Uniform motion(UM)

It is a motion in which the moving body covers equal distance in equal

interval of time. Hence the velocity is constant or uniform.

If the velocity is constant, take the average velocity(Vave)

Vave = st/tt st is total distance tt is total time

Uniformly accelerated motion(UAM)

When a body moves on a straight line with varying velocity, the motion is
called accelerated motion

If the velocity of a moving body changes equally in equal interval of time,

the velocity changes uniformly and the acceleration is constant. So the
motion is called uniformly accelerated motion (UAM)

In UM velocity is constant and acceleration is zero but in UAM velocity

changes uniformly and acceleration is constant

In UAM if the velocity increases uniformly the acceleration is positive and

it is called speeding up motion but if the velocity decreases uniformly,
the acceleration is negative and it is called slowing down motion. The
negative acceleration is called deceleration or retardation.

For UAM, the average velocity, Vave , is given by:-

𝑉+𝑉𝑜
Vave = v is final velocity and vo is initial velocity
2

Equations of UAM

Suppose a moving body changes its velocity from initial Vo to final V in a

time t and covers a distance of s.

Vo V

The acceleration of the body is given by: -

∆𝑉 𝑉−𝑉𝑜
a= = V = Vo + at ---------- 1
∆𝑡 𝑡
The distance s is given by: -
𝑉+𝑉𝑜
s = Vave t or s =( )t ---------------- 2
2

Using V = Vo + at in equation 2 above, gives: -

1
s = Vot + at2 ---------------- 3
2

1
Or Vo = V -at s = Vt - at2
2

𝑉−𝑉𝑜
Again using t = in equation 2 above, gives: -
𝑎

V2 = Vo2 + 2as -------------- 4

If the object starts from rest Vo = 0 then the above equations will be: -

V = at ----------- 1
𝑉𝑡
s= ------------ 2
2

1
s= at2 --------- 3
2

V2 = 2as --------- 4

Example 2.2

1) The velocity of a car is 40m/s. After 4s its velocity becomes 24m/s.

a) What is the acceleration?
b) How far did it travel?
2) A car starting from rest moves a distance of 20m in 2s. Find the
speed of the car.
3) A body starting from rest accelerates to a speed of 10m/s in 2s.
Find: -
a) the distance travelled
b) the acceleration of the body.
4) A car starts from rest at a station and accelerates at the rate of
2m/s2 for 10s. It then moves at a constant speed for 30s and slows
down at 4/s2 until it stops at the next station. Find the total
distance travelled.
5) A moving body has an initial velocity of 10m/s. If it accelerates by
2m/s2, find the distance travelled at the 5th second.
Graphical representation of uniform motion (UM)

In UM there are two graphs distance-time graph and velocity-time graph

For UM the distance-time graph (s-t graph) is given below

S(m)

Slope = V

t(s)

It is an inclined straight line

The slope of the graph represents speed or velocity

The velocity-time graph (v-t graph) will be: -

v(m/s )

Area = s
t(s)

It is a straight line parallel to t-axis

The area under the graph represents distance

Graphical representation of uniformly accelerated motion (UAM)

In UAM there are three graphs acceleration-time graph, velocity-time

graph and distance-time graph.

The acceleration-time graph (a-t graph) is as shown below.

a(m/s2)

Area = V

t(s)

It is a line parallel to t-axis and the area under the graph represents
velocity

The velocity time graph (v-t graph) is given below

v(m/s)

Slope=a

Area=s

t(s)

It is an inclined straight line. The slope of the graph represents

acceleration and the area under the graph represents distance

The distance-time graph (s-t graph) will be: -

s(m)

The graph is half parabola.

t(s)

Example 2.3

1. From s-t graph shown below find the speed

s(m)

500
400
300
200
100
t(s)
10 20 30 40 50
2. From v-t graph shown below find the acceleration and the distance
travelled in 4s. V(m/s)

A) V(m/s) 25B)
20
30
15
20 10
5
10
t(s)
1 2 3 4 t(s) 1 2 3 4 5

3. Find the total distance of a moving body whose v-t graph is shown
below and find the acceleration in every 2s time interval.
V(m/s)

15

10

t(s)
2 4 6
Free
4. A car starts from rest at a station and accelerates at the rate of 2m/s2
for 10s. It then runs at a constant speed for 30s and slows down at
4m/s2 until it stops at the next station.

a) Draw V- t graph for the motion.

b) From the graph find the total distance traveled.

5. The following is v-t graph of a moving object. Calculate the total

distance traveled and the acceleration in each interval of time.

S(m)

50

40
30
20
10

5 10 15 20 25 t(s)
Free Fall (Falling bodies)

Free Fall is the motion of a body under the action of the force of gravity.

According to Galileo Galilei, in vacuum all bodies fall with the same
acceleration so they accelerate uniformly by 9.8m/s every second

(i.e. 9.8m/s2)

So Free Fall or motion of a freely falling body is a uniformly accelerated

motion so all the equations of UAM hold true for free fall with a = g, s = h
and vo = 0

UAM Free fall

V = Vo + at ----------------------------------- V = gt
1 1
S = Vo + at2 ------------------------------------ h= gt2
2 2

V2 = Vo2 + 2as ---------------------------------- V2 = 2gh

Example 2.4

1. Raindrops fall 200m from a cloud to the ground.

a) How fast would it be moving when they strike the ground?
b) How long does it take to reach at the ground?
2. A stone is released freely from a mountain and strikes the ground with a speed of
10m/s.
a) How high is the mountain?
b) How long does it take to strike the ground?
3. A rock is dropped freely from a top of a building and reaches the ground after 4s.
Calculate: -
a) The height of the building.
b) The speed of the rock just before it hits the ground.
 Relative Velocity

Relative velocity is comparing the velocities of moving bodies.

Suppose there are two bodies A and B moving with a velocity of VA and VB respectively.

N.B VAB – the velocity of body A as observed from body B OR

-- the relative velocity of body A with respect to body B

VBA– the velocity of body B as observed from body A OR

-- the relative velocity of body B with respect to body A

If the two bodies move in the same direction, the magnitude of their relative velocity is
given by: -

VAB = VA - VB and VBA = VB - VA Hence VAB = -VBA

So, their relative velocity is the difference of the two velocities

If the two bodies move in opposite direction, the magnitude of their relative velocity is
given by: -

VAB = VA + VB and VBA = VB + VA Hence VAB = VBA

So, their relative velocity is the sum of the two velocities.

Example 2.5

1. Two cars A and B move to the east with a speed of 40km/h and 100km/h
respectively. What is the velocity of car A relative to car B?
2. Two cars moving in opposite direction have velocities of 40m/s and 100m/s. What
is the relative velocity of the faster car?
3. The relative velocity of car A with respect to car B is 30m/s when they move in the
same direction. If the velocity of car B is 50m/s, what is the velocity of car A?
4. The relative velocity of two bodies is 80m/s when they move in opposite direction
and it is 30m/s when they move in the same direction. What is the velocity of
each body?
5. A motor car moves westwards at a velocity of 80km/h. Another car moves at a
velocity of 70km/h towards the first car. At a certain moment the distance
between the two car is 10km. What time does it take to meet?