PHYSICS FOR

ENGINEERS
3B-RELATIVE MOTION
Relative Velocity
Whenever the velocity of a body is specified, actually it is based on
referred to a frame of reference. For example, when we speak of the
velocity of a car as 20 kph, it means that this is the velocity of the
car referred to or relative to the ground which is considered not to
be moving (inertial frame of reference).
The velocity of the car, however, may be different if it is referred to
another moving body like perhaps a second car moving at some
other velocity in another direction.

3B-RELATIVE MOTION
Relative Velocity
Relative velocity means the velocity of one body with respect to
another moving body. It is usually specified with the subscripts like
for example 𝑣1/2 can mean the velocity of a body 1 relative to body
2 or body 2 relative to body 1 depending on the convention.

3B-RELATIVE MOTION
Relative Velocity
In many instances, a third body would be involved. For example, we
can be computing for the velocity of a boat relative to the ground
(𝑣𝑏/𝑔 ) given the velocity of the boat relative to the River (𝑣𝑏/𝑟 ) and
the velocity of the river with respect to the ground (𝑣𝑟/𝑔 ) in which
case the relation will be in form:
𝑣𝑏/𝑔 = 𝑣𝑏/𝑟 + 𝑣𝑟/𝑔
Note: For easier recall, you can view its subscripts
as multiplication (for +) and division (for −):
𝑏 𝑏 𝑟
Since 𝑔 = so 𝑣𝑏/𝑔 = 𝑣𝑏/𝑟 + 𝑣𝑟/𝑔
𝑟 𝑔
𝑔 1
Since 𝑏 = 𝑏 𝑟 so 𝑣𝑏/𝑔 = −𝑣𝑏/𝑟 − 𝑣𝑟/𝑔 = 𝑣𝑟/𝑏 + 𝑣𝑔/𝑟
𝑟 𝑔

3B-RELATIVE MOTION
Example 3.5
In an airport terminal, the moving pathway travels 1.00 m/s relative
to the ground. A man walking on the moving pathway travels in the
direction of pathway motion with a velocity of 3.00 m/s relative to
the moving pathway. What is the velocity of the man relative to the
ground?

3B-RELATIVE MOTION
Example 3.5
Given/unknown: 𝑣𝑝/𝑔 = 1.00 m/s, 𝑣𝑚/𝑝 = 3.00 m/s, 𝑣𝑚/𝑔 = ?
𝑣𝑚/𝑔 = 𝑣𝑝/𝑔 + 𝑣𝑚/𝑝
𝑣𝑚/𝑔 = 1 + 3 = 4.00 m/s

3B-RELATIVE MOTION
Example 3.6
A river is flowing due North at 8.00 m/s relative to the ground. A
boat moves due South at 3.00 m/s relative to the water. A man walks
in the boat towards North at 2.00 m/s relative to the boat. Find the
following:
1. The velocity of the boat relative to the ground
2. The velocity of man relative to the ground
3. The velocity of man relative to water

3B-RELATIVE MOTION
Example 3.6
Given: 𝑣𝑟/𝑔 = 8.00 m/s, 𝑣𝑏/𝑟 = −3.00 m/s, 𝑣𝑚/𝑏 = 2.00 m/s
1. The velocity of the boat relative to the ground, 𝑣𝑏/𝑔 = ?
𝑣𝑏/𝑔 = 𝑣𝑏/𝑟 + 𝑣𝑟/𝑔
𝑣𝑏/𝑔 = −3 + 8
𝑣𝑏/𝑔 = +5.00 m/s = 5.00 m/s 𝑁

3B-RELATIVE MOTION
Example 3.6
Given: 𝑣𝑟/𝑔 = 8.00 m/s, 𝑣𝑏/𝑟 = −3.00 m/s, 𝑣𝑚/𝑏 = 2.00 m/s
2. The velocity of man relative to the ground, 𝑣𝑚/𝑔 = ?
𝑣𝑚/𝑔 = 𝑣𝑚/𝑏 + 𝑣𝑏/𝑟 + 𝑣𝑟/𝑔
𝑣𝑚/𝑔 = 2 − 3 + 8
𝑣𝑚/𝑔 = +7.00 m/s = 7.00 m/s 𝑁

3B-RELATIVE MOTION
Example 3.6
Given: 𝑣𝑟/𝑔 = 8.00 m/s, 𝑣𝑏/𝑟 = −3.00 m/s, 𝑣𝑚/𝑏 = 2.00 m/s
3. The velocity of man relative to water, 𝑣𝑚/𝑟 = ?
𝑣𝑚/𝑟 = 𝑣𝑚/𝑏 + 𝑣𝑏/𝑟
𝑣𝑚/𝑟 = 2 − 3
𝑣𝑚/𝑟 = −1.00 m/s = 1.00 m/s 𝑆

3B-RELATIVE MOTION
Example 3.7
A river is flowing at 10.0 m/s due E with respect to the ground. A
boat crosses the river with a velocity of 20.0 m/s due N with respect
to the river.
1. What is the velocity of the boat with respect to the ground?
2. If the river is 500.0 meters wide, how many seconds must elapse for the
boat to cross the river?
3. If the boat will have to reach directly North in the far bank, at what angle
would the boat be headed?
4. What would be the velocity of the boat relative to the ground, if the boat
will have to land directly North where it started?

3B-RELATIVE MOTION
Example 3.7
Given: 𝑣𝑟/𝑔 = 10.0 m/s 𝐸 = 10.0 m/s 𝑖Ƹ (set east as the +𝑥-axis)
𝑣𝑏/𝑟 = 20.0 m/s 𝑁 = 20.0 m/s 𝑗Ƹ (set north as the +𝑦-axis)
1. What is the velocity of the boat with respect to the ground, 𝑣𝑏/𝑔 ?
𝑣𝑏/𝑔 = 𝑣𝑏/𝑟 + 𝑣𝑟/𝑔
𝑣𝑏/𝑔 = 20𝑗Ƹ + 10𝑖Ƹ
|𝑣𝑏/𝑔 | = 202 + 102 = 22.4 m/s
−1
20
𝜃 = tan = 63.43°
10
𝑣𝑏/𝑔 = 22.4 m/s, 63.43° 𝑁 of 𝐸

3B-RELATIVE MOTION
Example 3.7
Given: 𝑣𝑟/𝑔 = 10.0 m/s 𝐸 = 10.0 m/s 𝑖Ƹ (set east as the +𝑥-axis)
𝑣𝑏/𝑟 = 20.0 m/s 𝑁 = 20.0 m/s 𝑗Ƹ (set north as the +𝑦-axis)
2. If the river is 500.0 meters wide, how many seconds must elapse for
the boat to cross the river?
Given/unknown: 𝑦 = 500.0 m, 𝑦0 = 0 (boat starts at the bottom)
𝑣0 = 𝑣𝑏/𝑔 = 20𝑗Ƹ + 10𝑖Ƹ m/s (from item 1), 𝑎𝑦 = 0, 𝑡 = ?
Note: all computations here will be relative to the ground.
𝑣0,𝑦 = 20 m/s (𝑦-component is the coefficient of 𝑗)Ƹ
1
𝑦 = 𝑦0 + 𝑣0,𝑦 𝑡 + 𝑎𝑦 𝑡 2
2
500 = 0 + 20𝑡 + 0
𝑡 = 25.0 s

3B-RELATIVE MOTION
Example 3.7
Given: 𝑣𝑟/𝑔 = 10.0 m/s 𝐸 = 10.0 m/s 𝑖Ƹ (set east as the +𝑥-axis)
𝑣𝑏/𝑟 = 20.0 m/s (direction is to be replaced)
3. If the boat will have to reach directly North in the far bank, at
what angle would the boat be headed?
Given/unknown: 𝑣𝑏/𝑔,𝑥 = 0 (to reach directly North, the boat must not
move along 𝑥 relative to the ground), 𝜃 = ?
𝑣𝑏/𝑔,𝑥 = 𝑣𝑏/𝑟,𝑥 + 𝑣𝑟/𝑔,𝑥
0 = 20.0 cos 𝜃 + 10
𝜃 = 120.00°
𝑣𝑏/𝑟 = 20.0 m/s, 𝜃 = 120.00°
The boat should head at 60.00° 𝑁 of 𝑊 relative to the river.

3B-RELATIVE MOTION
Example 3.7
Given: 𝑣𝑟/𝑔 = 10.0 m/s 𝐸 = 10.0 m/s 𝑖Ƹ (set east as the +𝑥-axis)
𝑣𝑏/𝑟 = 20.0 m/s
4. What would be the velocity of the boat relative to the ground, if the
boat will have to land directly North where it started?
Given/unknown: 𝑣𝑏/𝑟 = 20.0 m/s, 𝜃 = 120.00°, 𝑣𝑏/𝑔 =?
𝑣𝑏/𝑟 = (𝑣𝑏/𝑟 cos 𝜃 𝑖Ƹ + 𝑣𝑏/𝑟 sin 𝜃 𝑗)Ƹ m/s
𝑣𝑏/𝑟 = (−10.00𝑖Ƹ + 17.32𝑗)Ƹ m/s
𝑣𝑏/𝑔 = 𝑣𝑏/𝑟 + 𝑣𝑟/𝑔
𝑣𝑏/𝑔 = −10.00𝑖Ƹ + 17.32𝑗Ƹ + 10.00𝑖Ƹ
𝑣𝑏/𝑔 = 17.32𝑗Ƹ
𝑣𝑏/𝑔 = 17.3 m/s 𝑁

3B-RELATIVE MOTION