Dynamics MCB 2043

Rectilinear Kinematics: Continuous Motion

September 2014 Semester

Dereje Engida Woldemichael (PhD, CEng MIMechE)

dereje.woldemichael@petronas.com.my

Lesson Outcomes
At the end of this lecture you should be able to:

Determine the kinematic quantities (position,
displacement, velocity, and acceleration) of a particle
traveling along a straight path.

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Overview
Equation of motion
Position
Velocity
Acceleration

Linear motion with

Constant acceleration
Variable acceleration

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 is meters (m).

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.

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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 unit of m/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
Speed is the magnitude of velocity: v = ds / dt

Average speed is the total distance traveled divided by elapsed time:

(vsp)avg = sT / t

Acceleration

Acceleration is the rate of change in the velocity of a particle.

It is a vector quantity.

Typical unit is m/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).
Note that, the derivative equations for velocity and acceleration can be
manipulated to get
a ds = v dv
3

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Summary of kinematic relations: Rectilinear motion

Differentiate position to get velocity and acceleration.
v = ds/dt
a = dv/dt
a = v dv/ds

1
2
3

Integrate acceleration for velocity and position.

Position:

Velocity:
v

dv = a dt or v dv = a ds

ds = v dt

vo

so

vo

so

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 downward.
These equations are:
v

dv = a

dt

yields

v = vo + a ct

ds = v dt

yields

s = s o + v o t + (1/2) a c t 2

yields

2
v 2 = (vo ) + 2a c(s - s o)

vo

so
v

o
s

v dv = a ds
c

vo

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so

Velocity as a Function of Time (v=v(t))

dv
=a
dt

v0

t0

t0

dv = adt = a dt

[v ]vv

= a [t ]t 0
t

v v0 = a(t t0 )
Position as a Function of Time (s=s(t))
1

ds
=v
dt

s0

ds =

t0

vdt =

[v
t0

+ a ( t t 0 ) ]dt

1
s s0 = v 0 ( t t 0 ) + a ( t t 0 ) 2
2

Velocity as a Function of Position (v=v(s))

= ads
3 vdv=

v0

vdv = ads

v2 v02 = 2a(s s0 )

s0

In special cases

v v 0 = at

t0=0

s s0 = v 0 t +

v = at

t0=0, s0=0 and v0=0

s=

1 2
at
2

1 2
at
2

v 2 v 02 = 2 a ( s s 0 )
v 2 = 2 as

Variable Acceleration
Depending on the nature of a problem, acceleration (a) may also be
known in different forms including
(a) a is a given function of time

a=a(t)

(b) a is a given function of velocity

a=a(v)

(c) a is a given function of displacement

a=a(s)

(a) Given a=a(t), develop v-t and s-t relationships

2

dv
= a (t )
dt

v0

dv = a ( t )dt
t0

Tip: Velocity v(t) as a function of

t0

time can be found by integrating a(t)

v v 0 = a ( t )dt
1

ds
= v(t )
dt

s0

s s0 = v ( t )dt
t0

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ds = v ( t )dt
t0

Tip: Distance s(t) as a function of

time can be found by integrating v(t)

(b) Given a=a(v), develop v-t and s-v relationships

2

dv
= a (v )
dt

dv
=
a (v )

v
v0

t
t0

dt

dv
= t t0
a (v )

v0

This gives a relationship between velocity v and time taken t.

vdv = a(v)ds

v0

v0

s
v
dv = ds
s0
a( v )

v
dv = s s0
a(v )

This gives the distance travelled s before

the velocity v is reached.

(c) Given a=a(s), develop v-s and s-t relationships

3 vdv = a ( s )ds

v0

vdv = a( s)ds
s0

v 2 v02 = 2 a( s )ds
s0

This gives velocity v(s) as a function of distance s.

ds
= v (s )
dt

dt =

t0

s0

t t0 =

s0

ds
v( s)

ds
v(s)

This gives a relationship between distance s and time taken t.

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Example #1
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 #1 (continued)
Solution:
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 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
so
o
=> s so = 2 t2 t3
=> s 0 = 2(4)2 (4)3 => s = 32 m (in the
direction)

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EXAMPLE #2
Given: Ball A is released from rest at
a height of 40 m at the same
time that ball B is thrown
upward, 2 m from the ground.
The balls pass one another at a
height of 20 m.
Find:The speed at which ball B was
thrown upward.
Plan: Both balls experience a constant downward acceleration
of 9.81 m/s2 due to gravity. Apply the formulas for
constant acceleration, with ac = -9.81 m/s2.

EXAMPLE #2 (continued)
Solution:
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 m
((sA )o = 40 m). Calculate the time required for ball A to drop to
20 m (sA = 20 m) using a position equation.
sA = (sA )o + (vA)o t + (1/2) ac t2
So,

20 m = 40 m + (0)(t) + (1/2)(-9.81)(t2) => t = 2.02 s

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EXAMPLE #2 (continued)
Solution:
2) Now consider ball B. It is throw upward from a height of 2 m
((sB)o = 2 m). It must reach a height of 20 m (sB = 20 m) at the
same time ball A reaches this height (t = 2.02 s). Apply the
position equation again to ball B using t = 2.02s.
sB = (sB)o + (vB)ot + (1/2) ac t2
So,

20 = 2 + (vB)o(2.02) + (1/2)(-9.81)(2.02)2
=> (vB)o = 18.82 m/s

EXAMPLE #3
A car passes you at point 1 travelling at an initial velocity of 6 m/s, and then
accelerates at a constant rate to reach a velocity of 30 m/s at point 2. This
occurs over an 8 second period.
1

(a) What is the required constant acceleration during the initial 8 sec period?
(b) Calculate the distance covered by the car in this 8 sec period.
(c) Once the car passes point 2 at t= 8 s, the acceleration becomes a function of
1
8

time given by a(t) = t + 4 . Determine an equation for the velocity of the car
as a function of time v(t) for t>8 s.

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a=

(a) Using v 2 v 1 = a ( t 2 t 1 )

v 2 v1 30 6
=
= 3m / s 2
t 2 t1
8

1
(b) Using s = s2 s1 = v0 ( t 2 t1 ) + a ( t 2 t1 ) 2
2

s = 6 8 +

1
3 8 2 = 144 m
2

(c) When t>8s from point 2

a=

dv
1
= t+4
dt
8

1
t2
v = adt = ( t + 4)dt = + 4t + C
8
16

(C is a constant)

To determine C, using the initial condition @ point 2 (i.e. t=8 s, v=30 m/s)

30 =

82
+ 4 8 + C
16

v =

C=2

1 2
t + 4t + 2
16

Summary Questions
3 m/s
5 m/s
t=2s
t=7s
1. A particle moves along a horizontal path with its velocity
varying with time as shown. The average acceleration of the
particle is _________.
A) 0.4 m/s2
B) 0.4 m/s2
C) 1.6 m/s2
D) 1.6 m/s2
2. A particle has an initial velocity of 30 m/s to the left. If it then
passes through the same location 5 seconds later with a
velocity of 50 m/s to the right, the average velocity of the
particle during the 5 s time interval is _______.
A) 10 m/s
B) 40 m/s
C) 16 m/s
D) 0 m/s

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Summary Questions
3. A particle has an initial velocity of 3 m/s to the left at
s0 = 0 m. Determine its position when t = 3 s if the
acceleration is 2 m/s2 to the right.
A) 0.0 m
C) 18.0 m

B) 6.0 m
D) 9.0 m

4. A particle is moving with an initial velocity of v = 12 m/s

and constant acceleration of 3.78 m/s2 in the same direction
as the velocity. Determine the distance the particle has
traveled when the velocity reaches 30 m/s.
A) 50 m
C) 150 m

B) 100 m
D) 200 m

References:
R.C. Hibbeler, Engineering Mechanics: Dynamics, SI 13th
Edition, Prentice-Hall, 2012.

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Online quiz

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