CBSE Class 9 Science Chapter 7 Motion Notes

Understanding Motion

Reference Point and Reference Frame

 To describe the position of an object, we need a reference point or origin. An

object may seem to be moving to one observer and stationary to another.

 Example: A passenger inside a bus sees the other passengers to be at rest,

whereas an observer outside the bus sees the passengers to be in motion.

 In order to make observations easy, a convention or a common reference

point or frame is needed. All objects must be in the same reference frame.

 Distance and Displacement

 The magnitude of the length covered by a moving object is called
distance. It has no direction.
 Displacement is the shortest distance between two points or the
distance between the starting and final positions with respect to
time. It has magnitude as well as direction.
 Displacement can be zero, but distance cannot.

Distance VS Displacement

Magnitude

Magnitude is the size or extent of a physical quantity. In physics, we have

scalar and vector quantities.
Scalar quantities are only expressed as magnitude. E.g.: time, distance,
mass, temperature, area, volume

Vector quantities are expressed in magnitude as well as the direction of

the object. E.g.: Velocity, displacement, weight, momentum, force,
acceleration, etc.

Time, Average Speed and Velocity

Time and speed

Time is the duration of an event that is expressed in seconds. Most

physical phenomena occur with respect to time. It is a scalar quantity.

Speed is the rate of change in distance. If a body covers a certain

distance in a certain amount of time, its speed is given by

Speed = distance/time
The instantaneous speed is the speed of an object at a particular moment
in time.

Average speed is stated as the distance covered by the object within a

period of time.

Average speed = Total distance travelled / Total time taken

The below table lists the difference between Average Speed and
Instantaneous Speed.

Average Speed Instantaneous Speed

It is defined as the total distance travelled It is defined as the speed at a particular

divided by the total time elapsed. instant of time.
It is constant. It is not constant.

Measured by calculating the speed for an It is measured by a speedometer.

entire journey.

Example: A car travelling with a speed of Example: A car travelling at a certain

60 kmph. Thus, the average speed of the speed at an instant of time can be given by
car is 60 km an hour. a speedometer.

Uniform motion and Non-uniform motion

When an object covers equal distances in equal intervals of time, it is in

uniform motion.

Examples of Uniform Motion

 Movement of the ceiling fan’s blades.

 Motion of Earth around the sun

 Pendulum with equivalent amplitude on either side

When an object covers unequal distances in equal intervals of time, it is

said to be in non-uniform motion.

 Bouncing ball

 Running horse

 Moving train

 The Rate of change of displacement is velocity. It is a vector

quantity. Here the direction of motion is specified.

 Velocity = displacement/time
 Instantaneous velocity is the rate of change of position for a time
interval which is very small, i.e. almost zero. In more simple words,
 the velocity of an object at a given instant of time is known as
instantaneous velocity.
 Average velocity is defined as the displacement (∆x) divided by the
time intervals (∆t) in which the displacement occurs.

 Average Velocity = Initial Velocity + Final

Velocity /2

Average Velocity Instantaneous Velocity

Average velocity is defined as Instantaneous velocity is the rate of change of position

the displacement (∆x) divided by for a time interval which is very small, i.e. almost zero.
the time intervals (∆t) in which
the displacement occurs.

Average velocity is calculated by Instantaneous velocity is calculated by dividing

dividing the rate of displacement by time at that instant.
displacement by the time
elapsed.

If Jack took a total of 1 hour to In Jack’s case, on his way to school, while he is sitting
travel 10 km from his house to and waiting for the train to pass, his instantaneous
school, then his average velocity velocity will be zero. Though the instantaneous velocity
will be 10 km/hr. was zero for a small part of the journey, the average
velocity will not be zero.
Acceleration
The rate of change of velocity is called acceleration. It is a vector quantity.
In non-uniform motion, velocity varies with time, i.e., the change in
velocity is not 0. It is denoted by “a”

Acceleration = Change in Velocity / Time

(OR)

a = v – u /t

Where t (time taken), v (final velocity) and u (initial velocity).

Motion Visualised

Distance-Time Graph

 Distance-Time graphs show the change in the position of an object with

respect to time.

 Linear variation = uniform motion and non-linear variations imply non-

uniform motion

 The slope gives us speed

 OA implies uniform motion with constant speed as the slope is constant

 AB implies the body is at rest as the slope is zero

 B to C is a non-uniform motion
Velocity-Time Graph

 Velocity-Time graphs show the change in velocity with respect to time.

 Slope gives acceleration

 The area under the curve gives displacement

 Line parallel to x-axis implies constant velocity-

OA = constant acceleration, AB = constant velocity, BC = constant

retardation

Equations of Motion
The motion of an object moving at uniform acceleration can be described
with the help of three equations, namely

(i) v = u + at

(ii) v2 – u2 = 2as

(iii) s = ut + (1/2)at2

where u is the initial velocity, v is the final velocity, t is the time, a is the
acceleration and s is the displacement.
Derivation of Velocity-Time Relation by Graphical Method

A body starts with some initial non-zero velocity at A and goes to

B with constant acceleration a.

From the graph BD = v (final velocity) – DC = u (initial

velocity)…………..(eq 1).

BD = BC – DC……………..(eq 2).

We know acceleration a = slope = BD/AD OR AD = 0C = t (time taken to reach point B)

Therefore BD = at………………….(eq 3).

Substitute everything we get: at = v – u.

Rearrange to get v = u + at.

Derivation of Position-Time Relation by Graphical Method

A body starts with some initial non-zero velocity at A and goes to

B with constant acceleration a

Area under the graph gives Displacement as follows:

A(ΔABD)+A(OADC)=1/2(AD×BD)+(OA×OC)……eqn(1)

OA = u , OC = t and BD = at

Substituting in (eq 1) we get s= ut + ½ at^2

Derivation of Position-Velocity Relation by Graphical

Method

A body starts with some initial non-zero velocity at A and goes to

B with constant acceleration a

Displacement covered will be the area under the curve which is the
trapezium OABC.

We know the area of trapezium is

�=(��+��)2∗��
OA = u and BC = v and OC = t

�ℎ�������,�=(�+�)/2∗�……………(��1)
We also know that t=(�−�)/�……………..(��2)
Substitute (eq 2) in (eq 1) and arrange to get

v2−u2=2as

Uniform Circular Motion

Uniform Circular Motion

 If an object moves in a circular path with uniform speed, its motion is called
uniform circular motion.
  Velocity changes as direction keeps changing.

 Acceleration is constant.

 The uniform circular velocity is given by the following formula:

V = 2r/t

Uniform Circular Motion Examples

 The motion of artificial satellites around the Earth is an example of uniform

circular motion.

 The motion of electrons around its nucleus.

 The motion of blades of the windmills.

 The tip of the second hand of a watch with a circular dial shows uniform
circular motion.