ENSC 017 DYNAMICS OF RIGID BODIES

2nd Semester, AY 2023-2024

MACHINE PROBLEM NO. 1
THE DETERMINATION OF POSITION, VELOCITY, AND ACCELERATION OF AN
ERRATIC MOTION USING MICROSOFT EXCEL
Problem Statement
The position of a particle is defined by an equation with respect to time and eight things
must be known. The initial position, velocity, and acceleration as well as the final position,
velocity, and acceleration of the said particle are needed with the given t 1 and t2 as the inputs. The
value of distance and displacement must be also considered during that time. After solving them,
graphs must be shown which contain the s-t, v-t, and a-t outputs.
Results and Discussion
The problem involves solving erratic motion under rectilinear kinematics since we were
provided with a position equation and time interval. To determine the position, I just copied the
given equation and put it in the formula bar in the worksheet. On the other hand, determining the
velocity is by just taking the derivative of the position equation. The procedure is identical from
the previous step because we just need to take the derivative of the velocity equation for us to
know the acceleration.
The calculation of the distance and displacement was also simple since we already
learned the procedure regarding those topics. The displacement is just equal to the difference
between the initial position and final position. Opposite to displacement, finding the distance is
not that simple. The manual solutions I have created are shown below which helped me to make
use of the worksheet easily.
 The sheet also includes the three fundamental graphs of the relationship of the time with
the position velocity and acceleration. I used scatter plot with smooth lines and markers and I
inserted two series of data in every graph. The first data includes the interval of time by 5 and its
respective position, velocity, and acceleration values. While for the second data, it highlights the
plot of t1 and t2 with its respective position, velocity, and acceleration.
Problems Encountered
There were times when I am having a hard time solving for the distance covered during
the time interval and creating a proper graph of s-t, v-t, and a-t for plotting. Elaborating the first
problem I encountered, I did all my best just to find a formula for determining the distance but
none of them were revealed. After some days, the answer to my problem was settled because my
professor in this subject taught us how to get the distance by just doing integration. While for the
graph problem, I had a tough time finding a proper type of graphical representation but in the
end, the scatter plot is the most suitable to use among them all.
References
Engineering Mechanics DYNAMICS 14th Ed - R.C. Hibbeler
 THE DETERMINATION OF THE ELEMENTS OF A PROJECTILE USING
MICROSOFT EXCEL
Problem Statement
The problem is all about the concept of a projectile motion with the given initial velocity
(V) as the input as well as the range (x), a certain height (h 1), and a certain time (t1). With these
given values, we are ought to determine the maximum height (h max), the time (thmax) at maximum
height, total time (ttotal), time (t) at h1, and horizontal and vertical position (x, h) at t 1. These
elements will help us to get to know more about the motion of a projectile and appreciate its
principles.
Results and Discussion
In this problem, the topic is all about understanding the motion of a projectile that is
under the curvilinear motion. Based on the reference book, we have several equations that will
help us to find the variables that we are looking for and those formulas can be derived if
necessary.
We cannot proceed to determine the elements we are looking for if the value of the angle
from the horizontal is unknown. Therefore, the first step is to solve for the angle (Ө) when the
projectile was launched. The picture below contains the manual solutions I created for finding
every unknown. In order to find the angle from the horizontal, I derived two equations. Knowing
that the initial velocity and the range is given, we can solve for the angle correctly. For the first
objective, the maximum height is effortless to find since we already have the equation. We just
only need to set the vy to zero since at maximum height, vertical velocity is zero. The time at
maximum height is also easy to determine. For the total time, the solution is already self-
explanatory in the image below. While for the fourth problem, I derived the equation and proceed
to take the two roots since it is in quadratic form. Based on the concept of a projectile, time at
upward motion will always be lesser than the time at downward motion because the up-motion
accelerates more rapidly than down-motion. Last but not the least, we can also easily find
horizontal and vertical position at a certain time using the two equations of horizontal motion
and vertical motion.
There are certain conditions we need to consider since every problem are dependent to
each other. For the first condition, we cannot free to enter any values in V and x to find the angle
from the horizontal. The value in x must not exceed the range of the velocity given, thus in the
worksheet, we can see that if x is higher than the maximum range, it will not give the value of
the angle. The second condition is similar to the first condition. We must also check if the h 1 we
are going to enter is higher or lower than the maximum height. If h 1 is higher than hmax, then it
will not give the time at that height since it contradicts the principle of the projectile.
Problems Encountered
One problem I have encountered in this problem is about having a wrong interpretation
on the problem stated. At first try, I thought that the angle part of the variable will act as an input
because it is kind of wrongly judged in the problem. Little did I know that the angle is not an
input and I have to find it first based on the two knowns given. All of us who are working on this
problem had a hard time deciding whether to put the angle as an input or not. But according to
our professor in this subject and with the help of the information on the internet, I decided to
follow the fact that the angle is not an input and that I need to determine the value of it. In the
end, I successfully answered all the questions and put the codes properly in the worksheet.
References
Engineering Mechanics DYNAMICS 14th Ed - R.C. Hibbeler
 THE DETERMINATION OF POSITION, VELOCITY, AND ACCELERATION IN A
GIVEN LINEAR FUNCTION USING MICROSOFT EXCEL
Problem Statement
Along with the given linear graph of an a-t relationship, the objective of this last problem
is to find its position, velocity, and acceleration which will depend on the inputs of the user.
There are four time values and three acceleration values given such that the goal is to complete
the elements of the motion correctly.
Results and Discussion
Looking at the problem carefully, we know that the a-t graph is given wherein its motion
is in linear function. Considering the concept in erratic motion, we must expect that the function
in v-t graph and s-t graph will be in quadratic function and cubic function respectively.
In order to solve this problem, the first and foremost step I have done was to create a
linear equation that will define the three orientations of the lines in the graph. I used similar
triangle method for identifying the equations.
In my own preference, I focused first between 0 to t3. After obtaining the equation of the
acceleration, I took the antiderivative of it to get a new equation for velocity (v 1) and begin
integrating again to get the equation for position (s 1). On the other hand, the second picture
shows my manual solution in creating formulas for second velocity (v 2) and position (s2). The
pattern is identical to the previous solution since we have also taken the antiderivative of the
antiderivative of the acceleration equation. Looking at the third picture, it only shows the final
formula without the solution. This is because I find it tedious if I decided to write the solutions
again even though it is very identical to the previous solution. If we closely compare the formula
of v3 and s3 to the formula of v2 and s2, they have the same structure and arrangement. They only
differ to the fact that I only replace a 2 with a3, a1 with a2, t2 with t3, t1 with t2, and v1 with v2. For
the last question of the problem, we are bound to fine the acceleration, velocity, and position of
the given t4. We have to consider that t 4 must follow the function of the graph between 0 and t 3.
As we can see in the fourth picture, I created a formula that can get the acceleration (a 4) with
respect to the time (t4). After arriving at that moment, we can now also obtain the formula for
velocity (v4) by integrating the acceleration equation and position (s 4) by integrating the equation
of v4. This part is also similar to the previous solutions yet it is kind of different since in this part,
we have to use the if-else function. If t4 is between 0 and t1, the equations will be based on the
equations from the first image. If t4 is between t1 and t2, the equations will be based on the
equations from the second image. Lastly, if t 4 is between t2 and t3, the equations will be based on
the equations from the third image.
Problems Encountered
The only problem I came into contact with is when I try to solve acceleration, velocity,
and position at t4. At first, I was having a mild argument between the right and left part of my
brain. I kept thinking how to solve the rest if the acceleration is unknown. Luckily, one of my
classmates explained it very well until I, myself got to understand it as well.
References
Engineering Mechanics DYNAMICS 14th Ed - R.C. Hibbeler