Curvilinear Motion

At the end of the lesson, you should be able

to:
Derive the equations to be used in projectile
motion problems.
Apply these equations in projectile motion
problems.
 Particle moving along a curve other than a
straight line is in curvilinear motion.
Position vector of a particle at time t is
defined by a vector between origin O of a
fixed reference frame and the position
occupied by particle.

Consider particle which occupies position P defined

by r at time t and P defined by r at t + Dt,

r dr
v lim
t 0 t dt
instantaneous velocity (vector)
 Particle moving along a curve other than a
straight line is in curvilinear motion.
Position vector of a particle at time t is
defined by a vector between origin O of a
fixed reference frame and the position
occupied by particle.

Consider particle which occupies position P defined

by r at time t and P defined by r at t + Dt,
s ds
v lim
t 0 t dt
instantaneous speed (scalar)
 Particle moving along a curve.

Consider velocity v of particle at time t and velocity

v at t + t,

v dv
a lim
t 0 t dt
instantaneous acceleration (vector)

In general, acceleration vector is not tangent to

particle path and velocity vector.
 Derivatives of Vector Functions.

Let Pu be a vector function of scalar variable u,

dP P Pu u Pu
lim lim
du u 0 u u 0 u

Derivative of vector sum,

d P Q dP dQ

du du du
 Derivatives of Vector Functions.

Derivative of product of scalar and vector functions,

d f P df dP
P f
du du du
Derivative of scalar product and vector product,

d P Q dP dQ
Q P
du du du

d P Q dP dQ
Q P
du du du
 Rectangular Components of Velocity &
Acceleration.
When position vector of particle P is given by its
rectangular components,

r xi y j zk

Velocity vector,
dx dy dz
v i j k xi y j zk
dt dt dt

vx i v y j vz k
 Rectangular Components of Velocity &
Acceleration.

Acceleration vector,
d 2 x d 2 y d 2 z
a 2 i 2 j 2 k xi y j zk
dt dt dt

ax i a y j az k
 Example:
 Exercise:
 Exercise:
Projectile Motion
 Rectangular Components of Velocity &
Acceleration:
Motion in horizontal direction is uniform.

Motion in vertical direction is uniformly

accelerated.

Motion of projectile could be replaced by two

independent rectilinear motions.
 Rectangular Components of Velocity &
Acceleration:
Rectangular components particularly effective
when component accelerations can be integrated
independently, e.g., motion of a projectile,
a x x 0 a y y g a z z 0
with initial conditions,
x0 y0 z0 0 v x 0 , v y 0 , v z 0 0

Integrating twice yields

v x v x 0 v y v y gt vz 0
0
x v x 0 t y v y y 12 gt 2 z0
0
 Example:
 Example:
 Example:
 Example:
 Example:
 Example:
Tangential and
Normal
 Velocity vector of particle is tangent to
path of particle.
In general, acceleration vector is not.

express acceleration
vector in terms of
tangential and normal
components.
 Velocity vector of particle is tangent to
path of particle.

et and et are tangential unit vectors for the
particle path at P and P. When drawn with

respect to the same origin, et et et and
is the angle between them.
et 2 sin 2

e t sin 2
lim lim en en
0 0 2

de
en t
d
 Acceleration vector

With the velocity vector expressed as v vet
the particle acceleration may be written as

dv dv de dv de d ds
a et v et v
dt dt dt dt d ds dt
but

det ds
en d ds v
d dt
 Acceleration vector

After substituting,

dv v 2 dv v2
a et en at an
dt dt
Tangential component of acceleration reflects
change of speed and normal component reflects
change of direction.

Tangential component may be positive or

negative. Normal component always points
toward center of path curvature.
 Example:
A motorist is traveling on curved section
of highway at 60 mph. The motorist
applies brakes causing a constant
deceleration rate.
Knowing that after 8 s the speed has been
reduced to 45 mph, determine the
acceleration of the automobile
immediately after the brakes are applied.
 Answer:
Calculate tangential
and normal components
of acceleration.
Determine acceleration
magnitude and
direction with respect
to tangent to curve.
 Answer: Calculate tangential and normal
components of acceleration.
v 66 88 ft s ft
at 2.75
t 8s s2
v 2 88 ft s 2 ft
an 3.10
2500 ft s2
Determine acceleration magnitude and direction
with respect to tangent to curve.
60 mph 88 ft/s ft
45 mph 66 ft/s a at2 an2 2.752 3.10 2
a 4.14
s2
an 3.10
tan 1 tan 1 48.4
at 2.75
 Example:
 Example:
 Example:
 Example:
 Example:
Radial and
Transverse
 When particle position is given in polar
coordinates, it is convenient to express
velocity and acceleration with components
parallel and perpendicular to OP.

r rer

der de
e er
d d

der der d d
e
dt d dt dt

de de d d
er
dt d dt dt
 The particle velocity vector is

d dr der dr d
v rer er r er r e
dt dt dt dt dt

r er r e

Similarly, the particle acceleration vector

is d dr d
a er r e
dt dt dt

d r dr der dr d
2
d
2
d de
2 er e r 2 e r
dt dt dt dt dt dt dt dt

2

r r er r 2r e

 The particle velocity vector is

The particle acceleration vector is

The scalar components are

 Example:
Rotation of the arm about O is defined by = 0.15t2
where is in radians and t in seconds. Collar B slides
along the arm such that r = 0.9 - 0.12t2 where r is in
meters.

After the arm has rotated through 30o, determine

(a) the total velocity of the collar, (b) the total
acceleration of the collar, and (c) the relative
acceleration of the collar with respect to the arm.
 Answer:
Evaluate time t for q = 30o.

Evaluate radial and angular positions, and

first and second derivatives at time t.
Calculate velocity and acceleration in
cylindrical coordinates.

Evaluate acceleration with respect to arm.

 Answer:
Evaluate time t for = 30o.
0.15 t 2
30 0.524 rad t 1.869 s

Evaluate radial and angular positions, and first

and second derivatives at time t.
r 0.9 0.12 t 2 0.481 m
r 0.24 t 0.449 m s
r 0.24 m s 2

0.15 t 2 0.524 rad

0.30 t 0.561 rad s
0.30 rad s 2
 Calculate velocity and acceleration.
vr r 0.449 m s
v r 0.481m 0.561rad s 0.270 m s
v
v vr2 v2 tan 1
vr
v 0.524 m s 31.0

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 ar r r 2
0.240 m s 2 0.481m 0.561rad s 2
0.391m s 2
a r 2r

0.481m 0.3 rad s 2 2 0.449 m s 0.561rad s
0.359 m s 2
a
a ar2 a2 tan 1
ar
a 0.531m s 42.6

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 Evaluate acceleration with respect to arm.
Motion of collar with respect to arm is rectilinear
and defined by coordinate r.

a B OA r 0.240 m s 2

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 Effective Listening