MECH 311D: ENGINEERING DYNAMICS 18

TLO-4: ABSOLUTE DEPENDENT MOTION ANALYSIS OF TWO PARTICLES MEETINGS: 8-10

4.0 ABSOLUTE DEPENDENT MOTION ANALYSIS OF TWO

PARTICLES

In some types of problems the motion of one particle will depend on the
corresponding motion of another particle. This dependency commonly
occurs if the particles (blocks) are interconnected by inextensible cords
which are wrapped around pulleys.

Pulleys give us a mechanical advantage; however, a mechanical advantage

always yields speed and distance disadvantage.

4.1. TYPES OF PROBLEMS

1. One Degree of Freedom (Continuous rope)

**Count the ropes.

2. Two Degrees of Freedom (Not continuous rope)

To introduce the concepts of position, displacement, velocity and acceleration of two or more moving bodies.
MECH 311D: ENGINEERING DYNAMICS 19

TLO-4: ABSOLUTE DEPENDENT MOTION ANALYSIS OF TWO PARTICLES MEETINGS: 8-10

**Follow the force.

3. Involving angles in the system

To introduce the concepts of position, displacement, velocity and acceleration of two or more moving bodies.
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TLO-4: ABSOLUTE DEPENDENT MOTION ANALYSIS OF TWO PARTICLES MEETINGS: 8-10

4.2. ANALYSIS APPROACH

 The constant string length method(CSLM): “The length of the string or

rope is a constant irrespective of the positiion of the particles.”

1. Define the positions of particles (blocks) A and B, and the datum. Datum
is a point in the system where no movement occurs. Datum is perpendicular
to the direction of motion.
2. Define positive motion.
3. Find the pseudo-length or the “length” of the cord.
4. Take the first derivative to find the speeds of A and B.
5. Take the second derivative to find the acceleration.

PROCUDERE FOR ANALYSIS

The above method relating the dependent motion of one particle to that of
another can be performed using algebraic scalars or position coordinates
provided each particle moves along a rectilinear path. When this is the case,
only the magnitudes of the velocity and acceleration of the particles will
change, not their line of direction.
POSITION-COORDINATE EQUATION
 Establish each position coordinate with an origin located at a fixed
point or datum.
 It is not necessary that the origin be the same for each of the
coordinates; however, it is important that each coordinate axis
selected be directed along the path of motion of the particle.
 Using geometry or trigonometry, relate the position coordinates to the
total length of the cord, lT, or to that portion of cord, l, which excludes
the segments that do not change length as the particles move - such as
arc segments wrapped over pulleys.
 If a problem involves a system of two or more cords wrapped around
pulleys, then the position of a point on one cord must be related to the
position of a point on another cord using the above procedure.
Separate equations are written for a fixed length of each cord of the
system and the positions of the two particles are then related by these
equations.

TIME DERIVATIVES
 Two successive time derivatives of the position-coordinate equations
yield the required velocity and acceleration equations which elate the
motions of the particles.
 The signs of the terms in these equations will be consistent with those
that specify the positive and negative sense of the position
coordinates.

To introduce the concepts of position, displacement, velocity and acceleration of two or more moving bodies.
MECH 311D: ENGINEERING DYNAMICS 21

TLO-4: ABSOLUTE DEPENDENT MOTION ANALYSIS OF TWO PARTICLES MEETINGS: 8-10

4.3. Exercises: DEPENDENT MOTION
1. [Statics] If a person only desires to exert a maximum of 50lbs at A, how
much weight can be lifted? [Dynamics] If a person pulls down at a speed of 2
ft/s, how fast will the weight B rise?

2. If A is moved at 5ft/s, how fast is block B moving (assume that the cord
does not stretch).

3. For the pulley system as shown, the velocity of object A is known,

determine the velocity of B.

To introduce the concepts of position, displacement, velocity and acceleration of two or more moving bodies.
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TLO-4: ABSOLUTE DEPENDENT MOTION ANALYSIS OF TWO PARTICLES MEETINGS: 8-10

4. Cord at A is pulled down with a speed of 8ft/s, find the speed of block B.

5. The man pulls the boy up to the tree limb C by walking backward. If he
starts from rest when XA = 0 and moves backward with a constant
acceleration aA =0.20 m/s2, determine the speed of the boy at the instant yB
= 4m. Neglect the size of the limb. When XA=0, yB = 8m, so that A and B are
coincident, i.e. the rope is 16m long.

6. A fixed light casts a shadow of the moving object on the wall. At the
moment shown, the speed of the moving object is 2m/s. Determine the
speed of the top of its shadow.

To introduce the concepts of position, displacement, velocity and acceleration of two or more moving bodies.