Western Institute of Technology TOPIC 2

College of Engineering
Civil Engineering Department
MechE2: Dynamics of Rigid Body
Instructor: Engr. Narbie Joy L. Paclibar
Sample Problems:
TOPIC 2: RECTILINEAR TRANSLATION 1. If a particle has an initial velocity of 12ft/s to the right, at zero
initial position, determine its position when t=10s if a=2ft/sec 2 to
the left.
Notations
2. On a certain stretch of track, trains run at 60mph. How far
a=acceleration
back of a stopped train should a warning torpedo be placed to
s=displacement signal an oncoming train? Assume that brakes are applied at
once and retard the train at the uniform rate of 2ft per sec 2.
𝑡𝑜 = 𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑙 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒
3. A ship being launched slides down the ways with a constant
𝑡𝑜 = 𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒 acceleration. She takes 8 seconds to slide the first foot. How
𝑣𝑜 = 𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑙 𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦 long will she take to slide down the ways if their length is 625
ft?
𝑣 = 𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦
4. Two cars A and B have a velocity of 60mph in the same
Translation direction. A is 250ft behind B when the are brakes are applied
to car B, causing it to decelerate at the constant rate of 10ft per
-is defined as the motion of a rigid body in which a
sec2. In what time will A overtake B, and how far will each car
straight line passing through any of two of its particles always
have travelled?
remain parallel to its initial position.
Free falling Bodies
Free fall is a common kind of motion which everybody can
observe in daily life. If we drop something accidentally, we can
see its motion. In the beginning, it will have low speed and until
the end, it gains speed and before the collision, its reaches its
maximum speed. Many factors are there to affect the speed of
the object while it is in free fall.

Figure 10-1: Translation of a rigid body

Fig. 10-1 represent a translating body at any instant. A straight
line has been drawn through two particles A and B. The
position of the body at a later instant shown by the dashed
outline A’ B’ passing through the same particles is parallel to its
initial position. Also, since the body is assumed to be rigid, the
distance separating the particles remains constant and the
particle have no motion relative to each other.
Rectilinear Translation with Constant Acceleration.
- The motion of translating body moving in a straight
line.

Fig 10-3- Initial direction of motion determines positive

directions of displacement, velocity, and acceleration.
Constant Acceleration

Constant Acceleration Eq 1 𝒗 = 𝒗𝒐 + 𝒈𝒕

Eq 1 𝒗 = 𝒗𝒐 + 𝒂𝒕 𝟏
Eq 2 𝑺 = 𝒗𝒐 𝒕 + 𝒈𝒕𝟐
𝟐

𝟏
Eq 2 𝑺 = 𝒗𝒐 𝒕 + 𝒂𝒕𝟐
𝟐 Eq 3 𝒗𝟐 = 𝒗𝒐 𝟐 + 𝟐𝒈𝒔

Where g is acceleration due to gravity, 𝒈 = 𝟗. 𝟖𝟏𝒎/𝒔𝟐 or

Eq 3 𝒗𝟐 = 𝒗𝒐 𝟐 + 𝟐𝒂𝒔
𝒈 = 𝟑𝟐. 𝟐𝒇𝒕/𝒔𝟐

Reference: Singer, Ferdinand L. Engineering Mechanics.1954.

Western Institute of Technology TOPIC 2
College of Engineering
Civil Engineering Department
MechE2: Dynamics of Rigid Body
Instructor: Engr. Narbie Joy L. Paclibar

Example Problem: Example Problem:

1. A stone projected vertically upward from the top of a 150m A rope of length L connects the wheel A and the weight B by
high tower at a velocity of 34 m/s. passing over a pulley of negligible size at C as shown in figure.
At the instant when 𝑥 = 9 𝑓𝑡., the center of wheel A has a
a. Determine the maximum height attained by the
velocity 𝑣𝐴 = 10 𝑓𝑡/𝑠 and an acceleration 𝑎𝐴 = 4 𝑓𝑡/𝑠2 ,
stone measured from the ground.
both rightward. What is then the velocity and acceleration of B?
b. how long will it take the stone to reach the top?
c. how long will it take the stone to reach the ground?
d. What velocity will it hit the ground?
2. A stone is thrown vertically into the air from a tower 100ft
high at the same instant that a second stone is thrown upward
from the ground. The initial velocity of the first stone is 50 ft per
sec and that of the second stone is 75 ft per sec. When and
where will the stones be at the same height.
3. A stone is dropped down a well and 5 seconds later the
sound of the flash is heard. If the velocity of the sound is 1120
ft per second, what is the depth of the well.
Rectilinear Translation with Variable Acceleration.
Variable Acceleration

𝒅𝒔
Eq 4 𝒗=
𝒅𝒕

𝒅𝒗
Eq 5 𝒂=
𝒅𝒕

Eq 6 𝒗𝒅𝒗 = 𝒂𝒅𝒔

Case I: The displacement is given in terms of the time;

i.e.,s=f(t), to find v and a.
Example:
Determine the velocity and acceleration of a body after 3
seconds, if the motion is defined by the relation 𝑠 = 5𝑡 + 4𝑡 2

s being in feet and t is in seconds.

Case II: The acceleration is expressed in terms of the time,
i.e., 𝑎 = 𝑓(𝑡), to find v and s.
Example:
Determine the velocity and displacement of a body after 2
seconds, if the motion is defined by the relation 𝑎 = 2𝑡, 𝑎
being in feet per second2 and t is in seconds, and if it is known
that 𝑠 = 4𝑓𝑡 and 𝑣 = 2 𝑓𝑡 𝑝𝑒𝑟 𝑠𝑒𝑐 when 𝑡 = 1 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑑.
Case III: The velocity is given in terms of the time; i.e
𝑣 = 𝑓(𝑡), to find 𝑎 and 𝑠.
Other Cases:
Case IV: One of the principal variables is expressed in terms
of an adjacent ; i.e., 𝑎 = 𝑓(𝑣) or 𝑣 = 𝑓(𝑠).
Case V: The given variables are not adjacent; i.e., 𝑎 = 𝑓(𝑠)

Reference: Singer, Ferdinand L. Engineering Mechanics.1954.