AE2103 Kinematics and Dynamics

Kinematics of Particles
Week 3
Ref: Engineering Mechanics: Dynamics, R.C. Hibbeler, 14th Ed. Chapter 12
L. Gunawan, Ridanto E. Poetro
Aerospace Engineering - FMAE ITB
2022
 Kinematics of Particles
Week Objectives Study Material
1 To introduce the concepts of position, displacement, Hibbeler Sect 12.1- 12.3,
velocity, and acceleration. 12.4
To study particle motion along a straight line and
represent this motion graphically.
General curvilinear motion
2 To investigate particle motion along a curved path using Hibbeler Sect 12.5-12.8
different coordinate systems: Cartesian, Normal-
tangential, Cylindrical and Polar.
3 To present an analysis of dependent motion of two Hibbeler Sect 12.9,
particles 12.10
To examine the principles of relative motion of two
particles using translating axes.
1.9 Absolute Dependent Motion Analysis of Two Particles
• In some types of problems the motion of one particle will depend on the
corresponding motion of another particle.
• This dependency commonly occurs if the particles, here represented by blocks, are
interconnected by inextensible cords which are wrapped around pulleys

B
 The movement of block A downward along the
inclined plane will cause a corresponding movement
of block B up the other incline.
Mathematically, this can be shown by:
• Specifying the location of A and B using and
• and are related by:

Taking time derivative of this expression:

, : position coordinates of A and B
(1) measured from O (a fixed datum),
(2) with a direction along each inclined
plane, and
(3) has a (+) sense from the fixed datum. Taking time derivative of velocities expressions

: cord total length (constant)

cord length over arc CD (constant).
• The position of block A is specified by , and the position
of the end of the cord from which block B is suspended is
defined by .
• We have chosen and which
(1) have their origin at fixed points or datums,
(2) are measured in the direction of motion of each block,
(3) are (+) to the right for 𝑠 and (+) downward for 𝑠 .
• During the motion, the length of the red colored
segments of the cord remains constant. If represents
the total length of cord minus these segments, then the
position coordinates can be related as follows:

The difference :
1st time derivative yields:
2nd time derivative yields:

When B moves downward (+𝑠 ), A moves to the left (−𝑠 ) with twice the motion.
 Alternative selection of

 In the previous example, is  can also be referred to a lower datum

referred to an upper datum.  Notice the change of direction of (+) .
Procedure for Analysis
Position-Coordinate Equation.
• Establish each position coordinate with an origin located at a fixed point or datum.
• for each of the coordinates, the origin is not necessarily the same;
• each coordinate axis should be directed along the path of motion of the particle.

• Relate the position coordinates to the total length of the cord, 𝑙 , or to that portion of cord, 𝑙,
• use geometry or trigonometry,
• exclude the segments that do not change length as the particles move—such as arc segments wrapped over
pulleys.

• If a problem involves a system of two or more cords wrapped around pulleys, then the position of a point
on one cord must be related to the position of a point on another cord using the above procedure.
Separate equations are written for a fixed length of each cord of the system and the positions of the two
particles are then related by these equations
Time Derivatives.
• Two successive time derivatives of the position-coordinate equations yield the required velocity and
acceleration equations which relate the motions of the particles.
• The signs of the terms in these equations will be consistent with those that specify the positive and
negative sense of the position coordinates.
Cord pulley system using more than 1 cord
• The positions of blocks A and B : 𝑠 and 𝑠 .
• The system has two cords. A third coordinate, 𝑠 , is needed
in order to relate 𝑠 to 𝑠 , since the length of one of the
cords can be expressed in terms of 𝑠 and 𝑠 , and that of
the other cord in terms of 𝑠 and 𝑠 .
• During the motion, the length of the red colored segments
of the cord remains constant. By representing the length of
the cords minus the red colored segments as 𝑙 and 𝑙 , we
have:
𝑠 + 2𝑠 = 𝑙 and 𝑠 + 𝑠 − 𝑠 =𝑙
• 1st time derivative:
𝑣 + 2𝑣 = 0 and 2𝑣 − 𝑣 = 0
By eliminating 𝑣 : 𝑣 = −4𝑣
• 2nd time derivative:
𝑎 = −4𝑎
 • Unlike the previous examples, rope segment DA changes
Cord pulley system with both direction and magnitude.
changing cord direction • The positions of A and C : 𝑥 and 𝑦
(measured from a fixed point and directed along the paths of
motion of A and C, and thus of S )
• 𝑥 and 𝑦 are related since the rope has a fixed length 𝑙 = 30 m:
𝑙 +𝑙 =𝑙
15 + 𝑥 + 15 − 𝑦 = 30
𝑦 = (15 + 𝑥 ) / −15
• Time derivative of position:
𝑑𝑦 𝑑𝑦 𝑑𝑥 1 2𝑥 𝑑𝑥
= =
𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑡 2 (15 + 𝑥 ) / 𝑑𝑡
1 2𝑥
𝑣 =𝑣 = 𝑣
2 (15 + 𝑥 ) /
Even though 𝑣 is constant, 𝑣 changes as position of A
changes
1.10 Relative-Motion of Two Particles Using Translating Axes

In this chapter the absolute motion of a particle has been

determined using a single fixed reference frame.
The path of motion for a particle in many cases is
complicated, and it may be easier to analyze the motion
in parts by using two or more reference frames.
Ex: The motion of a particle at the tip of an airplane
propeller, while the plane is in flight, is more easily
described as: the motion of the airplane (observed from
a fixed reference) + (vectorially) the circular motion of
the particle (observed from the airplane).
In this section translating frames of reference will be
considered for the analysis.
 Position, Velocity, and Acceleration
Consider particles A and B, which move along the
arbitrary paths.
𝑥, 𝑦, 𝑧 ∶ a fixed reference frame with origin O
𝑥′, 𝑦′, 𝑧′ : a 2nd reference frame with its origin
attached to and moves (translation
only) with particle A.
𝒓 , 𝒓 : the absolute position of A and B measured from the
origin O of the fixed x, y, z reference frame.
𝒓 / : the position of B measured relative to A.
Using vector addition, the three vectors can be related as:
𝒓 = 𝒓𝑨 + 𝒓 /
Velocity: time derivative of position
𝒓̇ = 𝒓̇ + 𝒓̇ / or 𝒗 = 𝒗𝑨 + 𝒗 /
Acceleration: time derivative of velocity
/ 𝑨 /
𝒗 , 𝒗 : absolute velocity of A and B
𝒂 , 𝒂 : absolute acceleration of A and B
𝒗 / , 𝒂 / : velocity and acceleration of B as seen by an
observer at A
Procedure for Analysis
When applying the relative velocity and acceleration equations:
• Specify the particle A that is the origin for the translating axes
(usually it has a known velocity or acceleration).
• Each of velocity and acceleration vector equation forms a triangle:
 There can be at most two unknowns, represented by the magnitudes
and/or directions of the vector quantities.
 These unknowns can be solved by using
̶ Vector analysis: Graphically, using trigonometry (law of sines, law of cosines), or
̶ Scalar analysis: resolving each of the three vectors into rectangular or Cartesian
components.
Exp: Relative velocity between to aircrafts
Exp: Relative acceleration Aircrat B has normal acceleration due to its curved flight path.