General Physics I

Ch. 3: Motion in Two or Three Dimensions

Ahmed Yousef

Email: yousef@jbnu.ac.kr
Position and Velocity Vectors

The Cartesian coordinates x, y, and z of point P are the x-, y-, and z-
components of vector 𝒓. Using the unit vectors we can write;
𝑟Ԧ = 𝑥 𝑖Ƹ + 𝑦𝑗Ƹ + 𝑧𝑘෠

During a time interval ∆𝑡 the particle moves from P1, where its position
vector is 𝒓𝟏 , to P2, where its position vector is 𝒓𝟐 .

We define the average velocity;

∆𝑟Ԧ 𝑟Ԧ2 − 𝑟Ԧ1

𝑣Ԧ𝑎𝑣 = =
∆𝑡 𝑡2 − 𝑡1
∆𝑟Ԧ = 𝑟Ԧ2 − 𝑟Ԧ1 = 𝑥2 − 𝑥1 𝑖Ƹ + 𝑦2 − 𝑦1 𝑗Ƹ + 𝑧2 − 𝑧1 𝑘෠

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Position and Velocity Vectors

We now define instantaneous velocity;

∆𝑟Ԧ 𝑑 𝑟Ԧ
𝑣Ԧ = lim =
∆𝑡→0 ∆𝑡 𝑑𝑡

Where,

𝑣Ԧ = 𝑣𝑥 𝑖Ƹ + 𝑣𝑦 𝑗Ƹ + 𝑣𝑧 𝑘෠

𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑦 𝑑𝑧
𝑣𝑥 = , 𝑣𝑦 = , 𝑣𝑧 =
𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡

𝑑𝑟Ԧ 𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑦 𝑑𝑧
𝑣Ԧ = = 𝑖Ƹ + 𝑗Ƹ + 𝑘,෠ 𝑣Ԧ = 𝑣 = 𝑣𝑥2 + 𝑣𝑦2 + 𝑣𝑧2
𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡

In case od xy-plane;

𝑣𝑦
𝑣= 𝑣𝑥2 + 𝑣𝑦2 , 𝑡𝑎𝑛 𝛼 =
𝑣𝑥
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The Acceleration Vector
The average acceleration 𝑎Ԧ𝑎𝑣 of the car during a time interval is the velocity change divided by the time
interval 𝑡2 − 𝑡1 = ∆𝑡:

∆𝑣Ԧ 𝑣Ԧ2 − 𝑣Ԧ1

𝑎Ԧ𝑎𝑣 = =
∆𝑡 𝑡2 − 𝑡1

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The Acceleration Vector
we define the instantaneous acceleration 𝒂 at point P1 as the limit
of the average acceleration vector when point P2 approaches point
P1, so both ∆𝑣Ԧ and ∆𝑡 approach zero:

∆𝑣Ԧ 𝑑 𝑣Ԧ
𝑎Ԧ = lim =
∆𝑡→0 ∆𝑡 𝑑𝑡

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The Acceleration Vector
From now on, we’ll use the term “acceleration” to mean the
instantaneous acceleration vector 𝒂.

the acceleration vector:

𝑎Ԧ = 𝑎𝑥 𝑖Ƹ + 𝑎𝑦 𝑗Ƹ + 𝑎𝑧 𝑘෠

𝑑𝑣𝑥 𝑑𝑣𝑦 𝑑𝑣𝑧

𝑎𝑥 = , 𝑎𝑦 = , 𝑎𝑧 =
𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡

In terms of unit vectors,

𝑑𝑣Ԧ 𝑑𝑣𝑥 𝑑𝑣𝑦 𝑑𝑣𝑧

𝑎𝑥 = = 𝑖Ƹ + 𝑗Ƹ + 𝑘෠
𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡

𝑑2 𝑥 𝑑2 𝑦 𝑑2 𝑧
𝑎𝑥 = 2 , 𝑎𝑦 = 2 , 𝑎𝑧 = 2
𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡
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 Example:
A robotic vehicle, or rover, is exploring the surface of Mars. The stationary Mars lander is
the origin of the coordinates, and the surrounding Martian surface lies in the xy-plane. The
rover, which we represent as a point, has x- and y-coordinates that vary with time:
𝑥 = 2.0 𝑚 − 0.25 𝑚Τ𝑠 2 𝑡 2
𝑦 = 1.0 𝑚/𝑠 𝑡 + 0.25 𝑚Τ𝑠 3 𝑡 3

(a) Find the rover’s coordinates and distance from the lander at t = 2.0 s.

(b) Find the rover’s displacement and average velocity vectors for the interval t = 0.0 s to
t = 2.0 s.

(c) Find a general expression for the rover’s instantaneous velocity vector 𝒗. Express 𝒗
at t = 2.0 s in component form and in terms of magnitude and direction.

(d) Find the components of the average acceleration for the interval t = 0.0 s to t = 2.0 s.

(e) Find the instantaneous acceleration at t = 2.0 s.

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Parallel and Perpendicular
Components of Acceleration
The parallel component 𝑎║tells us about changes in the
particle’s speed, while the perpendicular component 𝑎┴
tells us about changes in the particle’s direction of motion.

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 Example:

A skier moves along a ski-jump ramp. The ramp is

straight from point A to point C and curved from
point C onward. The skier speeds up as she moves
downhill from point A to point E, where her speed
is maximum. She slows down after passing point E.
Draw the direction of the acceleration vector at
each of the points B, D, E, and F.