CBSE · NCERT · Class 11 Physics · Chapter 2

NCERT Solutions: Class 11 Physics Chapter 2 - Motion in a Straight Line

13 textbook Q&A13 verifiedFree Content

Chapter-wise NCERT intext questions and exercise answers for Motion in a Straight Line, grounded in the official textbook.

Questions are taken verbatim from the NCERT textbook; answers were grounded against the chapter's content during generation. Items needing review are marked.
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Exercises 13
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1Exercises13 questions
Q.2.1In which of the following examples of motion, can the body be considered approximately a point object: (a) a railway carriage moving without jerks between two stations. (b) a monkey sitting on top of a man cycling smoothly on a circular track. (c) a spinning cricket ball that turns sharply on hitting the ground. (d) a tumbling beaker that has slipped off the edge of a table.v
Solution

A body can be treated as a point object when its size is negligible compared with the distance or scale of motion, and its rotation or tumbling is not important. The carriage and monkey-cyclist system can be approximated as point objects for large-scale translational motion. The spinning ball and tumbling beaker cannot, because rotational motion and size are relevant.

Answer:

a. Yes; b. Yes, if the track size is large compared with the monkey-man system; c. No; d. No.

Q.2.3A woman starts from her home at 9.00 am, walks with a speed of 5 km h–1 on a straight road up to her office 2.5 km away, stays at the office up to 5.00 pm, and returns home by an auto with a speed of 25 km h–1. Choose suitable scales and plot the x-t graph of her motion.v
Solution

Time to office $=2.5/5=0.5\,\text{h}=30\,\text{min}$. Return time $=2.5/25=0.1\,\text{h}=6\,\text{min}$. Thus the $x$-$t$ graph has a positive straight segment, a horizontal rest segment, and a steeper negative straight segment.

Answer:

The graph rises linearly from $(9.00\,\text{am},0)$ to $(9.30\,\text{am},2.5\,\text{km})$, stays horizontal until $5.00\,\text{pm}$, and then falls linearly to $(5.06\,\text{pm},0)$.

Q.2.4A drunkard walking in a narrow lane takes 5 steps forward and 3 steps backward, followed again by 5 steps forward and 3 steps backward, and so on. Each step is 1 m long and requires 1 s. Plot the x-t graph of his motion. Determine graphically and otherwise how long the drunkard takes to fall in a pit 13 m away from the start.v
Solution

In each cycle of $5$ forward and $3$ backward steps, time $=8\,\text{s}$ and net displacement $=2\,\text{m}$. After $5$ cycles, time $=40\,\text{s}$ and displacement $=10\,\text{m}$. He then takes $3$ forward steps to reach $13\,\text{m}$, requiring $3\,\text{s}$. Total time $=40+3=43\,\text{s}$. The $x$-$t$ graph is a saw-tooth graph with slope $+1\,\text{m s}^{-1}$ for five seconds and $-1\,\text{m s}^{-1}$ for three seconds in each cycle.

Answer:

$43\,\text{s}$.

Q.2.5A car moving along a straight highway with speed of 126 km h–1 is brought to a stop within a distance of 200 m. What is the retardation of the car (assumed uniform), and how long does it take for the car to stop ?v
Solution

$126\,\text{km h}^{-1}=35\,\text{m s}^{-1}$. Using $v^2=u^2+2as$ with $v=0$, $u=35\,\text{m s}^{-1}$, $s=200\,\text{m}$: $0=35^2+2a(200)$, so $a=-3.0625\,\text{m s}^{-2}$. Retardation is $3.1\,\text{m s}^{-2}$. Time $t=(v-u)/a=(0-35)/(-3.0625)=11.4\,\text{s}$.

Answer:

Retardation $=3.1\,\text{m s}^{-2}$; stopping time $=11.4\,\text{s}$.

Q.2.6A player throws a ball upwards with an initial speed of 29.4 m s–1. (a) What is the direction of acceleration during the upward motion of the ball ? (b) What are the velocity and acceleration of the ball at the highest point of its motion ? (c) Choose the x = 0 m and t = 0 s to be the location and time of the ball at its highest point, vertically downward direction to be the positive direction of x-axis, and give the signs of position, velocity and acceleration of the ball during its upward, and downward motion. (d) To what height does the ball rise and after how long does the ball return to the player’s hands ? (Take g = 9.8 m s–2 and neglect air resistance).v
Solution

Acceleration due to gravity is always downward. At the highest point, instantaneous velocity is zero but acceleration remains $g$ downward. With downward as positive and origin at the highest point, the ball is below the origin during both upward and downward parts, so $x>0$; upward velocity is negative and downward velocity is positive; acceleration is positive. Maximum height $h=u^2/(2g)=29.4^2/(19.6)=44.1\,\text{m}$. Time to rise $=u/g=29.4/9.8=3.0\,\text{s}$, so return time $=6.0\,\text{s}$.

Answer:

a. Downward; b. velocity $0$, acceleration $9.8\,\text{m s}^{-2}$ downward; c. $x>0$ and $a>0$ during both upward and downward motion, while $v<0$ upward and $v>0$ downward; d. height $44.1\,\text{m}$ and total time $6.0\,\text{s}$.

Q.2.7Read each statement below carefully and state with reasons and examples, if it is true or false ; A particle in one-dimensional motion (a) with zero speed at an instant may have non-zero acceleration at that instant (b) with zero speed may have non-zero velocity, (c) with constant speed must have zero acceleration, (d) with positive value of acceleration must be speeding up.v
Solution

a. At the highest point of a vertically thrown ball, speed is zero but acceleration is $g$. b. Speed is the magnitude of velocity, so zero speed means zero velocity. c. In one-dimensional motion with reversals, speed can remain constant while velocity changes direction abruptly, so acceleration need not be zero at the reversal. d. If velocity is negative and acceleration positive, the particle slows down.

Answer:

a. True; b. False; c. False; d. False.

Q.2.8A ball is dropped from a height of 90 m on a floor. At each collision with the floor, the ball loses one tenth of its speed. Plot the speed-time graph of its motion between t = 0 to 12 s.v
Solution

First impact speed $v=\sqrt{2gh}=\sqrt{2(9.8)(90)}=42\,\text{m s}^{-1}$ and first fall time $t=\sqrt{2h/g}=4.29\,\text{s}$. After collision the speed becomes $0.9v=37.8\,\text{m s}^{-1}$. Time from floor to top is $37.8/9.8=3.86\,\text{s}$, so speed becomes zero at $t=8.14\,\text{s}$. It returns to the floor at $t=12.0\,\text{s}$ with speed $37.8\,\text{m s}^{-1}$.

Answer:

The speed rises linearly from $0$ to $42\,\text{m s}^{-1}$ at $t\approx4.29\,\text{s}$, drops instantly to $37.8\,\text{m s}^{-1}$ after the bounce, falls linearly to $0$ at $t\approx8.14\,\text{s}$, and rises linearly to $37.8\,\text{m s}^{-1}$ at $t=12\,\text{s}$.

Q.2.9Explain clearly, with examples, the distinction between : (a) magnitude of displacement (sometimes called distance) over an interval of time, and the total length of path covered by a particle over the same interval; (b) magnitude of average velocity over an interval of time, and the average speed over the same interval. [Average speed of a particle over an interval of time is defined as the total path length divided by the time interval]. Show in both (a) and (b) that the second quantity is either greater than or equal to the first. When is the equality sign true ? [For simplicity, consider one-dimensional motion only].v
Solution

Displacement depends only on final and initial positions, while path length counts the actual distance travelled. If a person walks $5\,\text{m}$ forward and $3\,\text{m}$ backward, displacement magnitude is $2\,\text{m}$ but path length is $8\,\text{m}$. Dividing both quantities by the same time interval gives magnitude of average velocity and average speed respectively, so average speed is also greater than or equal to magnitude of average velocity. Equality holds only if the particle does not reverse direction in the interval.

Answer:

Path length is always greater than or equal to magnitude of displacement. Average speed is always greater than or equal to magnitude of average velocity. Equality holds when motion is along one direction without reversal.

Q.2.10A man walks on a straight road from his home to a market 2.5 km away with a speed of 5 km h–1. Finding the market closed, he instantly turns and walks back home with a speed of 7.5 km h–1. What is the (a) magnitude of average velocity, and (b) average speed of the man over the interval of time (i) 0 to 30 min, (ii) 0 to 50 min, (iii) 0 to 40 min ? [Note: You will appreciate from this exercise why it is better to define average speed as total path length divided by time, and not as magnitude of average velocity. You would not like to tell the tired man on his return home that his average speed was zero !]v
Solution

Time to market $=2.5/5=0.5\,\text{h}=30\,\text{min}$. i. In $30\,\text{min}$ he travels $2.5\,\text{km}$ with displacement $2.5\,\text{km}$, so both values are $2.5/0.5=5\,\text{km h}^{-1}$. ii. In $50\,\text{min}=5/6\,\text{h}$, he has returned home; displacement is zero and total path is $5\,\text{km}$, so average speed $=5/(5/6)=6\,\text{km h}^{-1}$. iii. In $40\,\text{min}=2/3\,\text{h}$, he has returned for $10\,\text{min}=1/6\,\text{h}$ and covers $7.5/6=1.25\,\text{km}$ back. Displacement magnitude $=2.5-1.25=1.25\,\text{km}$ and path length $=2.5+1.25=3.75\,\text{km}$, giving $1.25/(2/3)=1.875\,\text{km h}^{-1}$ and $3.75/(2/3)=5.625\,\text{km h}^{-1}$.

Answer:

i. $|\bar v|=5\,\text{km h}^{-1}$, average speed $=5\,\text{km h}^{-1}$; ii. $|\bar v|=0$, average speed $=6\,\text{km h}^{-1}$; iii. $|\bar v|=1.875\,\text{km h}^{-1}$, average speed $=5.625\,\text{km h}^{-1}$.

Q.2.11In Exercises 2.9 and 2.10, we have carefully distinguished between average speed and magnitude of average velocity. No such distinction is necessary when we consider instantaneous speed and magnitude of velocity. The instantaneous speed is always equal to the magnitude of instantaneous velocity. Why?v
Solution

Instantaneous velocity is the limiting value of displacement divided by time as the interval tends to zero. In that limit, the actual path segment is infinitesimal and has length equal to the magnitude of displacement. Hence instantaneous speed equals the magnitude of instantaneous velocity.

Answer:

Because over an infinitesimal time interval, path length and displacement magnitude become the same.

Q.2.12Look at the graphs (a) to (d) (Fig. 2.10) carefully and state, with reasons, which of these cannot possibly represent one-dimensional motion of a particle.v
Solution

In graph (a), one value of time corresponds to more than one position. In graph (b), one value of time corresponds to more than one velocity. In graph (c), speed becomes negative, which is impossible. In graph (d), total path length decreases with time, which is impossible because path length cannot decrease.

Answer:

All four graphs cannot represent valid one-dimensional motion as labelled.

Q.2.13Figure 2.11shows the x-t plot of one-dimensional motion of a particle. Is it correct to say from the graph that the particle moves in a straight line for t < 0 and on a parabolic path for t >0 ? If not, suggest a suitable physical context for this graph.v
Solution

An $x$-$t$ graph shows position as a function of time, not the geometrical path in space. The graph can describe a particle at rest at $x=0$ for $t<0$, and then moving along a straight line with uniformly accelerated motion for $t>0$, so that $x\propto t^2$.

Answer:

No.

Q.2.14A police van moving on a highway with a speed of 30 km h–1 fires a bullet at a thief’s car speeding away in the same direction with a speed of 192 km h–1. If the muzzle speed of the bullet is 150 m s–1, with what speed does the bullet hit the thief’s car ? (Note: Obtain that speed which is relevant for damaging the thief’s car).v
Solution

Police van speed $=30\,\text{km h}^{-1}=8.33\,\text{m s}^{-1}$. Bullet speed relative to ground $=150+8.33=158.33\,\text{m s}^{-1}$. Thief's car speed $=192\,\text{km h}^{-1}=53.33\,\text{m s}^{-1}$. Speed of bullet relative to car $=158.33-53.33=105\,\text{m s}^{-1}$, which is the damaging speed.

Answer:

$105\,\text{m s}^{-1}$.