KINEMATCS OF PARTICLES

Student Name : Muhammed Dlshad

Course Title : Dynamics
Class : B
Department : Mechanical and Mechatronics Department

College of Engineering
Salahaddin University-Erbil
Academic Year 2019-2020

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ABSTRACT

Kinematics of particles is a range of dynamics study, A particle or point mass is an

entity that has no dimension. Since in kinematics there is no involvement of force-
mass interaction, the topic is indistinguishable from the kinematics of a geometric
point. The problems of kinematics involve the study of the temporal-geometric
parameters. To be more explicit, the quantities involved are change of position,
speed and velocity, acceleration, time for motion under consideration, and so on.
There is no scope for considering forces, etc. in kinematic problems. First detailed
discussions on three important and basic entities are taken up.

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LIST OF CONTENTS
Abstract ………………………………………………………………………... 2

Introduction …………………………………………………………………..... 5

Rectilinear motion of particles ………………………………………………… 6

Rectilinear motion characteristics …………………………………………....... 7

Curvilinear motion characteristics ……………………………………………. 11

Some examples ………………………………………………………………... 14

Conclusion …………………………………………………………………….. 17

References ……………………………………………………………………... 18

LIST OF FIGURES
Rectilinear position …………………………………………………………….. 7

Rectilinear displacement ……………………………………………………….. 8

Rectilinear velocity …………………………………………………………….. 9

Rectilinear acceleration ………………………………………………………... 10

Curvilinear position ……………………………………………………………. 11

Curvilinear displacement ………………………………………………………. 11

Curvilinear velocity ……………………………………………………………. 12

Curvilinear acceleration ……………………………………………………….. 13

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LIST OF EQUATIONS
∆𝑠 = 𝑠 − − 𝑠 …………………………………………………………………….. 8
∆𝑠
𝑣𝑎𝑣𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑔𝑒 = …………………………………………………………………….. 9
∆𝑡

∆𝑠
𝑣 = lim ( ) ……………………………………………………………….. 9
∆𝑡→0∆𝑡

∆𝑠
𝑣 = lim ( ) ………………………………………………………………... 9
∆𝑡→0∆𝑡

𝑑𝑠
𝑣= …………………………………………………………………………… 9
𝑑𝑡

𝑎𝑎𝑣𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑔𝑒=∆𝑣 ……………………………………………………………………… 10
∆𝑡

∆𝑣 = 𝑣 − − 𝑣 …………………………………………………………………… 10
∆𝑣
𝑎 = lim ( ) ………………………………………………………………... 10
∆𝑡→0 ∆𝑡

𝑑𝑣
𝑎= …………………………………………………………………………… 10
𝑑𝑡

𝑑2𝑠
𝑎= ………………………………………………………………………….. 10
𝑑𝑡 2

∆𝑟
𝑣𝑎𝑣𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑔𝑒 = …………………………………………………………………… 12
∆𝑡

∆𝑟
𝑣= …………………………………………………………………………… 12
∆𝑡

𝑑𝑠
𝑣= …………………………………………………………………………… 12
𝑑𝑡

∆𝑣
𝑎𝑎𝑣𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑔𝑒 = …………………………………………………………………… 13
∆𝑡

𝑑𝑣
𝑎= …………………………………………………………………………… 13
𝑑𝑡

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INTRODUCTION

Study of the geometry of motion. Relates displacement, velocity, acceleration,

and time without reference to the cause of motion. Kinematic relationships are
used to help us determine the trajectory of a snowboarder completing a jump, the
orbital speed of a satellite, and accelerations during acrobatic flying. Mechanics is
a branch of the physical sciences that is concerned with the state of rest or motion
of bodies subjected to the action of forces. Engineering mechanics is divided into
two areas of study, namely, statics and dynamics. Statics is concerned with the
equilibrium of a body that is either at rest or moves with constant velocity. Here
we will consider dynamics, which deals with the accelerated motion of a body. The
subject of dynamics will be presented in two parts: kinematics, which treats only
the geometric aspects of the motion, and kinetics, which is the analysis of the
forces causing the motion. To develop these principles, the dynamics of a particle
will be discussed first, followed by topics in rigid-body dynamics in two and then
three dimensions. Historically, the principles of dynamics developed when it was
possible to make an accurate measurement of time. Galileo Galilei (1564-1642)
was one of the first major contributors to this field. His work consisted of
experiments using pendulums and falling bodies. The most significant
contributions in dynamics, however, were made by Isaac Newton (1642-1727),
who is noted for his formulation of the three fundamental laws of motion and the
law of universal gravitational attraction. Shortly after these laws were postulated,
important techniques for their application were developed by Euler, D' Alembert,
Lagrange, and others. There are many problems in engineering whose solutions
require application of the principles of dynamics.

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RECTILINEAR MOTION OF PARTICLES

When we require only one co-ordinate axis along with time to describe the motion
of a particle it is said to be in linear motion or rectilinear motion. Some examples
of linear motion are a parade of soldiers, a train moving along a straight line and
many more. Motion is one of the most common phenomena we come across in our
daily lives. For example, a moving car, a kid running on the road or a fly moving
in the air are all said to be in motion. So, in general terms, a body is said to be in
motion if it changes its position with respect to a reference point and time.
Depending upon the path taken by the particle the motion can be of different types
like projectile motion, rectilinear motion, rotational motion etc. For now, we will
only focus on the rectilinear motion which is also known as linear motion. We will
begin our study of dynamics b y discussing the kinematics o f a particle that moves
along a rectilinear or straight line path. Recall that a particle has a mass but
negligible size and shape. Therefore we must limited application to those objects
that have dimensions that are of no consequence in the analysis of the motion. In
most problems, we will be interested in bodies of finite size, such as rockets,
projectiles, or vehicles. Each of these objects can be considered as a particle, as
long as the motion is characterized by the motion of its mass center and any
rotation of the body is neglected. Rectilinear Kinematics. The kinematics of a
particle is characterized by specifying, at any given instant, the particle's position,
velocity, and acceleration.

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RECTILINEAR MOTION CHARACTERISTICS

Position

The straight-line path of a particle will be defined using a single coordinate

axis s, Fig.1. The origin 0 on the path is a fixed point, and from this point
the position coordinate s is used to specify the location of the particle at any
given instant. The magnitude of s is the distance from 0 to the particle,
usually measured in meters (m) or feet (ft), and the sense of direction is
defined by the algebraic sign on s. Although the choice is arbitrary, in this
case s is positive since the coordinate axis is positive to the right of the
origin. Likewise, it is negative if the particle is located to the left of O.
Realize that position is a vector quantity since it has both magnitude and
direction. Here, however, it is being represented by the algebraic scalar s
since the direction always remains along the coordinate axis. So now that
we have learnt about linear motion we will discuss two terms related to
change in position. These are called ‘Distance’ and ‘Displacement’.
Distance is defined as, The total path length covered during a journey
While displacement is defined as, The path length from final position of the
particle to the origin O. Consider the following figure:

Figure 1. rectilinear position

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Displacement

The displacement of the particle is defined as the change in its position. For
example, if the particle moves from one point to another, Fig.2, the
displacement is :

∆𝑠 = 𝑠 − − 𝑠 ................................................................................ Eq.1

In this case ∆𝑠 is positive since the particle's final position is to the right of
its initial position, i.e., 𝑠 − > s. Likewise, if the final position were to the left
of its initial position, ∆𝑠 would be negative. The displacement of a particle
is also a vector quantity, and it should be distinguished from the distance
the particle travels. Specifically, the distance traveled is a positive scalar
that represents the total length of path over which the particle travels.

Figure 2. rectilinear displacement

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Velocity

If the particle moves through a displacement ∆𝑠 during the time interval

∆𝑡 the average velocity of the particle during this time interval is

∆𝑠
𝑣𝑎𝑣𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑔𝑒 = …………………………………………………….. Eq.2
∆𝑡

If we take smaller and smaller values of ∆𝑡, the magnitude of ∆𝑠 becomes

smaller and smaller. Consequently, the instantaneous velocity is a vector
defined as
∆𝑠
𝑣 = lim ( ) ………………………………………………….. Eq.3
∆𝑡→0 ∆𝑡
𝑑𝑠
𝑣= ……………………………………………………………. Eq.4
𝑑𝑡
Since ∆𝑡 or dt is always positive, the sign used to define the sense of the
velocity is the same as that of ∆𝑠 or ds. For example, if the particle is
moving to the right, Fig. 3, the velocity is positive; whereas if it is
moving to the left, the velocity is negative. This is emphasized here by the
arrow written at the eq.4. the magnitude of the velocity is known as the
speed, and it is generally expressed in units of ( m/s or ft/s ). Occasionally
the term ( average speed ) is used. The average speed is always a positive
scalar and is defined as the total distance traveled by a particle, 𝑠𝑡 , divided
by the elapsed time ∆𝑡.
(𝑣𝑠𝑝 )𝑎𝑣𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑔𝑒= 𝑠𝑡 ……………………………………………………. Eq.5
∆𝑡

Figure 3. rectilinear velocity

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Acceleration

Provided the velocity of the particle is known at two points, the average
acceleration of the particle during the time interval ∆𝑡 is defined as Here

𝑎𝑎𝑣𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑔𝑒=∆𝑣 ………………………………………………………. Eq.6

∆𝑡

Here ∆𝑣 represent the difference in the velocity during the time interval

∆𝑡 .

∆𝑣 = 𝑣 − − 𝑣 ……………………………………………………… Eq.7

The instantaneous acceleration at time t is a vector that is found by taking

smaller and smaller values of ∆𝑡 and corresponding smaller and smaller
values of ∆𝑣, so that

∆𝑣
𝑎 = lim ( ) …………………………………………………… Eq. 8
∆𝑡→0 ∆𝑡

𝑑𝑣
𝑎= ……………………………………………………………... Eq. 9
𝑑𝑡

Substituting eq.4 into this result, we can also write

𝑑2𝑠
𝑎= …………………………………………………………… Eq. 10
𝑑𝑡 2

Figure 4. rectilinear acceleration

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CURVILINEAR MOTION CHARACTERISTICS

Position

Consider a particle located at a point on a

space curve defined by the path function s(t).
figure 5. The position of the particle, measured
from a fixed point 0, will be designated by the
position vector r = r(t) Notice that both the
magnitude and direction of this vector will
change as the particle moves along the curve.

Figure 5. curvilinear position

Displacement

Suppose that during a small time interval ∆𝑡

the particle moves a distance ∆𝑠 along the
curve to a new position, defined by r' = r + ∆𝑟,
Fig.6. The displacement ∆𝑟 represents the
change in the particle's position and is
determined by vector subtraction; i.e.,

∆𝑟 = r' - r. figure 6. Curvilinear displacement

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Velocity

During the time ∆𝑡, the average velocity of the particle is

∆𝑟
𝑣𝑎𝑣𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑔𝑒 = ………………………………………………………. Eq.11
∆𝑡

The instantaneous velocity is determined from this equation by letting

∆𝑡 → 0 and consequently the direction of ∆𝑟 approaches the tangent to the

∆𝑟
curve, hence 𝑣 = lim ( ) or
∆𝑡→𝑜 ∆𝑡

∆𝑟
𝑣= ……………………………………………………………… Eq.12
∆𝑡

Since dr will be tangent to curve, the direction of v is also tangent to the

curve, figure 7. The magnitude of v, which is called speed, is obtained by
realizing that the length of the straight line segment ∆𝑟 in figure 6
approaches the arc length ∆𝑠 as ∆𝑡 → 𝑜, we have
∆𝑟 ∆𝑠
𝑣 = lim ( ) = 𝑣 = lim ( ) or
∆𝑡→𝑜 ∆𝑡 ∆𝑡→𝑜 ∆𝑡

𝑑𝑠
𝑣= ……………………………………………………………… Eq.13
𝑑𝑡

Thus, the speed can be obtained by differentiating the path function s

with respect to time.

Figure 7. curvilinear velocity

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Acceleration

If the particle has a velocity v at time t and a velocity v' = v + ∆𝑣 at t + ∆𝑡,

Fig. 8 , then the average acceleration of the particle during the time interval
is ∆𝑡 is

∆𝑣
𝑎𝑎𝑣𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑔𝑒 = ……………………………………………………. Eq.14
∆𝑡

where ∆𝑣 = v' - v. To study this time rate of change, the two velocity
vectors in Fig.8 are plotted in Fig.9 such that their tails are located at the
fixed point 0' and their arrowheads touch points on a curve. This curve is
called a hodograph, and when constructed, it describes the locus of points
for the arrowhead of the velocity vector in the same manner as the path s
describes the locus of points for the arrowhead of the position vector, Fig.
5. To obtain the instantaneous acceleration, let ∆𝑡 → 0 in the above
equations. In the limit of ∆𝑣 will approach the tangent to the hodograph
and so,

∆𝑣
𝑎 = lim ( ) or
∆𝑡→𝑜 ∆𝑡

𝑑𝑣
𝑎= ……………………………………………………………… Eq.15
𝑑𝑡

Figure 8,9,10. Curvilinear acceleration

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SOME EXAMPLES
Example 1 :

Ball tossed with 10 m/s vertical velocity from window

20 m above ground. Determine: velocity and elevation
above ground at time t, highest elevation reached by ball
corresponding time, and time when ball will hit the
ground and corresponding velocity.

Solution :

Integrate twice to find v(t) and y(t). Solve for t when

velocity equals zero (time for maximum elevation) and
evaluate corresponding altitude. Solve for t when
altitude equals zero (time for ground impact) and evaluate corresponding velocity.
𝑑𝑣
= 𝑎 = −9.81 𝑚/𝑠 2
𝑑𝑡

𝑣(𝑡) 𝑡
∫𝑣 𝑑𝑣 = − ∫0 9.81 𝑑𝑡
𝑜

𝑣(𝑡) − 𝑣𝑜 = −9.81𝑡
𝑚 𝑚
𝑣(𝑡) = 10 − (9.81 2 ) 𝑡
𝑠 𝑠

𝑑𝑦
= 𝑣 = 10 − 9.81𝑡
𝑑𝑡

𝑦(𝑡) 𝑡
∫𝑦 𝑑𝑦 = ∫𝑜 (10 − 9.81𝑡)𝑑𝑡
𝑜

1
𝑦(𝑡) − 𝑦𝑜 = 10𝑡 − 9.81𝑡 2
2

𝑚 𝑚
𝑦(𝑡) = 20𝑚 + (10 ) 𝑡 − (4.905 2)𝑡 2
𝑠 𝑠

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SOME EXAMPLES
Example 2 :

Brake mechanism used to reduce gun recoil consists of piston attached to barrel
moving in fixed cylinder filled with oil. As barrel
recoils with initial velocity v0, piston moves and oil
is forced through orifices in piston, causing piston
and cylinder to decelerate at rate proportional to their
velocity. Determine v(t), x(t), and v(x).

Solution :

Integrate a = dv/dt = -kv to find v(t). Integrate v(t) = dx/dt to find x(t). Integrate a =
v dv/dx = -kv to find v(x).

𝑑𝑣 𝑣 𝑑𝑣 𝑡
𝑎= = −𝑘𝑣 ……………. ∫𝑣 = −𝑘 ∫𝑜 𝑑𝑡
𝑑𝑡 0 𝑣

𝑣(𝑡)
𝐼𝑛 = −𝑘𝑡
𝑣𝑜

𝑣(𝑡) = 𝑣𝑜 𝑒 −𝑘𝑡
𝑥 𝑡
𝑣(𝑡) = 𝑣𝑜 𝑒 −𝑘𝑡 …………….. ∫𝑜 𝑑𝑥 = 𝑣𝑜 ∫𝑜 𝑒 −𝑘𝑡 𝑑𝑡
1
𝑥(𝑡) = 𝑣𝑜 [− 𝑒 −𝑘𝑡 ] 𝑜𝑡
𝑘
𝑣𝑜
𝑥(𝑡) = (1 − 𝑒 −𝑘𝑡 )
𝑘

𝑑𝑣
𝑎=𝑣 = −𝑘𝑥 …………… 𝑑𝑣 = −𝑘𝑑𝑥
𝑑𝑥
𝑣 𝑥
∫𝑣 𝑑𝑣 = −𝑘 ∫𝑜 𝑑𝑥
𝑜

𝑣 = 𝑣𝑜 − 𝑘𝑥

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SOME EXAMPLES
Example 3 :

Projectile is fired with vA= 150 m/s at

point A. determine The horizontal distance
it travels (R) and the time in the air.

Solution :

Place the coordinate system at point A.

Then, write the equation for horizontal motion.

𝑋𝐵 = 𝑋𝐴 + 𝑉𝐴𝑋 𝑡𝐴𝐵
4
Where 𝑋𝐵 = 𝑅 𝑋𝐴 = 0 𝑉𝐴𝑋 = 150 ( ) 𝑚/𝑠
5

R will be R = 120𝑡𝐴𝐵

Now write a vertical motion equation. Use the distance equation :

𝑌𝐵 = 𝑌𝐴 + 𝑉𝐴𝑌 𝑡𝐴𝐵 − 0.5 𝑔𝑡𝐴𝐵 2

3
Where 𝑌𝐵 = −150 𝑌𝐴 = 0 𝑉𝐴𝑌 = 150 ( ) 𝑚/𝑠
5

We get the following equations :

−150 = 90𝑡𝐴𝐵 + 0.5(−9.81)𝑡𝐴𝐵 2

𝑡𝐴𝐵 = 19.89 𝑠

𝑅 = 2387 𝑚

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CONCLUSION

In conclusion, for the experiment Kinematics, we were able to determine the

velocity and the average velocity of the cart. Also, we were able to determine the
acceleration due to gravity experimentally. We were able to study about the
simplest kind of motion which is the motion of a particle in a straight line or
simply, linear motion. This motion is one dimensional and can be described
interms of space and time. From our findings, we found out that the effect of the
height of the track to the acceleration of the cart is that when the track is higher,
the acceleration of the cart is faster. This is because the angle that the track and the
floor makes, in creases when the track is being raised and the higher the angle
between them, the steeper the track gets, which results to the faster increase in the
cart’s velocity. We also found how the time is related to the inclination of the
track. When the inclination of the track is higher or increased, it takes lesser time
for the cart to pass through the photo gate from its resting point, which also results
to faster velocity. This is because the track gets steeper when the inclination of the
track is increased. Thus, we can observe that time is inversely proportional to the
inclination of the track.

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REFERENCES

• Thomas Wallace Wright (1896). Elements of Mechanics Including

Kinematics, Kinetics and Statics
• Merz, John (1903). A History of European Thought in the Nineteenth
Century. Blackwood, London.
• orris Kline (1990). Mathematical Thought from Ancient to Modern Times.
Oxford University Press.
• O. Bottema & B. Roth (1990). Theoretical Kinematics. Dover Publications.
Preface.
• William Thomson Kelvin & Peter Guthrie Tait (1894). Elements of Natural
Philosophy
• link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-981-10-6095-3_2
• onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/9781119463207.ch1

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