Kinematics – part 2

Unit 1 – Topic 1 (mechanics)

 Learning Objectives
Specification point: (1) be able to use the equations for uniformly accelerated motion in one dimension

To be able to:
• Understand how to use SUVAT equations to competently complete all acceleration questions

Success criteria

Successfully……………..

 B/C – to be able to perform complex calculations and derive the equations

 C/D – to be able to select the correct equation to solve problems and perform simple
calculations

 D/E – to be able to identify the known and unknow values in the problem.
 Introduction

• The SUVAT equations are otherwise known as the constant acceleration equations.

• The SUVAT equations are called this because of the letters that they use to represent terms

• A note about symbols: from now on we will use a consistent set of symbols for the quantities. The table
gives the list.

• The derivation of the equations of uniformly accelerated motion begins from a simple graph of speed
against time for a constant acceleration from velocity u to velocity v in a time t.

Letter What it stands for

Remember!
These equations only apply if
the acceleration is uniform. In
other words, acceleration must
not change during the motion.
s Displacement (m)
u Initial velocity (m/s)
v Final velocity (m/s)
a Acceleration (m/s²)
t Time (s)
 Using the equations

• Write down s, u , v, a, t and fill in the quantities you know, and put a question mark beside the
quantity you are looking for

• Draw a diagram if you have to

• Identify 3 things you know and 1 thing you don’t

• Write down the equations.

• Decide which of the equations has only one unknown in it.

• Substitute in the known values into the equation and solve to find the unknown.
 First equation of motion
Deriving v = u + at

• v = u + at is the MOST important

• The other equations can be derived from v = u + at

• The acceleration is the gradient of the graph:

v
𝑐h𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒𝑖𝑛𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑒𝑑
𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒𝑡𝑎𝑘𝑒𝑛 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑐h𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒
Velocity
Gradient is a
• The change in speed is v – u, the time taken is t.
u Therefore,
a=
t
and re arranging gives:

Time
First equation of motion v = u + at
 Second equation of motion
Deriving s = ut + ½ a

v
Velocity

u Area is s
• Displacement s is the area under the graph

Time

• We can work out s by adding the two areas v

under the graph

•
Velocity ½ (v – u) t
s = ut + ½ (v – u) t

•
u
substitute v-u = at
ut
• s = ut + ½ (at) t
giving us;
Time
Second equation of motion s = ut + ½ at2
 Equations of motion

The first equation has no s in it; the second has no v. There are two more equations, one
with a missing t and one with a missing a.

Here are the two equations we have derived so far:

o v= u + at (no s)

o s = ut + ½ a(no v)
 Third equation of motion
Deriving

• Start with s = ut + ½at2 • s = ut + ½vt – ½ut

• Substitute a = (v – u)/t Third equation of motion s = ½(v + u)t

• s = ut + ½ ((v – u)/t )t2

• t cancels out

• s = ut + ½(v – u)t

• Get rid of brackets

 Fourth equation of motion
Deriving = + 2as

To eliminate t from the first and second equations, re arrange the first in terms of t:

• Start with s = ½(v + u)t

• Multiply v and u in brackets
• s = ½(v + u)t
• 2as = v2 - vu + vu - u2
• Substitute t = (v – u)/a
• 2as = v2 - u2
• s = ½(v + u)(v – u)/a
Rearrange;
• Multiply by 2 and a Fourth equation of motion v2 = u2 + 2as
• 2as = (v + u)(v – u)
 Equations of motion

Here are the four equations we have derived:

o v= u + at (no s)
Note:
The three equations highlighted in red are
o s = ½ (u + v)t (no a) given in the formula sheet, and are usually the
ones to be used to solve questions from the
syllabus.
o v2 = u2 + 2as (no t)

o s = ut + ½ at2 (no v)
Worked example

Formula sheet:

o v= u + at

o v2 = u2 + 2as

o s = ut + ½ at2
Worked example
Worked example
 Worked example

A car accelerates uniformly from rest and after 12 seconds has covered 40m. What are
its acceleration and its final velocity?

• 0.55 m

• 6.67 m

Formula sheet:

o v= u + at

o v2 = u2 + 2as

o s = ut + ½ at2
 Worked example

A particle is accelerated from 1m/s to 5m/s over a distance of 15m. Find the acceleration
and the time taken.

• 5 secs

• 0.8 m

Formula sheet:

o v= u + at

o v2 = u2 + 2as

o s = ut + ½ at2
Worked example

Formula sheet:

o v= u + at

o v2 = u2 + 2as

o s = ut + ½ at2
Worked example
 Practice

1. A train is uniformly retarded from 35m/s to 21m/s over a distance of 350m. Calculate the retardation and the
time taken to come to rest from the 35m/s.
 
2. A particle moves with uniform acceleration 0.5m/s2 in a horizontal line ABC. The speed of the particle at C is
80m/s and the times taken from A to B and from B to C are 40 and 30 seconds respectively. Calculate
(a) Speed at A
(b) Distance BC Formula sheet:
 
3. Initial velocity 5m/s, final velocity 36km/hr, acceleration 1.25m/s/s. Distance? o v= u + at
 
4. A car accelerates from rest with acceleration 0.8m/s 2 for 5 seconds. Find the final velocity o v2 = u2 + 2as
 
5. A train starts from rest and accelerates uniformly at 1.5m/s 2 until it attains a speed o s = ut + ½ at2
of 30m/s. Find the time taken and the distance travelled.
 
6. A train travels along a straight piece of track between 2 stations A and B. The train starts from rest at A and
accelerates at 1.25m/s2 until it reaches a speed of 20m/s. It then travels at this speed for a distance of 1560m and
then decelerates at 2m/s2 to come to rest at B. Find
(a) Distance from A to B
(b) Total time taken for the journey
(c) Average speed for the journey
 Practice

• A cyclist is travelling at 7m/s, then accelerates at 2.5m/s/s for 15 seconds. How far
did they travel during this time?
• What was the final velocity of a rocket which accelerated from 20m/s with an
acceleration of 15m/s/s over a distance of 2km?
• A car on a straight downhill road accelerates constantly from 4.0,/s to 29m/s over a
distance of 850m. Calculate the acceleration during this time.
• A car travelling with a constant acceleration of 2.5m/s/s, passes point A with a speed
of 20m/s and passes B at a speed of 40m/s. What distance from A to B did the car
cover?
Formula sheet:

o v= u + at

o v2 = u2 + 2as

o s = ut + ½ at2
 Success criteria

Which grade are you on?

Successfully………

 B/C – perform complex calculations and derive the equations

 C/D – select the correct equation to solve problems and perform simple
calculations

 D/E – identify the known and unknow values in the problem.

Past paper
Q&A
Question 1
Answer 1
Question 2
Answer 2
Question 3
Answer 3
Question 4
Answer 4
Question 5
Answer 5
Question 6
Answer 6
Question 7
Answer 7
Question 8
Answer 8
Question 9
Answer 9
Question 10
Answer 10
Question 11
Answer 11
Question 12
Answer 12
Question 13
Answer 13
Question 14
Question 15
Answer 14&15
Answer 14&15
Question 16
Answer 16
Question 17
Answer 17