Physics 105 Problem Set 1 Reading: K&K, chapter 1.

Due: Friday, September 20, 2013, 3 PM

Students who are interested in enrolling in Physics 105 should solve and hand in Problems 1-5. These will be graded and (except for Problem 6) will count towards your 105 grade. Turn Physics 105 homework in by 4:00 PM on Friday September 20. Leave your signed and stapled problem sets in the bin labeled PHY 105 on the rst oor of Jadwin Hall. Problem sets that are turned in late will be penalized 30% per day (i.e. 70%, 40%, 10%, 0% credit for 1, 2, 3, or 4 days late). be unit vectors in the x-y plane making angles and with and b Problem 1. Let a the x axis, respectively. = = (a) (K&K 1.7) Show that a i cos + j sin and b i cos + j sin , and using vector algebra show that cos( ) = cos cos + sin sin . (Hint: use the dot product see Kleppner and Kolenkow (K&K), pp. 5, 9, 10.) = A unit vector in the x-y plane can be written a i cos + j sin . You may also have = (cos , sin ). This vector can also seen a vector written by listing its components: a be written in the form of a 2 1 matrix, also known as a column vector: = a cos sin .

This is more than just notational intricacy vectors and matrices are related. Note: dont worry if you havent seen this before, its supposed to be new! For a brief intro to matrices, go to the writeup called Matrices and Matrix Multiplication, which is posted on Blackboard in Course Materials. We would be happy to discuss it further at oce hours. is multiplied by the 2 2 matrix (b) Show that when the column vector representing a R ( ) = cos sin sin cos ,

using the standard rules of matrix multiplication, the result is a new column vector c = R() c a is just a rotated by the angle . See the writeup for the scoop on matrix where c multiplication, with examples. R is called a rotation matrix. The notion of a matrix as an operator that does something to a vector is widely used in physics, especially in quantum mechanics. 1

(c) Show that the single matrix that does the combined operation of a rotation by angle followed by a rotation by angle is the matrix product of the matrices for the two individual rotations. [Here, in a 2D world, the matrices can operate in either order.] Problem 2. A particle moves in the xy plane, with trajectory
R is called a rotation matrix. The notion of a matrix as an operator that does something to a vector is part of the language of quantum mechanics. c) Show that the single matrix that does the combined operation of a rotation of followed by x a( rotation of the matrix product t) = 3 m is sin (2 rad/s t) +of 1 the m, matrices for the two individual rotations. 1/2 1/2 2

y (t) = (2 m

/s t 1m

) 1 m,

Ameans particle meters, moves in s the xy plane, with position with t the time in Problem seconds. 2. [m means seconds and rad means radians]

(a) What is vx , the x component of the particles velocity, at t = 1 second?

y (t) = (2m1/2 /s t 1m1/2 )2 1m,

x(t) = 3 m sin (2 rad/s t) + 1 m,

(b) Where iswith the xparticle the and rstt positive time it has (instantaneously) vx = 0? and y in at meters in seconds.
What the x velocity theparticles particle at acceleration t = 1 second? at this time from part (b)? (c) What is aa) x is component ofof the x , the b) Where is the particle (x and y ) the rst time it is (instantaneously) at rest in x

(d) What are vx and vy of the particle when it rst passes through y = 0 at positive direction? nonzero time (at t > 0)? c) What is the particles acceleration in x direction at the time found in part b)?
d) What are the x and y velocities of the particle when it goes through y = 0 after initial time (at t > 0)? Problem 3. Galilean relativity. Using calculus as a language, most of kinematics is just the application of a few denitions (velocity, acceleration. . . .). A deeper understandProblem 3. the Galilean relativity. calculus as a dierent language, most of kinematics ing comes when we consider same motion Using as viewed from reference framesisor just the application of a few denitions (velocity, acceleration. . . .). A deeper understandcoordinate systems. This will be a recurring theme throughout Physics 103/5 and will form ing comes when we consider the same motion as viewed from dierent frames of reference the basis of our of Special or discussion coordinate systems. ThisRelativity. will be a recurring theme throughout Physics 103/5 and will form the basis our discussion of Special Relativity. Consider the origins, Oofand O , of two dierent coordinate systems. (We will consider two coordinate systems, and O . (We will consider only the x-axes in, this only the x-axes in Consider this problem.) At t = 0, the O two origins coincide, but, relative to O O is problem.) At t = 0, the two systems coincide, but, relative to O , O is moving to the right moving with constant velocity u as shown (we show the case where u is positive): with speed u as shown:
t=0 x1 O O u x x O s O u x 1 x x t>0

At a later the gure, you can see that if a particle is located at position x1 in coordinate system O at x1 = x1 s = x1 ut. time t, then its position in system O is
If the particle is moving -axis, x1 sto =the x1 x ut. say to the right with speed v , we can x1 =parallel nd its velocity in O by simply using the denition of velocity (we use the symbol to

At a later time t, O has moved (relative to O) by a distance s = ut, as shown. From the gure, it is easy to see that if a particle is located at position x1 with respect to system O time , O thas moved (relative to O ) by atttime , then its position in system O is a displacement s = ut, as shown. From

If the particle is moving parallel to the x-axis with velocity v in reference frame O, we can nd its velocity in reference frame O by simply using the denition of velocity (we use the symbol to mean is dened to be) and taking the derivative of the above expression, v dx1 d dx1 = (x1 ut) = u v u. dt dt dt 2

This result is quite general. It works for u and/or v positive or negative, for u > v , and so on. It works in three dimensions when vectors are used for velocities. On page 341, Kleppner and Kolenkow present this result in vector form. We have just proved it. It is called the Galilean transformation of velocity and is valid as long as all the speeds are very small compared to the speed of light. [We will consider speeds closer to the speed of light later this term when we learn Einsteins special relativity.] (a) Again in one dimension, nd the Galilean transformation of acceleration. That is, if our particle has acceleration a along the x-axis in system O, what is its acceleration a in O ? The fact that Newtons Second Law refers to acceleration (and not, for example, to velocity) makes this very important. The Galilean transformations above work only if O is moving with xed velocity with respect to O. A set of frames of reference, each moving with xed velocity with respect to the others, is called a set of inertial reference frames. But what if O is accelerating with respect to O? Consider now the case where O and O coincide at t = 0, O is at rest with respect to O at t = 0, but O has constant acceleration with respect to O: (b) What is the expression for s, the position of the origin of O in O? (c) If at time t, the position, velocity, and acceleration of a particle in O are x2 , v2 , and a2 , what are the corresponding quantities x2 , v2 , and a2 measured in O ? Problem 4. (K&K 1.13) At t=0, an elevator departs from the ground oor with uniform speed. At time T1 a boy drops a marble through the elevator oor. The marble falls with uniform acceleration g = 9.8m/s2 and hits the ground T2 seconds after it was dropped. Find the height of the elevator above the ground at time T1 . Answer clue: If T1 = T2 = 4 sec, h = 39.2 m. Problem 5. (K&K 1.20) A particle moves outward along a spiral. Its trajectory is given by r = A, where A is a constant. A = (1/ ) m/rad. increases in time according to = t2 /2, where is a constant. (a) Sketch the motion, and indicate the approximate velocity and acceleration at a few points. (b) Show that the radial acceleration is zero when = 1/ 2 rad. (c) At what angles do the radial and tangential accelerations have equal magnitude?

Problem 6. Just to start stretching your brain for all the stu Princeton wants to put in it, here is a problem that requires only the simplest of physics (distance = velocity time), some math, and careful thinking. It will not count in your grade, but give it a try if you get a chance. A stick of length l = 10 cm is sliding on a frictionless horizontal oor towards a wall. The stick at the moment shown is D = 50 cm from the wall and its center is moving directly toward the wall at v = 10 cm/s. The stick is also spinning about a vertical axis through its center. It spins at a constant rate of radians/s. (Hence, with t = 0 the moment shown in the picture, the angle the stick makes from its orientation at t = 0 is = t.)

v l

wall

D
For what values of will the stick hit the wall at-on, that is, the whole length of For what values of hit will the stick hit the wall at-on, that is, thehard whole of the the stick the wall simultaneously? What makes this is length that this is a real wall part of the stick can go through it! hard is that this is a real wall no stick hits the no wall simultaneously? What makes this part of the stick can go through it!