MAE 2600 (FS2007) Ch.

12 Kinematics of a Particle Section 12B-4 Page 1/ 2

Ch. 12 Kinematics of a Particle

Section 12B-1: 12.7 Section 12B-2: 12.8
Section 12B-3: 12.9 Section 12B-4: 12.10

Class Note for Section 12B-4:

12.10 Relative Motion of Two Particles

rB = rA + rB/A
rB , rA absolute position vector
rB/A relative position vector of B with respect to A

vB = vA + vB/A
vB , vA absolute velocity
vB/A relative velocity of B with respect to A

aB = aA + aB/A
aB , aA absolute acceleration
aB/A relative acceleration of B with respect to A

Example Problems for Section 12B-4:

EP1. At the instant shown, car A has a speed of

10 km/h, which is being increased at the rate of
1500 km/h2 as the car enters an expressway.
At the same instant, car B is decelerating at
2000 km/h2 while traveling forward at 60 km/h.
Determine the velocity and acceleration
(magnitude and direction) of car B with respect to
car A.

vA = - 10 j vB = 60 j
vB/A = vB - vA = 60 j - (- 10 j) = 70 j = 70 km/h ↑ Ans.

(aA)t = 1500 → (aA)t = - 1500 j km/h2

(aA)n = vA2 /ρ = (10)2 /(0.1) = 1000 → (aA )n = - 1000 i km/h2

aA = (aA)t + (aA)n = - 1000 i - 1500 j

aB = - 2000 j
aB/A = aB - aA = - 2000 j - (- 1000 i - 1500 j) = 1000 i - 500 j

aB/A = [(1000)2 + (- 500)2 ]1/2 = 1118 km/h2 Ans.

θ = tan-1 (500/1000) = 26.6° Ans.
MAE 2600 (FS2007) Ch. 12 Kinematics of a Particle Section 12B-4 Page 2/ 2

Example Problems for Section 12B-4:

EP2. At the instant shown, cars A and B are traveling at speeds of 30 mi/h and 20 mi/h,
respectively. If B is increasing its speed by 1200 mi/h2 , while A maintains a constant speed,
determine the velocity and acceleration of B with respect to A.

vA = - 30 i
vB = - 20 sin30° i + 20 cos30° j
= -10 i + 17.32 j

vB/A = vB - vA
= -10 i + 17.32 j + 30 i
= 20 i + 17.32 j

vB/A = [202 + (17.32)2 ]1/2 = 26.5 mi/h Ans.

θ = tan-1 (17.32/20) = 40.9° Ans.

(aB)t = 1200 mi/h2

(aB)t = -1200 sin 30° i + 1200 cos 30° j

(aB)n = vB2 /ρ = (20)2 /(0.3) = 1333.3 mi/h2

(aB)n = 1333.3 cos 30° i + 1333.3 sin 30° j

aB = (aA)t + (aA)n
= -1200 sin 30° i + 1200 cos 30° j
+ 1333.3 cos 30° i + 1333.3 sin 30° j
= 554.7 i + 1705.9 j

aA = 0

aB/A = aB - aA = (554.7 i + 1705.9 j) mi/h2

aB/A = [(554.7)2 + (1705.9)2 ]1/2 = 1790 mi/h2 Ans.

θ = tan-1 (1705.9/554.7) = 72.0° Ans.

Homework #7 (Section 12B-4)