July 29, 2008

Q. 1.16 - "Problems in General Physics" by I.E. Irodov


\begin{justify}<br />\textbf{Question}: Two particles, 1 and 2, move with constant v...<br />...ce between the particles become the smallest? What is it equal to?<br />\end{justify}

\begin{justify}<br />\noindent\textbf{Answer}:<br />At any given time $t$, the $1^{st}$\...<br />...rom $O$ and the<br />$2^{nd}$ particle is at distance $l_2 - v_2 t$.<br />\end{justify}

img3.gif

\begin{justify}<br />At this time the distance between the two particles is<br />\begin{...<br />...c{(v_1 l_2 - v_2 l_1)}{\sqrt{v_1^2 + v_2^2}} \vert<br />\end{eqnarray*}\end{justify}

Q. 1.15 - "Problems in General Physics" by I.E. Irodov


\begin{justify}<br />\textbf{Question}: An elevator car whose floor-to-ceiling dista...<br />...the free fall in the reference<br />frame fixed to the elevator shaft.<br />\end{justify}

\begin{justify}<br />\noindent\textbf{Answer}:<br />When the bolt gets detached from th...<br />...as $t_0$. Also,<br />let us denote the elevator's acceleration as $a$.<br />\end{justify}

\begin{justify}<br />After detaching, the bolt experiences an acceleration of magnit...<br />...his is in direction<br />opposite to the acceleration of the elevator.<br />\end{justify}

\begin{justify}<br />Thus the bolt's acceleration relative to the elevator floor is ...<br />...ion. And the bolt's initial speed relative to elevator floor is 0.<br />\end{justify}

\begin{justify}<br />The bolt travels $l$, the floor-to-ceiling distance in the elev...<br />...gin{eqnarray*}<br />d & = & a t_0 t - \frac{1}{2}gt^2<br />\end{eqnarray*}\end{justify}

\begin{justify}<br />Now, to calculate the total distance covered by the bolt, we sh...<br />...ay*} The negative sign indicates that the bolt traveled downwards.<br />\end{justify}

\begin{justify}<br />Now, to get the total distance covered by bolt, we need to get<br />...<br />...}<br />2h + d & = & 2 \times 0.3 + 0.7 \\<br />& = & 1.3m<br />\end{eqnarray*}\end{justify}

Q. 1.14 - "Problems in General Physics" by I.E. Irodov

Question: A train of length$l$= 350 m starts moving rectilinearly with constant
acceleration$w$=$3.0 \times 10^{-2}$;$t$= 3 s after the start the locomotive headlight
is switched on (event$1$), and$\tau$= 60 s after that event the tail signal light is switched
on (event$2$). Find the distance between these event in the reference frames fixed to the train
and to the earth. How and at what constant velocity$V$relative to the Earth must a certain
reference frame$K$move for the two events to occur in it at the same point.

Answer:
In the reference frame fixed to the train, obviously the distance between the two points is$l$=
350 m.

For the reference frame fixed to earth, lets fix the initial position of headlight as the origin and
the direction of train movement as given by unit-vector$\vec{i}.$

In this reference frame, position of headlight at time$t$is$(\frac{1}{2}wt^2)\vec{i}.$This is
the position of event$1$.

After$\tau + t$, the position of headlight is$(\frac{1}{2}w(\tau+t)^2)\vec{i}.$

Thus, the position of taillight at time$\tau + t$is$(\frac{1}{2}w(\tau+t)^2 - l)\vec{i}.$This is
the position of event$2$.

Thus, distance between these two events:

\begin{eqnarray*}<br />& = & \frac{1}{2}(w(\tau+t)^2 - t^2) - l \\<br />& = & \frac{1}{2}...<br />...& \frac{1}{2}w(\tau+2t)\tau - l \\<br />& = & w\tau (t + \tau/2) - l<br />\end{eqnarray*}


June 20, 2008

Q. 1.13 - "Problems in General Physics" by I.E. Irodov

Question: Point A moves uniformly with velocity v so that the vector⃗vis continually ”aimed”at point B which in its turn moves rectilinearlyand uniformly with velocity u . At the initial moment of time⃗v⃗uand the points are separated by a distance l. How soon will the pointsconverge?

Answer
: Lets consider an arbitrary time when the point A is at a distance of x from point B.

PIC

Taking point B’s velocity component along the direction of A velocity, the two
points are coming closer at a speed given by

  dx- - dt =  v - ucos ϕ

Integrating this equation,

  ∫ 0      ∫ τ      ∫ τ -     dx =    vdt -    u cos ϕdt    l        0        0

where τis the required time. This gives:

              ∫                 τ ⇒  l = vτ - u  0 cosϕdt

Also, when the points meet, the two points must have traveled an equal
distance along the direction in which point B travels. Thus,

∫             ∫  τ vcos ϕdt =   τudt  0             0

     ∫ τ ⇒  v    cosϕdt = u τ       0

    v-τ --l ⇒  v   u   = u τ

⇒  τ(v2 - u2) = lu

⇒  τ = ---lu----        v2 - u2

I.e. the two points will meet after a time given by v2lu-u2.