Curvilinear Motion

Topics Covered in Curvilinear

Motion
 Plane curvilinear motion
 Coordinates used for describing curvilinear
motion
 Rectangular coords
 n-t coords
 Polar coords
 Plane curvilinear Motion
 Studying the motion of a particle along a
curved path which lies in a single plane (2D).
 This is a special case of the more general 3D
motion.
3D
 Plane curvilinear Motion –
(Cont.)

 If the x-y plane is considered as the plane

of motion; from the 3D case, z and  are
both zero, and R becomes as same as r.
 The vast majority of the motion of particles
encountered in engineering practice can be
represented as plane motion.
 Coordinates Used for Describing
the Plane Curvilinear Motion

Rectangular Normal-Tangential Polar

coordinates coordinates coordinates

PC Path
t y
y Path 
r
Path
n n
P PA P
n r
t t
PB 
x O x
O
 Plane Curvilinear Motion – without
Specifying any Coordinates (Displacement)
Actual distance
Note: Since, here, the particle
traveled by the motion is described by two
particle (it is s scalar) coordinates components, both
The vector P at time t
displacement of the magnitude and the direction
of the position, the velocity, and
the particle s the acceleration have to be
specified.
r)t P at time t+t
r(t)

Note: If the origin (O) is

changed to some different
r(t+t) or r(t)+r(t) location, the position r(t) will be
changed, but r(t) will not
O change.
 Plane Curvilinear Motion – without Specifying
any Coordinates (Velocity)
Note: vav has the direction of r
and its magnitude equal to the
 Average velocity (vav): magnitude of r divided by t.
r Note: the average speed of the
v av  particle is the scalar s/t. The
t magnitude of the speed and vav
approach one another as t
approaches zero.
 Instantaneous velocity (v): as t approaches
zero in the limit, r d r Note: the magnitude of v is
v  lim   r called the speed, i.e. v=|v|
t 0 t dt .
=ds/dt= s .
P v(t) Note: the velocity vector v
v(t) is always tangent to the
path.
P
v(t+t)
v

v(t+t)
 Plane Curvilinear Motion – without Specifying
any Coordinates (Acceleration)

 Average Acceleration (aav): Note: aav has the direction of v

v and its magnitude is the magnitude
a av  of v divided by t.
t

 Instantaneous Acceleration (a): as t approaches

zero in the limit, v d v Note: in general, the
a  lim   v  r acceleration vector a is
t 0 t dt neither tangent nor normal
to the path. However, a is
tangent to the hodograph.
P V1

C V1 Hodograph
P V2
V2
a2 a1
The description of the Plane
Curvilinear Motion in the
Rectangular Coordinates
(Cartesian Coordinates)
 Plane Curvilinear Motion -
Rectangular Coordinates
y v
The position vector : r  xi  y j
vy
The velocity vector : v  r  v x i  v y j  x i  y j 
vx
The acceleration vector : a  v  r  a x i  a y j  xi  y j Path
P

2 2 j r
The magnitude of the position vector : r  x  y
2 2 O i x
The magnitude of the velocity vector : v  v x  v y
a
2 2
The magnitude of the acceleration vector : a  a x  a y ay

Note: the time derivatives of the unit vectors are zero because their ax
magnitude and direction remain constant. P

Note: if the angle  is measured counterclockwise from the x-axis to v for

the configuration of the axes shown, then we can also observe that dy/dx
= tan = vy/vx.
 Plane Curvilinear Motion -
Rectangular Coordinates (Cont.)
 The coordinates x and y are known independently as
functions of time t; i.e. x = f1(t) and y = f2(t). Then for
any value of time we can combine them to obtain r.
 Similarly, for the velocity v and for the acceleration a.
 If a is given, we integrate to get v and integrate again
to get r.
 The equation of the curved path can be obtained by
eliminating the time between x = f1(t) and y = f2(t).
 Hence, the rectangular coordinate representation of
curvilinear motion is merely the superposition of the
components of two simultaneous rectilinear motions in
x- and y- directions.
 Plane Curvilinear Motion - Rectangular
Coordinates (Cont.) – Projectile Motion
y v
vy

vx
vx
vo
g vy
v Path
(vy)o = vo sin


(vx)o = vo cos
x

ax  0 ay  g
v x  (v x ) o v y  (v y ) o  gt
x  xo  (vx )ot y  yo  (v y )o t  (1 2) gt 2
2 2
vy  (v y )o  2 g ( y  yo )
Exercises
 Exercise # 1
A particle which moves with curvilinear motion has coordinates in millimeters which vary
with the time t in seconds according to x = 2t2 - 4t and y = 3t2 – (1/3)t3. Determine the
magnitudes of the velocity v and acceleration a and the angles which these vectors make
with the x-axis when t = 2 s.
 Exercise # 2
A handball player throws a ball from A with a
. horizontal velocity (VO )
:Determine
a) The magnitude of (VO ) for which the ball will strike
.the ground at point ( D )
b) The magnitude of ( h ) above which the ball will
. strike the vertical wall at point ( B )
 
 Exercise # 3
A helicopter is flying with a constant horizontal
velocity (V) of 144.2 km/h and is directly above point
.(A) when a loose part begins to fall
The part lands 6.5 s later at point (B) on inclined
; surface. Determine
 
.a) The distance (d) between points (A) and (B)
  .b) The initial height (h)
 Exercise # 4
A homeowner uses a snow blower to clear his
driveway. Knowing that the snow is discharged at
an average angle of 40o with the horizontal,
. determine the initial speed of the snow
 Exercise # 5
A particle is ejected from the tube at A with a velocity v at angle 
with the vertical y-axis. A strong horizontal wind gives the particle
a constant horizontal acceleration a in the x-direction. If the
particle strikes the ground at a point directly under its released
position, determine the height h of point A. The downward y-
acceleration may be taken as the constant g.