Displacement

𝒔 𝐨𝐫 𝒔ത A fixed reference location is required to

∆s determine the changing location of a body.
s A particle travels along a straight-line
𝑶 𝑠
1 path defined by the coordinate axis s.
𝑠2
The position (location) of the particle at any
Fixed instant, relative to the fixed reference, O,
Reference is defined by the position vector 𝒔ത , or the scalar s
{bar distinguishes a vector from a scalar}.
The displacement of the particle is defined as its change in position.
Displacement (in scalar form, distance only)
∆𝒔 = 𝒔𝟐 − 𝒔𝟏
Displacement (in vectorial form, distance in a given direction)
∆ത𝒔 = 𝒔ത 𝟐 − 𝒔ത 𝟏
Typical units are feet (ft) or meters (m).
Chapter 12 8
 Velocity
• Velocity is a measure of the rate of change in the position.
• The magnitude of the velocity is called speed.
• The units of velocity are m/s or ft/s.
𝒔ത
∆ 𝒔ത Velocity is a vector.
s Speed is a scalar.
𝒔ത1
𝒔ത 2 The average velocity of a particle
during a time interval t is
∆𝒔
Fixed Reference 𝒗𝒂𝒗𝒆 = A scalar
∆𝒕
Example: Find average speed of a car between Mayagüez and
Manati if the distance is 60 miles and the time it takes is 80 minutes.
∆𝑠 60 𝑚𝑖
𝑣𝑎𝑣𝑒 = = = 45 𝑚𝑖ൗℎ
∆𝑡 1ℎ
80 𝑚𝑖𝑛 ×
60 𝑚𝑖𝑛 Chapter 12 9
 Velocity
• Average Velocity fails to account for the changes in velocity
en-route; stop and go, etc. Develop a Time vs
• In engineering applications (and Distance table
law enforcement, for example), it
Plot it
is the INSTANTANEOUS
VELOCITY that matters. Establish 𝒔 = 𝒇(𝒕)
Instantaneous: means at a given
instant in time.
s
The instantaneous velocity is the time-
derivative of the position (function).
𝒔 = 𝒇(𝒕)
𝒅ത𝒔 𝒔ത , a vector, has to be
ഥ=
𝒗 a function of time
𝒅𝒕
Provides 𝑣 = 𝑓(𝑡) t
Evaluate the velocity at the desired 𝑡1 𝑡2
time, 𝑡1 or 𝑡2 . Chapter 12 10
 Acceleration
• Acceleration is the rate of change in the velocity of a particle.
• Acceleration is a vector.
• Typical units are m/s2 or ft/s2.
The (instantaneous) acceleration
𝑣 is the time derivative of velocity.
𝑣 = 𝑓(𝑡) 𝒅ഥ𝒗
ഥ=
𝒂
𝒅𝒕
v has to be a function of time

t Acceleration can be:

- positive (speed increasing)
- negative (speed decreasing
also called deceleration).
Acceleration is always instantaneous, there is no such thing as the
average acceleration. Chapter 12
11
 The Three Kinematic Equations
𝒗 = 𝒅𝒔ൗ𝒅𝒕 𝒂 = 𝒅𝒗ൗ𝒅𝒕
𝒗 = 𝒅𝒔ൗ𝒅𝒕
These two equations for velocity and 𝒂 = 𝒅𝒗ൗ𝒅𝒕
acceleration can be combined to get 𝒂𝒅𝒔 = 𝒗𝒅𝒗
𝑑𝑣 𝑑𝑣 𝒂𝒅𝒔 = 𝒗𝒅𝒗
𝑎= =
𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑠ൗ
𝑣
Depending on what’s given and what needs to be determined,
you may take a derivative or integrate these equations.
For proper integration, like terms must appear on the
same side of the equation.
Important: Acceleration can be given or determined in terms of
Time, t Position, s Velocity, v
The speedometer in your car measures speed, acceleration can be
measured using a device called “accelerometer”.
Chapter 12 12