INTRODUCTION &

RECTILINEAR KINEMATICS: CONTINUOUS MOTION

Today’s Objectives:
Students will be able to:
1. Find the kinematic quantities
In-Class Activities:
(position, displacement, velocity,
and acceleration) of a particle
• Applications
traveling along a straight path.
• Relations between s(t), v(t),
and a(t) for general
rectilinear motion.
• Relations between s(t), v(t),
and a(t) when
acceleration is constant.
• Group Problem Solving
APPLICATIONS

The motion of large objects,

such as rockets, airplanes, or
cars, can often be analyzed
as if they were particles.

If we measure the altitude

of this rocket as a function
of time, how can we
determine its velocity and
acceleration?
 APPLICATIONS
(continued)

A sports car travels along a straight road.

If the car accelerates at a constant rate, how can we

determine its position and velocity at some instant?
 An Overview of Mechanics

Mechanics: The study of how bodies

react to forces acting on them.

Statics: The study of Dynamics:

bodies in equilibrium. 1. Kinematics – concerned with
the geometric aspects of motion
2. Kinetics - concerned with
the forces causing the motion
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/DnlJJeSELU4/UIy279cVk4I/AAAAAAAADo4/1XLfKEorBgo/s1600/cl8SciCh12Fig2.jpg
RECTILINEAR KINEMATICS: CONTINIOUS MOTION

A particle travels along a straight-line path

defined by the coordinate axis s.

The position of the particle at any instant,

relative to the origin, O, is defined by the
position vector r, or the scalar s. Scalar s
can be positive or negative. Typical units
for r and s are meters (m) or feet (ft).

The displacement of the particle is

defined as its change in position.
Vector form:  r = r’ - r Scalar form:  s = s’ - s
The total distance traveled by the particle, sT, is a positive scalar
that represents the total length of the path over which the particle
travels.
 VELOCITY
Velocity is a measure of the rate of change in the position of a particle.
It is a vector quantity (it has both magnitude and direction). The
magnitude of the velocity is called speed, with units of m/s or ft/s.

The average velocity of a particle during a

time interval t is
vavg = r / t
The instantaneous velocity is the time-derivative of position.
v = dr / dt (slope)
Speed is the magnitude of velocity: v = ds / dt

Average speed is the total distance traveled

divided by elapsed time: (vsp)avg = sT / t
Example, The speedometer of a car reveals information about the instantaneous speed of
your car. It shows your speed at a particular instant in time. On the average, your car was
moving with a speed of 25 miles per hour.
 ACCELERATION
Acceleration is the rate of change in the velocity of a particle. It is a
vector quantity. Typical units are m/s2 or ft/s2.

The instantaneous acceleration is the time

derivative of velocity.

Vector form: a = dv / dt

Scalar form: a = dv / dt = d2s / dt2

Acceleration can be positive (speed

increasing) or negative (speed decreasing).

As the book indicates, the derivative equations for velocity and

acceleration can be manipulated (by eliminating the time) to get
a ds = v dv
 SUMMARY OF KINEMATIC RELATIONS:
RECTILINEAR MOTION

• Differentiate position to get velocity and acceleration.

v = ds/dt ; a = dv/dt or a = v dv/ds

• Integrate acceleration for velocity and position.

Velocity: Position:
v t v s s t

 dv   a dt or  v dv   a ds  ds   v dt
vo o vo so so o

• Note that so and vo represent the initial position and

velocity of the particle at t = 0.
 CONSTANT ACCELERATION
The three kinematic equations can be integrated for the special case
when acceleration is constant (a = ac) to obtain very useful equations.
A common example of constant acceleration is gravity; i.e., a body
freely falling toward earth. In this case, ac = g = 9.81 m/s2 = 32.2 ft/s2
downward. These equations are:
v t

 dv   a
vo o
c dt yields v  vo  act

s t

 ds   v dt yields s  s o  v ot  (1/2) ac t 2
so o
v s

 v dv   ac ds yields v 2  (vo )2  2ac(s - so)

vo so
 EXAMPLE

Given: A particle travels along a straight line to the right

with a velocity of v = ( 4 t – 3 t2 ) m/s where t is
in seconds. Also, s = 0 when t = 0.

Find: The position and acceleration of the particle

when t = 4 s.

Plan: Establish the positive coordinate, s, in the direction the

particle is traveling. Since the velocity is given as a
function of time, take a derivative of it to calculate the
acceleration. Conversely, integrate the velocity
function to calculate the position.
 EXAMPLE
Solution: (continued)
1) Take a derivative of the velocity to determine the acceleration.
a = dv / dt = d(4 t – 3 t2) / dt =4 – 6 t
=> a = – 20 m/s2 (or in the  direction) when t = 4 s

2) Calculate the distance traveled in 4s by integrating the

velocity using so = 0: s t

v = ds / dt => ds = v dt =>  ds   (4 t – 3 t2) dt

=> s – so = 2 t2 – t3 so o

=> s – 0 = 2(4)2 – (4)3 => s = – 32 m ( or )

 GROUP PROBLEM SOLVING
Given:Ball A is released from rest
at a height of 40 ft at the
same time that ball B is
thrown upward, 5 ft from the
ground. The balls pass one
another at a height of 20 ft.
Find:The speed at which ball B was
thrown upward.
Plan: Both balls experience a constant downward acceleration
of 32.2 ft/s2 due to gravity. Apply the formulas for
constant acceleration, with ac = -32.2 ft/s2.
 GROUP PROBLEM SOLVING
Solution: (continued)

1) First consider ball A. With the origin defined at the ground,

ball A is released from rest ((vA)o = 0) at a height of 40 ft
((sA )o = 40 ft). Calculate the time required for ball A to drop to
20 ft (sA = 20 ft) using a position equation.

sA = (sA )o + (vA)o t + (1/2) ac t2

So,

20 ft = 40 ft + (0)(t) + (1/2)(-32.2)(t2) => t = 1.115 s

 GROUP PROBLEM SOLVING
Solution: (continued)

2) Now consider ball B. It is throw upward from a height of 5 ft

((sB)o = 5 ft). It must reach a height of 20 ft (sB = 20 ft) at the
same time ball A reaches this height (t = 1.115 s). Apply the
position equation again to ball B using t = 1.115s.

sB = (sB)o + (vB)ot + (1/2) ac t2

So,
20 ft = 5 + (vB)o(1.115) + (1/2)(-32.2)(1.115)2

=> (vB)o = 31.4 ft/s

 Problem to solve by your self at home

book solved examples & concentrating

on the rocket problem

problems numbers:
12.1, 12.7, 12.13, 12.24, 12.28, 12.31