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Dikshant SavantApr 15, 2026

Solving Plane Velocity Physics Problems ✈️

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Solving Plane Velocity Physics Problems ✈️

Dikshant Savant

Learn how to calculate the velocity of a plane relative to an observer on the ground using vector components and trigonometry. This tutorial breaks down the concept with a clear example to help you solve similar physics problems.

Solving Plane Velocity Physics Problems ✈️

Dikshant Savant

Learn how to calculate the velocity of a plane relative to an observer on the ground using vector components and trigonometry. This tutorial breaks down the concept with a clear example to help you solve similar physics problems.

Chapters

00:00

Introduction and Setup

Overview of the physics problem sourced from Reddit.

00:23

Defining Geometry

01:04

Calculating Velocity Components

02:27

Summary of Results

02:42

Community Announcement

Transcript

00:00

Hi.

00:00

I saw your question on Reddit.

00:02

Looks interesting.

00:03

Let's solve it.

00:04

Okay, so plane flies at some speed at some distance from the observer on the ground.

00:10

And how to find the velocity, towards the observer.

00:14

So let's say.

00:16

I think the question is incomplete, as I saw from some of your comments, but let me actually build this question for you.

00:23

Let's say here is the observer, okay, on the ground.

00:26

And the height is, let's say 500 meter, right?

00:32

500 meters from here.

00:35

And so let me take this value as.

00:40

Let me take this value as 500 root 3.

00:50

Okay, so here is the velocity of this plane V, which is equal to 113 meters per second.

00:58

So now let's, let's find the velocity towards the observer.

01:04

So basically we just dot this line.

01:08

So we can always divide a velocity or any vector into two components.

01:12

One along something and one perpendicular to it.

01:16

Right?

01:17

So let's call this V.P.

01:19

and let's call this V.

01:20

V2.

01:21

It's the Observer.

01:23

So how do we calculate that?

01:25

We must need some angle for that.

01:27

that must be given in your question.

01:29

So for this finding this angle I will just take tan theta.

01:33

Tan theta is equal to perpendicular, which is 500 upon base which is 500 root three.

01:40

Basically that is one by root three.

01:42

That means my theta is equal to 30 degrees.

01:46

Now you would have some other values, but I just said this question to show you how it can be done.

01:52

So if this is 30, this will be 30, right?

01:54

I think just one of the angles.

01:56

So velocity in this direction will be V0 cos 30.

02:02

sorry, V0 is equal to V cos 30 cos 30 and VP is equal to V sine 30.

02:11

That's all there is to it.

02:13

the calculations are simple.

02:15

1, 3 into sin 30 is half, you can get this answer.

02:19

And 113x3x2 you can get this answer.

02:23

Also the calculation not that important, but the concept is important.

02:27

So your velocity in the direction of this observer is this.

02:31

So to you, or to this observer, the plane will feel as if it is coming at this velocity towards him.

02:39

Okay, so hopefully that answers your question.

02:42

if you have more such questions, I have opened AP physics club in my school community search.

02:50

it on.

02:51

On school.com sk sorry about that.

02:55

Sk o o l.

02:58

Just new to this.

02:59

Okay, so skol.com search for this AP physics five club and ask me any questions over there.

03:08

It's free for the first hundred students, so hopefully that answers your question.

03:12

Right.

03:13

And, let me know if you have any further thoughts.

03:16

Okay.

03:16

Take care.

03:17

See you soon.

Solving Plane Velocity Physics Problems ✈️ — Tella