LESSON 16 - Relative Velocity

Relative Velocity and Riverboat Problems

On occasion objects move within a medium that is moving with respect to an observer. For
example, an airplane usually encounters a wind - air that is moving with respect to an observer on
the ground below. As another example, a motorboat in a river is moving amidst a river current -
water that is moving with respect to an observer on dry land. In such instances as this, the
magnitude of the velocity of the moving object whether it be a plane or a motorboat! with respect
to the observer on land will not be the same as the speedometer reading of the vehicle. "hat is to
say, the speedometer on the motorboat might read #$ mi%hr& yet the motorboat might be moving
relative to the observer on shore at a speed of #' mi%hr. (otion is relative to the observer. "he
observer on land, often named or misnamed! the )stationary observer) would measure the speed
to be different than that of the person on the boat. "he observed speed of the boat must always be
described relative to who the observer is.
"o illustrate this principle, consider a plane flying amidst a tailwind. A tailwind is merely a wind
that approaches the plane from behind, thus increasing its resulting velocity. If the plane is
traveling at a velocity of *$$ +m%hr with respect to the air, and if the wind velocity is #' +m%hr,
then what is the velocity of the plane relative to an observer on the ground below, "he resultant
velocity of the plane that is, the result of the wind velocity contributing to the velocity due to the
plane-s motor! is the vector sum of the velocity of the plane and the velocity of the wind. "his
resultant velocity is .uite easily determined if the wind approaches the plane directly from behind.
As shown in the diagram below, the plane travels with a resulting velocity of *#' +m%hr relative to
the ground.
If the plane encounters a headwind, the resulting velocity will be less than *$$ +m%hr. /ince a
headwind is a wind that approaches the plane from the front, such a wind would decrease the
plane-s resulting velocity. /uppose a plane traveling with a velocity of *$$ +m%hr with respect to the
air meets a headwind with a velocity of #' +m%hr. In this case, the resultant velocity would be 0'
+m%hr& this is the velocity of the plane relative to an observer on the ground. "his is depicted in the
diagram below.
1ow consider a plane traveling with a velocity of *$$ +m%hr, /outh that encounters a side wind of
#' +m%hr, 2est. 1ow what would the resulting velocity of the plane be, "his .uestion can be
answered in the same manner as the previous .uestions. "he resulting velocity of the plane is the
vector sum of the two individual velocities. "o determine the resultant velocity, the plane velocity
relative to the air! must be added to the wind velocity. "his is the same procedure that was used
above for the headwind and the tailwind situations& only now, the resultant is not as easily
computed. /ince the two vectors to be added - the southward plane velocity and the westward wind
velocity - are at right angles to each other, the 3ythagorean theorem can be used. "his is illustrated
in the diagram below.
In this situation of a side wind, the southward vector can be added to the westward vector using the
usual methods of vector addition. "he magnitude of the resultant velocity is determined using
3ythagorean theorem. "he algebraic steps are as follows4
*$$ +m%hr!
#
5 #' +m%hr!
#
6 7
#

*$ $$$ +m
#
%hr
#
5 8#' +m
#
%hr
#
6 7
#
*$ 8#' +m
#
%hr
#
6 7
#
/97"*$ 8#' +m
#
%hr
#
! 6 7
103.1 km/hr = R

"he direction of the resulting velocity can be determined using a trigonometric function. /ince the
plane velocity and the wind velocity form a right triangle when added together in head-to-tail
fashion, the angle between the resultant vector and the southward vector can be determined using
the sine, cosine, or tangent functions. "he tangent function can be used& this is shown below4

tan theta! 6 opposite%adjacent!
tan theta! 6 #'%*$$!
theta 6 invtan #'%*$$!
theta = 14.0 degrees
If the resultant velocity of the plane ma+es a *:.$ degree angle with the southward
direction theta in the above diagram!, then the direction of the resultant is #'8
degrees. ;i+e any vector, the resultant-s direction is measured as a countercloc+wise
angle of rotation from due <ast.
Analysis of a 7iverboat-s (otion
"he affect of the wind upon the plane is similar to the affect of the river current upon the
motorboat. If a motorboat were to head straight across a river that is, if the boat were to point its
bow straight towards the other side!, it would not reach the shore directly across from its starting
point. "he river current influences the motion of the boat and carries it downstream. "he motorboat
may be moving with a velocity of : m%s directly across the river, yet the resultant velocity of the
boat will be greater than : m%s and at an angle in the downstream direction. 2hile the speedometer
of the boat may read : m%s, its speed with respect to an observer on the shore will be greater than
: m%s.
"he resultant velocity of the motorboat can be determined in the same manner as was done for the
plane. "he resultant velocity of the boat is the vector sum of the boat velocity and the river velocity.
/ince the boat heads straight across the river and since the current is always directed straight
downstream, the two vectors are at right angles to each other. "hus, the 3ythagorean theorem can
be used to determine the resultant velocity. /uppose that the river was moving with a velocity of =
m%s, 1orth and the motorboat was moving with a velocity of : m%s, <ast. 2hat would be the
resultant velocity of the motorboat i.e., the velocity relative to an observer on the shore!, "he
magnitude of the resultant can be found as follows4
:.$ m%s!
#
5 =.$ m%s!
#
6 7
#

*8 m
#
%s
#
5 > m
#
%s
#
6 7
#
#' m
#
%s
#
6 7
#
/97" #' m
#
%s
#
! 6 7
5.0 m/s = R

"he direction of the resultant is the countercloc+wise angle of rotation that the resultant vector
ma+es with due <ast. "his angle can be determined using a trigonometric function as shown below.
tan theta! 6 opposite%adjacent!
tan theta! 6 =%:!
theta 6 invtan =%:!
theta = 3.! degrees

?iven a boat velocity of : m%s, <ast and a river velocity of = m%s, 1orth, the resultant velocity of
the boat will be ' m%s at =8.> degrees.

(otorboat problems such as these are typically accompanied by three separate .uestions4
a. 2hat is the resultant velocity both magnitude and direction! of the boat,
b. If the width of the river is X meters wide, then how much time does it ta+e the
boat to travel shore to shore,
c. 2hat distance downstream does the boat reach the opposite shore,
"he first of these three .uestions was answered above& the resultant velocity of the boat can be
determined using the 3ythagorean theorem magnitude! and a trigonometric function direction!.
"he second and third of these .uestions can be answered using the average speed e.uation and a
lot of logic!.
ave. s"eed = distance/time
@onsider the following example.
#$am"le 1
A motorboat traveling : m%s, <ast encounters a current traveling =.$ m%s, 1orth.
a. 2hat is the resultant velocity of the motorboat,
b. If the width of the river is A$ meters wide, then how much time does it ta+e the
boat to travel shore to shore,
c. 2hat distance downstream does the boat reach the opposite shore,
"he solution to the first .uestion has already been shown in the above discussion. "he resultant
velocity of the boat is ' m%s at =8.> degrees. 2e will start in on the second .uestion.
"he river is A$-meters wide. "hat is, the distance from shore to shore as measured straight across
the river is A$ meters. "he time to cross this A$-meter wide river can be determined by rearranging
and substituting into the average speed e.uation.
time = distance /%ave. s"eed&
"he distance of A$ m can be substituted into the numerator. But what about the denominator, 2hat
value should be used for average speed, /hould = m%s the current velocity!, : m%s the boat
velocity!, or ' m%s the resultant velocity! be used as the average speed value for covering the A$
meters, 2ith what average speed is the boat traversing the A$ meter wide river, (ost students
want to use the resultant velocity in the e.uation since that is the actual velocity of the boat with
respect to the shore. Cet the value of ' m%s is the speed at which the boat covers the diagonal
dimension of the river. And the diagonal distance across the river is not +nown in this case. If one
+new the distance ' in the diagram below, then the average s"eed ' could be used to calculate
the time to reach the opposite shore. /imilarly, if one +new the distance ( in the diagram below,
then the average s"eed ( could be used to calculate the time to reach the opposite shore. And
finally, if one +new the distance ) in the diagram below, then the average s"eed ) could be used
to calculate the time to reach the opposite shore.
In our problem, the A$ m corresponds to the distance A, and so the average speed of : m%s
average speed in the direction straight across the river! should be substituted into the e.uation to
determine the time.
time = %*0 m&/%4 m/s& = +0 s
It re.uires #$ s for the boat to travel across the river. During this #$ s of crossing the river, the
boat also drifts downstream. 3art c of the problem as+s )2hat distance downstream does the boat
reach the opposite shore,) "he same e.uation must be used to calculate this downstream distance.
And once more, the .uestion arises, which one of the three average speed values must be used in
the e.uation to calculate the distance downstream, "he distance downstream corresponds to
,istance ( on the above diagram. "he speed at which the boat covers this distance corresponds to
)verage -"eed ( on the diagram above i.e., the speed at which the current moves - = m%s!. And
so the average speed of = m%s average speed in the downstream direction! should be substituted
into the e.uation to determine the distance.
distance = ave. s"eed . time = %3 m/s& . %+0 s&
distance = 0 m
"he boat is carried 8$ meters downstream during the #$ seconds it ta+es to cross the river.

"he mathematics of the above problem is no more difficult than dividing or multiplying two
numerical .uantities by each other. "he mathematics is easyE "he difficulty of the problem is
conceptual in nature& the difficulty lies in deciding which numbers to use in the e.uations. "hat
decision emerges from one-s conceptual understanding or unfortunately, one-s misunderstanding!
of the complex motion that is occurring. "he motion of the riverboat can be divided into two
simultaneous parts - a motion in the direction straight across the river and a motion in the
downstream direction. "hese two parts or components! of the motion occur simultaneously for the
same time duration which was #$ seconds in the above problem!. "he decision as to which velocity
value or distance value to use in the e.uation must be consistent with the diagram above. "he
boat-s motor is what carries the boat across the river the ,istance )& and so any calculation
involving the ,istance ) must involve the speed value labeled as -"eed ) the boat speed relative
to the water!. /imilarly, it is the current of the river that carries the boat downstream for the
,istance (& and so any calculation involving the ,istance ( must involve the speed value labeled
as -"eed ( the river speed!. "ogether, these two parts or components! add up to give the
resulting motion of the boat. "hat is, the across-the-river component of displacement adds to the
downstream displacement to e.ual the resulting displacement. And li+ewise, the boat velocity
across the river! adds to the river velocity down the river! to e.ual the resulting velocity. And so
any calculation of the Distance @ or the Average /peed @ )7esultant Felocity)! can be performed
using the 3ythagorean theorem.

1ow to illustrate an important point, let-s try a second example problem that is similar to the first
example problem. (a+e an attempt to answer the three .uestions and then clic+ the button to
chec+ your answer.
#$am"le +
A motorboat traveling : m%s, <ast encounters a current traveling 0.$ m%s, 1orth.
a. 2hat is the resultant velocity of the motorboat,
b. If the width of the river is A$ meters wide, then how much time does it ta+e the
boat to travel shore to shore,
c. 2hat distance downstream does the boat reach the opposite shore,


An important concept emerges from the analysis of the to e!ample problems above. "n
E!ample 1# the time to cross the $%-meter i&e river 'hen moving ( m)s* as +%
secon&s. ,his as in the presence of a - m)s c.rrent velocity. "n E!ample +# the c.rrent
velocity as m.ch greater - / m)s - yet the time to cross the river remaine& .nchange&. "n
fact# the c.rrent velocity itself has no affect .pon the time re0.ire& for a boat to cross the
river. ,he river moves &onstream parallel to the ban1s of the river. As s.ch# there is no
ay that the c.rrent is capable of assisting a boat in crossing a river. 2hile the increase&
c.rrent may affect the res.ltant velocity - ma1ing the boat travel ith a greater spee&
ith respect to an observer on the gro.n& - it &oes not increase the spee& in the &irection
across the river. ,he component of the res.ltant velocity that is increase& is the
component that is in a &irection pointing &on the river. "t is often sai& that
3perpen&ic.lar components of motion are in&epen&ent of each other.3 As applie& to
riverboat problems# this o.l& mean that an across-the-river variable o.l& be
in&epen&ent of 'i.e.# not be affecte& by* a &onstream variable. ,he time to cross the
river is &epen&ent .pon the velocity at hich the boat crosses the river. "t is only the
component of motion &irecte& across the river 'i.e.# the boat velocity* that affects the time
to travel the &istance &irectly across the river '$% m in this case*. ,he component of
motion perpen&ic.lar to this &irection - the c.rrent velocity - only affects the &istance that
the boat travels &on the river.
4.estion)Anser Session5-
9*. A plane can travel with a speed of A$ mi%hr with respect
to the air. Determine the resultant velocity of the plane
magnitude only! if it encounters a
a. *$ mi%hr headwind.
b. *$ mi%hr tailwind.
c. *$ mi%hr crosswind.
d. 8$ mi%hr crosswind
Ans. a. A headwind would decrease the resultant velocity of
the plane to /0 mi/hr.

b. A tailwind would increase the resultant velocity of the
plane to !0 mi/hr.

c. A *$ mi%hr crosswind would increase the resultant velocity
of the plane to *0. mi/hr.
"his can be determined using the 3ythagorean theorem4
/97"G A$ mi%hr!
#
5 *$ mi%hr!
#
H !

d. A 8$ mi%hr crosswind would increase the resultant
velocity of the plane to 100 mi/hr.
"his can be determined using the 3ythagorean theorem4
/97"G A$ mi%hr!
#
5 8$ mi%hr!
#
H !
9#. A motorboat traveling ' m%s, <ast encounters a current
traveling #.' m%s, 1orth.
a. 2hat is the resultant velocity of the motor boat,
b. If the width of the river is A$ meters wide, then how
much time does it ta+e the boat to travel shore to shore,
c. 2hat distance downstream does the boat reach the
opposite shore,
Ans. "he resultant velocity can be found using the
3ythagorean theorem. "he resultant is the hypotenuse of a
right triangle with sides of ' m%s and #.' m%s. It is
/97"G' m%s!
#
5 #.' m%s!
#
H 6 5.5! m/s
Its direction can be determined using a trigonometric
function.
Direction 6 invtan G #.' m%s! % ' m%s!H 6 +. degrees
b. "he time to cross the river is t 6 d % v 6 A$ m! % ' m%s!
6 1.0 s

c. "he distance traveled downstream is d 6 v I t 6 #.'
m%s!J*8.$ s! 6 40 m
9=. If the current velocity in .uestion K: were increased to
' m%s, then
a. how much time would be re.uired to cross the same *#$-
m wide river,
b. what distance downstream would the boat travel during
this time,
Ans. a. It would re.uire the same amo0nt o1 time as
before +0 s!. @hanging the current velocity does not affect
the time re.uired to cross the river since perpendicular
components of motion are independent of each other.
b. "he distance traveled downstream is
d 6 v I t 6 ' m%s! I #$.$ s! 6 100 m.
1ote that an alteration in the current velocity would only
affect the distance traveled downstream and the resultant
velocity!.