What is Motion & its Parameters ?

Motion - An object is said to be in motion, if it changes its position with

the passage of time.

There are 5 basic parameters which are necessary to study a Motion.

➔ Distance
➔ Displacement
➔ Speed
➔ Velocity
➔ Acceleration
Distance ≥ Displacement
Distance
The actual length of the path, described by the particle

➔ A scalar quantity.
➔ Dimension of distance [M0L1T0]
➔ SI Unit of distance is m
 Displacement
The minimum distance between initial and final position of a particle.
(Shortest Distance between 2 points)
➔ A vector quantity.
➔ Dimension of displacement [M0L1T0].
➔ SI Unit of distance is m
Difference between Distance & Displacement

1. Total length of path 1. Shortest distance between

covered by a body initial & final position

2. Scalar quantity 2. Vector quantity

3. For a closed path, 3. For a closed path,

distance travelled is displacement is zero
non-zero
A farmer has to go 500 m due North, 400 m due East & 200 m due South
to reach his field
I. What distance he has to walk to reach the field?
II. What is the displacement from his house to the field?
 A farmer has to go 500 m due North, 400 m due East & 200 m due South
to reach his field
I. W hat distance he has to walk to reach the field?
II. What is the displacement from his house to the field?

Solution: Distance = AB + BC+ CD B C

400 200
= (500 + 400 + 200)
= 1100 m E
500 D
N Distance: 1100m

W E
A

S
 A farmer has to go 500 m due North, 400 m due East & 200 m due South
to reach his field
I. W hat distance he has to walk to reach the field?
II. What is the displacement from his house to the field?

B C
Solution:
∴Displacement, AD = √AE 2 + E D 2 400 200
N 200
=
√ (300)2 + (400) 2 E 400
W E
= 500 m 300 D
S ∴ Displacement: A
500 m, 53 0 east of north
Distance & Displacement of particle when it changes its direction of motion ?
Distance & Displacement of particle when it changes its direction of
motion ?
S1
Displacement
→ → →
S = S1 + S 2 O

Displacement S2
This can be applied for n number of
changes in direction, the net displacement
vector s u m of all the displacement.

→ → → → →
S = S1 + S 2 + S 3 + ... + Sn
Distance & Displacement of particle when it changes its direction of
motion ?
Let us discuss distance travelling the same case
S1
The net distance
→ →
⎪ S1 ⎪ + ⎪ S 2 ⎪ O
S2
This can be applied for n number of
changes in direction, the net
distance travelled is equal to the
addition of magnitude of all the
displacements.
→ → → → →
S = S1 + S 2 + S 3 + . . . + S n
A particles moves from origin to (10, 0) and then comes back 2 m
towards the origin. Find the displacement of the particle.

A. 6 î m
B.7 î m
C. 8 î m

D. 9 î m
 A particles moves from origin to (10, 0) and then comes back 2 m
towards the origin. Find the displacement of the particle.

Solution: Since the displacement 2m is in – v e x direction

Distance = 10 +2 = 12 m
Y
Displacement =
10 m

O X
B A
2m
 Speed & Velocity
100 m/s 100 m/s

Speed : 100 m/s Speed : 100 m/s

Velocity : 100 m/s (WEST) Velocity : 100 m/s (EAST)
or or
- 100 ^i +100 ^i
 Average Speed
The ratio of distance covered by a particle and time is called Average Speed
Place A

Place B

total distance
vavg = time
Speed is a scalar quantity
In M.K.S. = m/sec
In C.G.S. = cm/sec
Dimension [M 0 LT -1 ]
 Instantaneous Speed
When the speed of an object is constantly changing, the instantaneous
speed is the speed of an object at a particular moment (instant) in time.
Place A

dx Place B
vinst =
dt
Speed is a scalar quantity
In M.K.S. = m/sec
In C.G.S.= cm/sec
Dimension [M 0 LT -1 ]
Average Velocity
It is the ratio of total displacement to the total time taken.

Place A
Place B
x 1 , t1

x2 , Ğ2

=
t 2 – t1

= Δt
What will be Velocity of a particle when it REVERSES its direction of motion ?
For a particle constrained to move in a straight line, it can only change its direction of
motion opposite to the original direction of motion.
If a body (particle) REVERSES direction of motion, at a point its velocity at that point
must be ZERO.
v=0
H max

When you throw a ball up, when it

reaches the highest point, it
changes its direction of motion and
starts coming down
 A particle goes from point A to B on a semi circle of radius 1 m in 1 sec.
I. The average speed
II. The magnitude of average velocity. A
A. π m/s, 2 m/s
B. 2π m/s, 4 m/s
C. π/ 2 m/s, 1 m/s
D. 2 m/s, 2 m/s
O

B
 A particle goes from point A to B on a semi circle of radius 1 m in 1 sec.
I. The average speed
II. The magnitude of average velocity.
A
Solution: Total distance
I. Average speed =
Total time
O
πr
= = 3.142 m/s
1
B
 A particle goes from point A to B on a semi circle of radius 1 m in 1 sec.
I. The average speed
II. The magnitude of average velocity.
Total displacement
Solution: II. Average velocity =
Total time
2R = 2 m/s A
=
1

B
Solution: In case of uniform circular motion speed remains
constant while velocity changes.

Hence, it is possible to have

dv = 0 while dv
≠0
dt dt
A car covers 30 km in 2 hrs and next 40 km at 20 km/h. Find the average
sp eed in the entire journey.
A. 15 km/h
B. 17.5 km/h
C. 20 km/h
D. 22.5 km/h
 A car covers 30 km in 2 hrs and next 40 km at 20 km/h.
I. Find the average speed in the entire journey.

30 km 40 km
Solution: Total Distance Travelled
∵ Avg speed = Total Time A 2 hrs C 20 km/h B

30 + 40 d 40
= tCB = = 20 = 2 hrs
+ t CB v
t AC
= 30 + 40
2 + t CB
70
= = 17.5 km/h
4
If a particles travels n equal distances with speeds v1, v2,……., vn
Then average speed of the particle will be?
If a particles travels n equal distances with speeds v1, v2,……., v n
Then average speed of the particle will be?
 A particle travels half the distance with a velocity v 0 .The remaining part
of distance was travelled with velocity v1 for half the time and with
velocity v 2 for the other half of time.
Find the average velocity of the particle for complete motion.

Solution: S s1 S2
vavg = v0 v2
t AB + t BC A B v1 C
S S
= S/2 S/2
2 v 0 ĞAB

= S
ĞAB 2v 0
 A particle travels half the distance with a velocity v 0 .The remaining part
of distance was travelled with velocity v1 for half the time and with
velocity v2 for the other half of time.
Find the average velocity of the particle for complete motion.

s1 S2
Solution:
S 1 = v1t BC v0 B v1 v2
A C
S 2
t BC S/2 S S/2
vavg = tAB + t BC S 2= v2
2
S S 1 + S 2 = (v1 + v2) tBC
ĞAB = 2
2v 0 (v1 + v 2)
S = tBC
2
2
⇒ = S
t BC v1 + v2
 A particle travels half the distance with a velocity v 0 .The remaining
part of distance was travelled with velocity v1 for half the time and
with velocity v2 for the other half of time. Find the average velocity of
the particle for complete motion.
s1 S2
S S v0 B v1 v2
Solution: v avg =
vavg = A C
S + S
t AB + t BC S/2 S S/2
2v 0 v1 + v2
S
⇒ t
AB =
2v 0 2v0(v1 + v2)
v avg = v + v + 2v
1 2 0
⇒ = S
t BC v1 + v2
Average Acceleration
It is defined as the ratio of the change in velocity to the time interval.

Place C
 Average Acceleration

Then,
change in velocity
Average Acceleration = time interval

=
t2 – t1 Δt
Instantaneous Acceleration
It is the Rate of change of velocity

➔ A vector quantity
➔ Unit is m/s 2 in SI system

v 1 t1 v 2 t2
0 1m/s 2m/ 3m/ 4m/s 5m/ 6m/ 7m/ 8m/ 9m/ 10m/ 11m/ 12m/s

s s s s s s s s s
Instantaneous Acceleration

= x
dt dt dt ds

= x
dt ds

v
ds
What does dv and d|v| represent?
dt dt
 What does dv and d|v| represent?
dt dt

Solution: dv
represents magnitude of acceleration
dt

d |v|
represents the rate of change of speed
dt