Relative Velocity Worksheet
Name:_________________
1. A swimmer has a velocity of 2 m/s directly across a river that is flowing at 4 m/s.
What is the actual velocity of the swimmer and at what angle? Draw vectors and
theta. http://mysite.verizon.net/vzeoacw1/velocity_composition.html
2. A plane is flying at 100 m/s due north with a cross wind (perpendicular to plane’s
velocity) of 20 m/s to the west. What is the planes actual velocity and angle from
true north? http://www.physicsclassroom.com/mmedia/vectors/plane.cfm
3. A sailboat is on a heading of due East at 5 m/s while crossing the Gulf Stream
current, which is moving 4 m/s due North. What is the sailboats actual speed and
heading?
4. A plane leaves Atlanta flying northeast at 100 m/s. Another plane leaves Atlanta
flying southwest at 150 m/s. What is their velocity relative to each other?
5. A swimmers path appears to be going directly across a river at 1.5 m/s. The
current is 2 m/s. How fast and at what angle must he be swimming?
6. A ship is heading 30º north of east at 10 m/s. The ocean currents there are
flowing north a 1 m/s. A man walked across the ship at 1 m/s in a direction
perpendicular to the ship (30º west of north). Draw all the velocity vectors. Add
them using components. This is the velocity of the man relative to the earth.
7.
A boat is heading due east in a river with a velocity of 10 km/hr with respect to
the water. The current of the water is flowing west with a velocity of 1.5 m/s. What
is the velocity of the boat with respect to an observer on the bank of the river?
8.
An airplane is landing on an aircraft carrier with a ground velocity of 120 km/hr
due east. A person on the ship is viewing the plane land on the deck from behind
the carrier with a velocity of 112 km/hr due east. What is the velocity of the carrier?
9.
A boat heading north crosses a wide river with a velocity of 13.5 km/hr relative
to the water. The river has a uniform velocity of 2.5 km/hr due east. Determine the
boat’s velocity with respect to an observer on shore.
10. A plane heading due east with a velocity of 250 km/hr encounters a strong
wind heading North West with a velocity of 35 km/hr. What is the ground velocity of
the plane?
11. A boat heading due north crosses a river with a velocity if 3.0 m/s relative to
the water. The river has a uniform velocity of 0.5 m/s due west. Determine the
boat’s velocity with respect to an observer on shore. How far down stream is the
boat once it makes it to the other side if the river is 45m wide?