceleration of 6.67 ms-2.
u = 20 s = 21 (u + v )t
v =0 30 = 21 (0 + 20)t
s = 30 30 = 10t
t =? t =3
It takes 3 seconds to come to rest.
6. u=2 v = u + at
v = 16 16 = 2 + 10a
t = 10 14 = 10a
a=? a = 1.4
The acceleration is 1.4 ms-2.
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u=2 s = 21 (u + v )t
v = 16 = 21 (2 + 16) 10
t = 10 = 90
s=?
It travels 90 m.
7. Taking positive to be upwards:
u=6 v = u + at
a = −9.8 = 6 − 9.8 2
t =2 = −13.6
v =?
The stone hits the water at a speed of 13.6 ms-1.
u=6 s = ut + 21 at 2
a = −9.8 = 6 2 + 21 −9.8 22
t =2 = −7.6
s =?
The initial height of the stone is 7.6 m.
8. Taking upwards to be positive:
u = 25 s = ut + 21 at 2
s =3 3 = 25t + 21 −9.8t 2
a = −9.8 4.9t 2 − 25t + 3 = 0
t =?
Using the quadratic formula:
25 252 − 4 4.9 3
t=
2 4.9
t = 0.123 or 4.979
The ball is above 3 metres between these two times, so the length of time for
which the ball is above 3 m is 4.979 – 0.123 = 4.856 seconds.
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144000
9. 144 kmh-1 = = 40 ms-1
60 60
Velocity (ms-1)
40
180 600 120 Time (s)
Total distance = area under graph
= ( 21 180 40 ) + ( 600 40 ) + ( 21 120 40 )
= 30000 m
Distance between A and B = 30 km.
10. In the first two seconds:
t =2 s = ut + 21 at 2
s = 10 10 = 2u + 21 a 22
u=? 5=u+a (1)
a=?
In the first four seconds:
t = 4 s = ut + 21 at 2
s = 32 32 = 4u + 21 a 42
u = ? 32 = 4u + 8a
a = ? 8 = u + 2a (2)
(2) - (1) : 3 = a
u=2
In the first six seconds:
t =6 s = ut + 21 at 2
u=2 = 2 6 + 1 3 62
2
a=3 = 66
s=?
The distance moved in the last 2 seconds is 66 – 32 = 34 metres.
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11. (i) For first 2 seconds:
t = 2 s = ut + 21 at 2
s = 30 30 = 2u + 21 a 22
u = ? 30 = 2u + 2a
a = ? 15 = u + a (1)
For first 6 seconds:
t = 6 s = ut + 21 at 2
s = 60 60 = 6u + 21 a 62
u = ? 60 = 6u + 18a
a = ? 10 = u + 3a (2)
Substituting (1) into (2): 10 = u + 3(15 − u)
10 = u + 45 − 3u
2u = 35
u = 17.5
The initial velocity is 17.5 ms-1.
(ii) From (1), a = 15 − u = 15 − 17.5 = −2.5
Deceleration = 2.5 ms-2.
(iii) For the complete time to come to rest:
u = 17.5 v = u + at
a = −2.5 0 = 17.5 − 2.5t
v =0 t =7
t =?
The total time is 7 seconds.
12.
Velocity (ms-1)
t1 T t2 Time (s)
V V
During the acceleration: 3= t1 =
t1 3
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V 2V
During the deceleration: 1.5 = t2 =
t2 3
V 2V
Total time = 60 seconds: + + T = 60
3 3
V + T = 60
Distance travelled during acceleration = 21 Vt1 = 21 V 31 V = 61 V 2
Distance travelled during constant speed = VT
Distance travelled during deceleration = 21 Vt2 = 21 V 32 V = 31 V 2
Total distance = 1000 m: 61 V 2 + VT + 31 V 2 = 1000
1
2
V 2 + V (60 − V ) = 1000
1
2
V 2 + 60V − V 2 = 1000
1
2
V 2 − 60V + 1000 = 0
V 2 − 120V + 2000 = 0
(V − 100)(V − 20) = 0
V = 100 or V = 20
Since V + T = 60 , V must be less than 60, so V = 20 ms-1.
13. Taking upwards as positive:
For first ball:
u = 25 s = ut + 21 at 2
a = −9.8 = 25 2 + 21 −9.8 22
t =2 = 30.4
s =?
For second ball:
u = −25 s = ut + 21 at 2
a = −9.8 = −25 2 + 21 −9.8 22
t =2 = −69.6
s =?
Distance between balls = 30.4 + 69.6 = 100 m.
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14.
Velocity (ms-1)
1250
300
t1 t2 t3 Time (s)
600
For acceleration: 21 vt1 = 300 t1 =
v
1250
For constant speed: vt2 = 1250 t2 =
v
400
t3 = 23 t1 =
v
Total time = 3 minutes = 180 seconds
600 1250 400
+ + = 180
v v v
2250
= 180
v
v = 12.5
600
t1 = = 48
12.5
1250
t2 = = 100
12.5
400
t3 = = 32
12.5
Distance during deceleration = 21 vt3 = 21 12.5 32 = 200
Total distance AB = 300 + 1250 + 200 = 1750 m.
15. (i) u = 30 s = ut + 21 at 2
a = −9.8 25 = 30t − 4.9t 2
s = 25 4.9t 2 − 30t + 25 = 0
t =?
30 302 − 4 4.9 25
t=
2 4.9
t = 0.9950 or 5.1274
Time it is above tower is 5.1274 – 0.9950 = 4.132 s
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(ii) Let h be the height above the top of the tower when they are at the same
height:
For P1: u = 30 s = ut + 21 at 2
a = −9.8 25 + h = 30t − 4.9t 2
s = 25 + h h = 30t − 4.9t 2 − 25
t =?
For P2: u = 10 s = ut + 21 at 2
a = −9.8 h = 10t − 4.9t 2
s=h
t =?
So 30t − 4.9t − 25 = 10t − 4.9t 2
2
20t = 25
t = 1.25
For P1: v = u + at
= 30 − 9.8 1.25
= 17.75
For P2: v = u + at
= 10 − 9.8 1.25
= −2.25
So the velocity of P1 is 17.75 ms-1 and the velocity of P2 is -2.25 ms-1.
(iii) When P1 is level with P2, t = 1.25, and P1 is moving upwards with speed
17.75 ms-1, and P2 is moving downwards.
At the point where P1 stops moving upwards, measuring from the time
when they are level:
u = 17.75 v = u + at
a = −9.8 0 = 17.75 − 9.8t
v =0 t = 1.81
t =?
So the time for which P1 is higher than P2 and is moving upwards is
1.81 s.
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