Kinematics and One

Dimensional Motion

8.01t

Sept 10, 2004

 Kinematics

• Kinema means movement

• Mathematical description of motion

• Position
• Displacement
• Velocity
• Acceleration
 Coordinate System in One

Dimension

• Choice of origin
• Choice of coordinate axis
• Choice of positive direction for the axis
• Choice of unit vectors at each point in space

 Position

• Vector from origin to body

x(t ) = x(t ) î
 Displacement

• change in position coordinate of the object

between the times t1 and t2
G
∆x ≡ ( x(t2 ) − x( t1 ) ) î ≡ ∆x(
t)î

 Average Velocity

• component of the average velocity, vx ,

is the displacement ∆x divided

by the time interval ∆t

G ∆x
v(t ) ≡ î = vx
(t )î

∆t

 Instantaneous velocity

• For time interval ∆t , we calculate the average

velocity. As ∆t → 0 , we generate a sequence of
average velocities. The limiting value of this
sequence is defined to be the x-component of
the instantaneous velocity at the time t .

∆x x ( t + ∆t ) − x ( t ) dx
vx (t) ≡ lim vx = lim = lim ≡

∆t →0 ∆t →0 ∆t ∆t →0 ∆t dt
Instantaneous velocity

 Average Acceleration

• Change in velocity divided by the time

interval

G
a = ax î ≡
∆vx
î =
( vx,2 − vx,1 )
i=
ˆ ∆vx
î
∆t ∆t ∆t
 Instantaneous acceleration

• For time interval ∆t , we calculate the average

acceleration. As ∆t → 0 , we generate a
sequence of average accelerations. The limiting
value of this sequence is defined to be the x-
component of the instantaneous velocity at the
time t.

G ∆v v ( t + ∆t ) − v ( t ) dv
a(t ) = ax (t )î ≡ lim ax î = lim î = lim
î ≡ î
∆t →0 ∆t →0 ∆t ∆t →0 ∆t dt
Instantaneous Acceleration

 Constant acceleration: area

under the acceleration vs. time

graph

∆vx vx (t ) − vx,0
ax = ax = =
∆t t
vx (t ) = vx,0 + a x t
 Constant acceleration: Area
under the velocity vs. time graph

Area(vx , t ) = vx,0t + (vx (t ) − vx,0 )t

2

vx (t ) = vx,0 + ax t

1
1 2

Area(vx
, t ) = vx,0t + (vx,0 + ax t − vx,0 )t = vx,0t + ax
t
2 2
 Constant acceleration: Average

velocity

• When the
acceleration is
constant, the velocity
is a linear function of
time. Therefore the
average velocity is

vx = ( vx (t ) + vx,0 )
1
2

2
1
2
( )
v x = ( vx (t ) + vx,0 ) = ( vx,0 + ax t ) + vx,0 = vx,0 + ax t
1 1
2
 Constant acceleration: Area

under the velocity vs. time graph

• displacement is equal to the area under

the graph of the x-component of the
velocity vs. time
1 2
∆x ≡ x(t ) − x0 = vx t = vx,0t + ax t = Area(vx ,t)
2

1 2
x(t ) = x0 + vx,0t + ax t
2
Summary: constant acceleration

1 2
• Position x(t ) = x0 + vx,0t + ax t
2

• velocity vx (t ) = vx,0 + ax t
Velocity as the integral of the

acceleration

 Velocity as the integral of the

acceleration

• the area under the graph of the

acceleration vs. time is the change in
velocity

t ′ =t i=N

∫ a (t ′)dt ′ ≡ lim ∑ a (t )∆t

t ′ =0
x
∆ti →0
i=1
x i i = Area(ax , t )

t ′ = t t ′ =t v′x = vx ( t )
dv x
∫t′=0 ax (t ′)dt ′ = t′∫=0 dt dt ′ = v′ = v∫ t =0 dv′x = vx
(t ) −
vx,0
x x( )

 Position as the integral of

velocity

• area under the graph of velocity vs. time is

the displacement

dx
vx (t ) ≡
dt
t ′=t

∫ v (t ′)dt
′ = x(t ) − x
t ′ =0
x 0

 Example:

• A runner accelerates from rest for an

interval of time and then travels at a
constant velocity. How far did the runner
travel?
I. Understand – get a conceptual
grasp of the problem
• stage 1: constant
acceleration
• stage 2: constant
velocity.

Tools:

Coordinate system

Kinematic equations

 Devise a Plan:

Stage 1: constant acceleration

Initial conditions: x0 = 0
vx,0 =
0

Kinematic Equations:
1
2

x ( t ) = ax
t vx
(t ) =
ax t
2

Final Conditions: end acceleration at t = ta

position: xa ≡ x ( t = ta ) =
ax ta 2

velocity vx ,a ≡
vx (

t =
ta )
=

a
x ta
 Devise a Plan

Stage 2: constant velocity, time interval [ta ,

tb ]

• runs at a constant velocity for the time tb − t a

• final position xb ≡ x ( t = tb ) = xa + vx,a ( tb − ta )

 III. Solve
• three independent equations

1
2

xa = ax ta
2

vx ,a = ax t
a
xb = xa + vx,
a ( tb −
ta )

• Six unknowns: xb xa vx , a a x ta t
b

• Need three extra facts: for example:

ax ta tb
 III. Solve
• solve for distance the runner has traveled

1 1
xb ≡ x ( t = tb ) = ax ta + ax ta ( tb − ta ) = ax ta tb − ax ta 2
2

2 2

 IV. Look Back : Choose Values

runner accelerated for ta = 3.0 s

initial acceleration: ax = 2.0 m ⋅ s -2

runs at a constant velocity for tb − ta = 6.0 s

Total time of running tb = ta + 6.0 s = 3.0 s + 6.0 s = 9.0 s

Total distance running

xtotal = ax ta tb − ax ta 2 = ( 2.0 m ⋅ s -2 ) ( 3.0 s )( 9.0s ) − ( 2.0 m ⋅ s -2 ) ( 3.0 s ) = 4.5×101 m
1 1 2

2 2
Final velocity vx ,a = a x ta = ( 2.0 m ⋅ s -2 ) ( 3.0 s ) = 6.0 m ⋅ s -1