Physics Enhancement Program Phase 1 Test Solution

1. As shown in Fig. 1, a projectile is aiming at a building of height h and breadth h/2.

The angle of elevation of the top of the building is = 30o.

= 30o
h/2
Fig. 1: The projectile and the building.

(a) Derive an expression of the minimum velocity of the projectile that can just pass
over the front top of the building.
Let be the angle between the projectile and the horizontal. The path of the projectile
is given by
x vt cos ,
(1)
1
(2)
y vt sin gt 2 .
2
Eliminating t,
g
(3)
y x tan 2
x2 .
2
2v cos
The projectile passes through the point (h cot , h) . Hence
h h cot tan
v2

gh 2 cot 2
.
2v 2 cos 2

(4)

gh cot 2
.
2 cot tan cos 2 2 cos 2

(5)

sin
, sin 2 sin cos ,
cos
cos 2 2 cos 2 1 , and sin( x y ) sin x cos y cos x sin y ,

Using the trigonometric identities tan

gh cos 2
.
sin sin( 2 ) sin
At the minimum velocity, sin(2 ) 1 2 90o 60o
v2

(6)

gh cos 2 30o
gh( 3 / 2) 2
v

3gh v 3 gh 1.73 gh . (answer)

sin 30o 1 sin 30o (1 / 2)(1 1 / 2)
(b) Derive the angle of firing the projectile in part (a).
60o . (answer)
(c) If the projectile is fired at a higher velocity such that it can land at the back of the
building, derive an expression of the minimum of this higher velocity.
The path of the projectile is given by Eq. (3). The projectile passes through the point
(h cot h / 2, h) . Hence
2

1
gh 2 (cot 1 / 2) 2

h h cot tan
.
2v 2 cos 2
2

(7)

v2

gh(cot 1 / 2) 2
.
2(cot 1 / 2) tan cos 2 2 cos 2

Let cot ' cot

(8)

1 2 3 1
. Then similar to

2
2

17 4 3

Eq. (5), we have

gh cos 2 '
v2
2 3 1
sin ' sin( 2 ' ) sin '

At the minimum velocity, sin(2 ' ) 1

1
2
2 ' 90o 45o tan 1
57.1o .
2
2 3 1
17

gh cos 2 '

1
3 1 3.4458 gh
v2
gh
1 gh
sin ' 1 sin '
sin '
4

v 3.4458 gh 1.86 gh .
(answer)
(d) Derive the angle of firing the projectile in part (c).
57.1o (answer)

2. A uniform solid cylinder of mass M and radius R rolls on a horizontal plane and
hits a thin vertical barrier of height R/3. Its velocity before hitting the barrier is v.
(a)

(b)

Fig. 2: (a) The cylinder rolls over the barrier. (b) The cylinder is projected over the barrier.

(a) Suppose, as shown in Fig. 2(a), the cylinder starts to roll over the barrier after
hitting it, and there is no slipping during the rolling process. Calculate the energy loss
during the impact. Express your answer in terms of M, R, v and g.
After the impact, the cylinder rotates about the tip of the barrier.
Let be the angular velocity of the cylinder after the impact.
Angular momentum about the barrier tip before the impact:
1
2R 7
v
Li MR 2 Mv
MvR
2
3 6
R
Angular momentum about the barrier tip after the impact:

1
L f MR 2 MR 2 MR 2
2

2
Using the conservation of angular momentum,
7
3
7v
MvR MR 2
.
9R
6
2
2

1
11
3
v
Energy before the impact: Ei Mv 2 MR 2 Mv 2
2
22
4
R
2

11
49
2
2 7v
Mv 2

MR MR
22
9 R 108
3
49
8
Energy loss during the impact: Mv 2
Mv 2
Mv 2 0.296Mv 2 (answer)
4
108
27
(b) Calculate the minimum velocity that enables the cylinder to roll over the barrier
successfully. Express your answer in terms of R and g.
When the cylinder is able to roll over the barrier, its center of mass rises by a height
of R/3. Using the conservation of energy,
R
49
6
Mv 2 Mg
v
gR 0.857 gR . (answer)
108
3
7
(c) At a higher velocity, the cylinder loses contact with the barrier once it starts to roll
over the barrier, hence behaving like a projectile as shown in Fig. 2(b). Calculate the
velocity v1 that this will happen. Express your answer in terms of R and g.
At the position indicated in the figure, conservation of energy
yields

Energy after the impact: E f

MgR
13
13
2 7v
2 2
MgR cos
MR 1 MgR MR

22
22
3

9 R
Let N be the normal reaction at the barrier. Applying Newtons
second law to the radial motion about the top of the barrier,
Mg cos N MR 2 .
When the cylinder loses contact with the barrier, N = 0. Hence
g
2 cos .
R
Eliminating 2 in the energy conservation equation,
49
2
7
Mv12 MgR MgR cos .
108
3
4
If the cylinder loses contact with the barrier once it starts to roll over the barrier, then
cos = 2/3. Hence
3
49
2
7
2
Mv12 MgR MgR v1
6 gR 1.05 gR . (answer)
108
3
4
7
3
(d) For the situation in part (c), calculate the maximum vertical displacement of the
center of the cylinder. Express your answer in terms of R.
When the cylinder loses contact with the barrier, the velocity of the center of mass is
7
2 gR
2
. It makes an angle of cos 1 with the horizontal. So the
R1 v1
9
3
3
path of the projectile is given by
x v1t cos ,

1
y v1t sin gt 2 .
2
At the maximum displacement, v y v1 sin gt 0 t

v1
sin .
g

The maximum vertical displacement is given by

2

v
1 v

1 2 gR 5 5
v2
y v1 sin 1 sin g 1 sin 1 sin 2

R 0.185 R .
2g
2 g 3 9 27
g
2 g

(answer)
3. It is known that when an object moves on the Earths surface, it experiences the

Coriolis acceleration given by aCor 2 v , where is the angular velocity of the

Earth, and v is the velocity of the object.

(a) Consider a location at a north latitude of . Using the coordinate axes defined in

Fig. 3, express the vector in terms of the unit vectors i , j and k .

Fig. 3: The coordinate system on the surface of the Earth.

cos j sin k . (answer)

(b) For a general vector v vxi v y j vz k , express aCor in terms of the unit vectors
i , j and k .
j
i
k

aCor 2 v 2 0 cos sin

vx
vy
vz

2 (vz cos v y sin )i vx sin j vx cos k . (answer)

(c) Consider a projectile fired in the east direction from a location at a north latitude
of , with a velocity v0 and at an angle of inclination with the horizontal. Derive an
expression for the lateral deflection when the projectile hits the ground.
The equations of motion of the projectile is given by
x 2 cos z 2 sin y ,
y 2 sin x ,
z g 2 cos x .

Approximations: x v0 cos , y 0 and z v0 sin gt .

x 2 cos (v0 sin gt ) ,
y 2v0 sin cos ,
z g 2v0 cos cos .
Integrating,
1

x v0 cos 2 cos v0t sin gt 2 ,

2

y 2v0t sin cos ,

z v0 sin gt 2v0t cos cos .
Integrating again,
1
1

x v0t cos 2 cos v0t 2 sin gt 3 ,

6
2

2
y v0t sin cos ,
1
z v0t sin gt 2 v0t 2 cos cos .
2
When the projectile hits the ground, z = 0. Hence
2v0 sin
t
.
g 2v0 cos cos
Lateral deflection:
4v03 sin 2 cos sin
4v03 sin 2 cos sin

. (answer)
y
( g 2v0 cos cos ) 2
g2
(d) Consider a projectile fired in the east direction from the coast of Hong Kong
(latitude 23oN) at an angle of inclination of 45o, aiming at a ship 2 km away from the
coast. Calculate the lateral deflection when the projectile hits the ship (or the sea).
The path of the projectile is
x v0t cos ,
1
z v0t sin gt 2 .
2
2v
When the projectile hits the ship or the sea, z = 0 t 0 sin .
g
Horizontal range: R

2
(24)(60)(60)

v2
2v02
sin cos 0 .
g
g

R3
4v03 sin 2 cos sin

sin 2 cos sin .

2
g
g

(4)(2 )
(2000)3 1 1
o
sin 23 1.15 m . (answer)

(24)(60)(60)
9.8 2 2

4. Two identical springs each of natural length a have their upper ends tied at points A
and B of the same horizontal level, and are at a distance 2a apart. The two lower ends

are tied together at C, and a mass m hangs from it, resulting in an equilateral triangle
as shown in Fig. 4.
A

2a

C
mg
Fig. 4: A mass hung by two springs.

(a) Derive an expression for the force constant k of each spring.

Let T = tension in the spring. Then
mg
2T cos 30o mg T
.
3
T
mg
.
Extension = a. Hence k
x a 3
(b) Suppose the mass m is displaced downward by a small displacement x, calculate
the extension of each spring, neglecting terms of the order x2 and higher. You may
need to use the power series expansion (1 + x)n 1 + nx +
Let y be the extension of each spring. Then

x (2a y ) 2 a 2 (2a) 2 a 2 3a 2 4ay 3a 2

1

2
4y 2
2y
3a1
y.
3a 3a1
3a
3
3a
3a
3
Therefore, y
x.
2
(c) Derive an expression for the period of the small-amplitude oscillations of the mass
when it is displaced vertically.
Using Newtons second law,

mx 2(T ky )

( 2a y ) 2 a 2
mg
2a y
1

3a 2 4ay
y
ky 4 y 2
2(T ky )
mg 3T 1 1
1 mg
2a y
T 3a 2a
y
7mgy
7mg 3 x
y 2 y
7y
3T 1 1

1 mg 3T 1
mg
6a
12a
a 3a 2a
6a

7g 3
x0
12a
7 3g
2
12a
x

12a
0.9897 a
. (answer)
2
g
7 3g

(d) At t = 0, the initial displacement of the mass is and the initial velocity is
g / a . Calculate the phase in the displacement x(t) = M cos(t + ).

x M cos(t ) x M sin(t )
At t = 0, M cos and

g
7 3

a
12

g
M sin .
a

12
0.9949 44.9o or 180o 44.9o .
7 3
Since cos is positive and sin is negative, 44.9o . (answer)
Dividing, tan