Question

8
car traveling at 120 km/h towards West makes a right turn and travels north without
changing its speed.
120 km/h
120 km/h
Using a vector diagram, find the magnitude and direction of the resultant velocity of the car. ​

Answer 1

Answer:

The resultant velocity is 169.71 km/h at angle of 45° measured clockwise with the x-axis or the east-west line.

Explanation:

Considering west direction along negative x-axis and north direction along  positive y-axis

Given:

The car travels at a speed of 120 km/h in the west direction.

The car then travels at the same speed in the north direction.

Now, considering the given directions, the velocities are given as:

Velocity in west direction is, $\overrightarrow{v_1}=-120\ \vec{i}$

Velocity in north direction is, $\overrightarrow{v_2}=120\ \vec{j}$

Now, since $v_1\ and\ v_2$ are perpendicular to each other, their resultant magnitude is given as:

$|\overrightarrow{v_{res}}|=\sqrt{|\overrightarrow{v_1}|^2+|\overrightarrow{v_2}|^2}$

Plug in the given values and solve for the magnitude of the resultant.This gives,

$|\overrightarrow{v_{res}}|=\sqrt{(120)^2+(120)^2}\\\\|\overrightarrow{v_{res}}|=120\sqrt{2} = 169.71\ km/h$

Let the angle made by the resultant be 'x' degree with the east-west line or the x-axis.

So, the direction is given as:

$x=\tan^{-1}(\frac{|v_2|}{|v_1|})\\\\x=\tan^{-1}(\frac{120}{-120})=\tan^{-1}(-1)=-45\ deg(clockwise\ angle\ with\ the\ x-axis)$

Therefore, the resultant velocity is 169.71 km/h at angle of 45° measured clockwise with the x-axis or the east-west line.