Chapter 2: Motion in One Dimension
Example Questions & Problems
x  (v x  v x0 )t
v x  v x0  a x t
x  x o  v x0 t  21 a x t 2
v 2x  v 2x0  2a x x
y  21 (v y  v yo )t
v y  v y0  gt
y  y 0  v y0 t  21 gt 2
v 2y  v 2y0  2gy
1
2
Question 2.1
Sketch position-versus-time graphs for the following motions. Include a numerical scale on both
axes with units that are reasonable for this motion. Some numerical information is given in the
problem, but for other quantities, make reasonable estimates. Note: A sketched graph is handdrawn, rather than laid out with a ruler. Even so, a sketch must be neat, accurate, and include
axis labels.
a. A student walks to the bus stop, waits for the bus, and then rides to campus. Assume that all
the motion is along a straight street.
b. The quarterback drops back 10 yards from the line of scrimmage, and then throws a pass
20 yards to a receiver, who catches it and sprints 20 yards to the goal. Draw your graph for
the football. Think carefully about what the slopes of the lines should be.
Question 2.2
Below are three velocity-versus-time graphs. For each, draw the corresponding accelerationversus-time graph and draw a motion diagram below the graphs.
Question 2.3
You're driving down the highway late one night at 20 m/s when a deer steps onto the road 35 m
in front of you. Your reaction time before stepping on the brakes is 0.50 s, and the maximum
deceleration of your car is 10 m/s2.
a. Plot a motion diagram and a velocity vs. time plot.
b. How much distance is between you and the deer when you come to a stop?
Question 2.4
A light-rail train going from one station to the next on a straight section of track accelerates from
rest at 1.1 m/s2 for 20 s. It then proceeds at constant speed for 1100 m before slowing down at
2.2 m/s2 until it stops at the station.
a. Plot a motion diagram and a velocity vs. time plot.
b. What is the time required to travel from one station to the next?
Question 2.5
A football is kicked straight up into the air; it hits the ground 5.2 s later.
a. Plot a motion diagram and a velocity vs. time plot.
b. What was the greatest height reachd by the ball? Assume it is kicked from ground level.
c. With what speed did it leave the kicker's foot?
∆x
ax
vx
vxo
t
X




v x  v x 0  2a x x




X
x  v x 0 t  a x t


X



X



vxo
t
vyo
t
Kinematics
v x  v x0  ax t
2
2
1
2
2
x  (v x  v x0 )t
1
2
Data
∆x
ax
vx
Data
∆y
ay
−g
vy