Find position by integrating velocity

A question is this type if and only if the velocity vector v(t) is given along with an initial or boundary condition for position, and the task requires integrating to find the position vector r(t) at a general or specific time.

10 questions · Moderate -0.2

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Edexcel M2 2020 January Q5
10 marks Standard +0.3
5. A t time \(t\) seconds ( \(t \geqslant 0\) ), a particle \(P\) has velocity \(\mathbf { v m ~ s } ^ { - 1 }\), where $$\mathbf { v } = \left( 3 t ^ { 2 } - 4 \right) \mathbf { i } + ( 2 t - 4 ) \mathbf { j }$$ When \(t = 0 , P\) is at the fixed point \(O\).
  1. Find the acceleration of \(P\) at the instant when \(t = 0\)
  2. Find the exact speed of \(P\) at the instant when \(P\) is moving in the direction of the vector \(( 11 \mathbf { i } + \mathbf { j } )\) for the second time.
  3. Show that \(P\) never returns to \(O\). \includegraphics[max width=\textwidth, alt={}, center]{c16c17b6-2c24-4939-b3b5-63cd63646b76-14_2658_1938_107_123} \includegraphics[max width=\textwidth, alt={}, center]{c16c17b6-2c24-4939-b3b5-63cd63646b76-15_149_140_2604_1818}
Edexcel M2 2023 June Q2
10 marks Moderate -0.3
  1. \hspace{0pt} [In this question, the perpendicular unit vectors \(\mathbf { i }\) and \(\mathbf { j }\) are in a horizontal plane.]
In this question you must show all stages of your working. Solutions relying on calculator technology are not acceptable. A particle \(P\) is moving on a smooth horizontal plane.
At time \(t\) seconds \(( t \geqslant 0 )\), the position vector of \(P\), relative to a fixed point \(O\), is \(\mathbf { r }\) metres and the velocity of \(P\) is \(\mathbf { v } \mathrm { ms } ^ { - 1 }\) where $$\mathbf { v } = \left( 4 t ^ { 2 } - 5 t \right) \mathbf { i } + ( - 10 t - 12 ) \mathbf { j }$$ When \(t = 0 , \mathbf { r } = 2 \mathbf { i } + 6 \mathbf { j }\)
  1. Find \(\mathbf { r }\) when \(t = 2\) When \(t = T\) particle \(P\) is moving in the direction of the vector \(\mathbf { i } - 2 \mathbf { j }\)
  2. Find the value of \(T\)
  3. Find the exact magnitude of the acceleration of \(P\) when \(t = 2.5\)
Edexcel M2 2022 October Q4
10 marks Standard +0.3
4. At time \(t\) seconds \(( 0 \leqslant t < 5 )\), a particle \(P\) has velocity \(\mathbf { v m s } ^ { - 1 }\), where $$\mathbf { v } = ( \sqrt { 5 - t } ) \mathbf { i } + \left( t ^ { 2 } + 2 t - 3 \right) \mathbf { j }$$ When \(t = \lambda\), particle \(P\) is moving in a direction parallel to the vector \(\mathbf { i }\).
  1. Find the acceleration of \(P\) when \(t = \lambda\) The position vector of \(P\) is measured relative to the fixed point \(O\) When \(t = 1\), the position vector of \(P\) is \(( - 2 \mathbf { i } + \mathbf { j } ) \mathrm { m }\). Given that \(1 \leqslant T < 5\)
  2. find, in terms of \(T\), the position vector of \(P\) when \(t = T\)
OCR MEI M1 2009 January Q8
19 marks Moderate -0.3
8 A toy boat moves in a horizontal plane with position vector \(\mathbf { r } = x \mathbf { i } + y \mathbf { j }\), where \(\mathbf { i }\) and \(\mathbf { j }\) are the standard unit vectors east and north respectively. The origin of the position vectors is at O . The displacements \(x\) and \(y\) are in metres. First consider only the motion of the boat parallel to the \(x\)-axis. For this motion $$x = 8 t - 2 t ^ { 2 }$$ The velocity of the boat in the \(x\)-direction is \(v _ { x } \mathrm {~m} \mathrm {~s} ^ { - 1 }\).
  1. Find an expression in terms of \(t\) for \(v _ { x }\) and determine when the boat instantaneously has zero speed in the \(x\)-direction. Now consider only the motion of the boat parallel to the \(y\)-axis. For this motion $$v _ { y } = ( t - 2 ) ( 3 t - 2 )$$ where \(v _ { y } \mathrm {~m} \mathrm {~s} ^ { - 1 }\) is the velocity of the boat in the \(y\)-direction at time \(t\) seconds.
  2. Given that \(y = 3\) when \(t = 1\), use integration to show that \(y = t ^ { 3 } - 4 t ^ { 2 } + 4 t + 2\). The position vector of the boat is given in terms of \(t\) by \(\mathbf { r } = \left( 8 t - 2 t ^ { 2 } \right) \mathbf { i } + \left( t ^ { 3 } - 4 t ^ { 2 } + 4 t + 2 \right) \mathbf { j }\).
  3. Find the time(s) when the boat is due north of O and also the distance of the boat from O at any such times.
  4. Find the time(s) when the boat is instantaneously at rest. Find the distance of the boat from O at any such times.
  5. Plot a graph of the path of the boat for \(0 \leqslant t \leqslant 2\).
Edexcel Paper 3 2019 June Q1
6 marks Moderate -0.8
  1. \hspace{0pt} [In this question position vectors are given relative to a fixed origin \(O\) ]
At time \(t\) seconds, where \(t \geqslant 0\), a particle, \(P\), moves so that its velocity \(\mathbf { v ~ m ~ s } ^ { - 1 }\) is given by $$\mathbf { v } = 6 t \mathbf { i } - 5 t ^ { \frac { 3 } { 2 } } \mathbf { j }$$ When \(t = 0\), the position vector of \(P\) is \(( - 20 \mathbf { i } + 20 \mathbf { j } ) \mathrm { m }\).
  1. Find the acceleration of \(P\) when \(t = 4\)
  2. Find the position vector of \(P\) when \(t = 4\)
Edexcel Paper 3 2022 June Q1
8 marks Moderate -0.3
  1. \hspace{0pt} [In this question, position vectors are given relative to a fixed origin.] At time \(t\) seconds, where \(t > 0\), a particle \(P\) has velocity \(\mathbf { v } \mathrm { m } \mathrm { s } ^ { - 1 }\) where
$$\mathbf { v } = 3 t ^ { 2 } \mathbf { i } - 6 t ^ { \frac { 1 } { 2 } } \mathbf { j }$$
  1. Find the speed of \(P\) at time \(t = 2\) seconds.
  2. Find an expression, in terms of \(t , \mathbf { i }\) and \(\mathbf { j }\), for the acceleration of \(P\) at time \(t\) seconds, where \(t > 0\) At time \(t = 4\) seconds, the position vector of \(P\) is ( \(\mathbf { i } - 4 \mathbf { j }\) ) m.
  3. Find the position vector of \(P\) at time \(t = 1\) second.
Edexcel Paper 3 2021 October Q5
14 marks Standard +0.3
  1. At time \(t\) seconds, a particle \(P\) has velocity \(\mathbf { v } \mathrm { ms } ^ { - 1 }\), where
$$\mathbf { v } = 3 t ^ { \frac { 1 } { 2 } } \mathbf { i } - 2 t \mathbf { j } \quad t > 0$$
  1. Find the acceleration of \(P\) at time \(t\) seconds, where \(t > 0\)
  2. Find the value of \(t\) at the instant when \(P\) is moving in the direction of \(\mathbf { i } - \mathbf { j }\) At time \(t\) seconds, where \(t > 0\), the position vector of \(P\), relative to a fixed origin \(O\), is \(\mathbf { r }\) metres. When \(t = 1 , \mathbf { r } = - \mathbf { j }\)
  3. Find an expression for \(\mathbf { r }\) in terms of \(t\).
  4. Find the exact distance of \(P\) from \(O\) at the instant when \(P\) is moving with speed \(10 \mathrm {~m} \mathrm {~s} ^ { - 1 }\)
OCR MEI Paper 1 2022 June Q9
8 marks Standard +0.3
9 In this question, the vectors \(\mathbf { i }\) and \(\mathbf { j }\) are directed east and north respectively.
The velocity \(\mathbf { v } \mathrm { ms } ^ { - 1 }\) of a particle at time \(t\) s is given by \(\mathbf { v } = k t ^ { 2 } \mathbf { i } + 6 t\), where \(k\) is a positive constant. The magnitude of the acceleration when \(t = 2\) is \(10 \mathrm {~ms} ^ { - 2 }\).
  1. Calculate the value of \(k\). The particle is at the origin when \(t = 0\).
  2. Determine an expression for the position vector of the particle at time \(t\).
  3. Determine the time when the particle is directly north-east of the origin.
Edexcel M2 Q3
7 marks Moderate -0.8
3. A particle \(P\) moves in a horizontal plane such that, at time \(t\) seconds, its velocity is \(\mathbf { v } \mathrm { ms } ^ { - 1 }\), where \(\mathbf { v } = 2 t \mathbf { i } - t ^ { \frac { 1 } { 2 } } \mathbf { j }\). When \(t = 0 , P\) is at the point with position vector \(- 10 \mathbf { i } + \mathbf { j }\) relative to a fixed origin \(O\).
  1. Find the position vector \(\mathbf { r }\) of \(P\) at time \(t\) seconds.
  2. Find the distance \(O P\) when \(t = 4\).
AQA AS Paper 1 2024 June Q17
4 marks Moderate -0.8
A particle moves in a straight line with acceleration \(a\) m s\(^{-2}\), at time \(t\) seconds, where $$a = 10 - 6t$$ The particle's velocity, \(v\) m s\(^{-1}\), and displacement, \(r\) metres, are both initially zero. Show that $$r = t^2(5 - t)$$ Fully justify your answer. [4 marks]