Chapter 12 :

Kinematics of a Particle
（V）

by

Dr. Toh Hoong Thiam

 General Curvilinear Motion: Normal
and Tangential Components

 Planar Motion
 Consider a particle P which is moving in a plane along a fixed curve,
such that at a given instant it is at position s, measured from point O.

 Consider a coordinate system that

has its origin on the curve which
coincides with the location of the
particle at the instant considered.
 The tangent axis, i.e., t axis, is tangent
to the curve at P and is positive in the
direction of increasing s.
 The normal axis, i.e. n axis, is normal
(perpendicular) to the t axis and is directed
from P towards the center of curvature O’.

 The positive direction of t axis is designated by the unit vector ut.

 The positive direction of n axis is always on the concave side of

the curve, and is designated by the unit vector un.

 Plane containing both the n and t axes is known as the embracing

or osculating plane and is fixed in the plane of motion.
 Notes on radius of curvature
 Geometrically, the curve is
constructed from a series of
differential arc segments ds.

 Each segment ds is formed from

the arc of an associated circle
having a radius of curvature ρ
and center of curvature O’

 If the path is expressed as y = f(x), the radius of the curvature ρ at any

point on the path is determined from
3
  dy  2  2

1    
  dx  

d2y
dx 2
 Velocity
 Since the particle is moving, s is a function of time.

 The particle’s velocity vԦ has a direction that is always tangent

to the path, and a magnitude that is determined by taking the
ds
time derivative of the path function s = s(t), i.e., v =
dt

 Hence,
v  vut

where
ds
v  s
dt
 Acceleration
 Acceleration of the particle is the time rate of change of velocity
dv d  vut 
a 
dt dt

dv dut
a  ut  v
dt dt

or
  
a  vut  vut (1)
 As the particle moves along the

arc ds in time dt, u t preserves its
magnitude of unity.

 When particle changes direction, u t becomes
  
ut '  ut  dut
  
 dut stretches between the arrowhead of u t and ut ', which lie on an
infinitesimal arc of radius ut = 1.
 
dut  d un


dut d 
 un
dt dt
  
or ut   u n (2)
 Since ds =  d
ds
 Therefore, d 


d 1 ds  s
and  or 
dt  dt 

 Hence, Eq.(2) can be written as

 s 
ut  u n


or  v 
ut  u n (3)

 Thus, Eq.(1) becomes
v 
a  vut  v  un 
 

  
a  at ut  an u n

dv dv
where at  v  or at  v
dt ds

v2
and an 


• The magnitude of a is

a  at2  an2
Summary
 If the particle moves along a straight line, then ρ → ∞ and an = 0,
a  at  v

Thus, tangential component of acceleration represents the time rate of

change in the magnitude of velocity.

 If the particle moves along the curve with a constant speed, then
at  v  0

a  an  v 2 / 

Thus, normal component of acceleration represents the time rate

of change in the direction of the velocity.
 
 Since a n always acts towards the center of curvature, this
component is sometimes referred to as the centripetal acceleration.

• As a result, a particle moving along the curved path will have

accelerations directed as shown below.
 Three Dimensional Motion
 If the particle is moving along a space curve, then at a given
instant, the t axis is uniquely defined.

 However, an infinite number of straight lines can be constructed

normal to the tangent axis at P
 Choose the positive n axis directed from P towards the path’s
center of curvature O’.

 This axis is referred to as the principal normal to the curve at P.

 
 u t and u n are always perpendicular to one another and lie in the
osculating plane.


 A third unit vector, ub , defines the binormal axis b which is
 
perpendicular to u t and u n .

 The 3 unit vectors are related by vector cross product:

  
ub  ut  u n


 Remember, n is always on the concave side of the curve.
u
PROCEDURE FOR ANALYSIS
Coordinate System
 When the path of the particle is known, establish a set of n and
t coordinates having a fixed origin which is coincident with
the particle at the instant considered.
 Positive tangent axis acts in the direction of the motion and the
positive normal axis is directed toward the path’s center of
curvature.

Velocity
 Particle’s velocity is always tangent to the path.
 Magnitude of the velocity is found from the derivative of the
path function. vs
Tangential Acceleration
 Tangential component of acceleration is the result of the time
rate of change in the magnitude of velocity.

 Tangential acceleration acts in the positive s direction if the particle’s

speed is increasing & in the opposite direction if the speed is
decreasing.
 The relation between at, v, t & s are the same as for rectilinear
motion,
at  v at ds  vdv

 If at is constant,
s  s0  v0t  12 (at ) c t 2
v  v0  (at ) c t
v 2  v02  2(at ) c ( s  s0 )
Normal Acceleration
 Normal component of acceleration is the result of the time rate
of change in the direction of the particle’s velocity.
 Normal component is always directed towards the center of
curvature of the path along the positive n axis.

 The magnitude of the normal acceleration is

v2
an 

 If the path is expressed as y = f(x), the radius of the curvature ρ
at any point on the path is determined from
3
  dy  2
 2

1    
  dx  

d2y
dx2
EXAMPLE 12.14
Given:
 When the skier reaches point A
along the parabolic path, he has a
speed of 6 m/s which is increasing
at 2 m/s2.

 The size of the skier can be neglected.

Find:

(a) The direction of his velocity at this instant.

(b) The direction & magnitude of his acceleration at this instant.
Solution:
Coordinate System
 Establish the origin of the n, t axes
at the fixed point A on the path.

Known:
 Speed: vA = 6 m/s ◦

 Rate of change of speed: at  vA  2 m/s2

1 2
 The path is given by y x
20

dy 1 d2y 1
 x, 2

dx 10 dx 10
Velocity
 At point A,
1
 10  = 1
dy
tan  
dx x 10
10
ut

 = 45◦

 Thus,
 
v A  6 ut m/s

or
vA = 6 m/s 45◦
Acceleration
 The acceleration in t−n coordinate system is

1    
dy 2
2

v 2
 dx
a  vut  un , 
 d2y
dx 2

 At point A,

3 3

1   101 x 2  2
1   101  10  
2 2

      1
  28.28 m
1
10 10
x 10
 v A2
 The acceleration is a A  v Aut  un

 62 
a A  2ut    un
 28.28 
aA   2 ut  1.273 un  m/s 2

 The magnitude of the acceleration is

 2   1.273  2.37 m/s2

2 2
a a

 The acceleration can also be written as  2 

  tan 1    57.5
 1.273 
aA = 2.37 m/s2 12.5◦
a = (45o + 90o + ) − 180o
= 12.5o
EXAMPLE 12.15
Given:

 A race car C travels around

the horizontal circular track
that has a radius of 90 m.
 The car increases its speed at a constant rate of 2.1 m/s2, starting
from rest.

Find:
 The time needed for it to reach an acceleration of 2.4 m/s2.

 The speed at this instant.

Solution:

Coordinate System

 The origin of the n & t axes is coincident

with the car at the instant considered.

 The t axis is in the direction of the motion, & the positive n axis is
directed toward the center of the circle.

Known:
 Initial speed: vo = 0

 Rate of change of speed: at  v  2.1 m/s2

 Radius of curvature :  = 90 m
Velocity
(t –axis): v = vo + (at)c t = 0 + (2.1) t = 2.1 t

Acceleration
 The magnitude of acceleration is
2
   
2 2
  2.1t
at2  an2  at2      2.1   90   
2
v  2.1
2 2 2
a   0.049t 2

  

 When a = 2.4 m/s2, we have

 2.1  
2 2
2.4   0.049t 2

 2.4    2.1
2 2
0.049t 
2

t = 4.87 s
 Thus, the speed at t = 4.87s

v = 2.1 t

= 2.1 (4.87)

= 10.2 m/s
EXAMPLE 12.16

Given:
 A box travels along the industrial
conveyor as shown.

 It starts from rest at A and increases its

speed such that at = (0.2t) m/s2.

Find:

 The magnitude of its acceleration when

it arrives at point B.
Solution:
Coordinate System
 The position of the box at any instant is defined by s, from the
fixed point A.
 Since the acceleration is to be determined at B, so the origin of
the n, t axes is at this point.

Known:

 Initial speed: vA = 0 at t = 0

 Rate of change of speed: at  v  0.2t m/s2

 Radius of curvature at B: B = 2 m
Velocity
 The tangential component of the velocity is determined as follows
dv
 at  0.2t
dt
v t
 0
dv   0.2t dt
0

v = 0.1 t2 (1)

Position ds
 v  0.1t 2
dt

s t
0
ds   0.1t 2 dt
0

s = 0.0333 t3 (2)
 At B, sB = 3 + ¼ (2pB
= 3 + ¼ (2p2
 6.142 m

 From Eq. (2),

sB = 0.0333 (tB)3
6.142 = 0.0333 (tB)3
tB = 5.690 s

 The tangential component of the velocity at B is

vB = 0.1 (tB)2 = 0.1 (5.69)2 = 3.238 m/s

 The tangential component of the acceleration at B is

aB t  0.2t B = 0.2 (5.69) = 1.138 m/s2
 The normal component of the acceleration at B is

 3.238
2 2
v
 aB n  B
 = 5.242 m/s2
B 2

 The magnitude of the acceleration at B is

 a B t   a B  n
2 2
aB 

1.138    5.242 
2 2


= 5.36 m/s2