Kinematics II

May 28, 2023

Remember this graph?
A:
60m  30m 30m
v   3.75m / s
8 sec 8s

D:
0m  45m
v  4.5m.s
10s

WHAT ABOUT “B”??

Conclusion
 Velocity is not the same at all times.
 It is changing
 A changing velocity is called an acceleration.

v final  vinitial v
aaverage  
t t
dv
a
dt
Acceleration in Pictures

Constant Velocity

Constant Acceleration
Average Acceleration

 Acceleration is the rate of change of the

velocity.
 Dimensions are L/T2
 SI units are m/s²
Example – Constant acceleration a=1 m/s 2
Time (s) Velocity (m/s)
0 0 25
1 1
20
2 2
15

v (m/s)
3 3
4 4 10
5 5
6 6 5
7 7
0
8 8 0 5 10 15 20 25
9 9
time (s)
10 10
11 11

v
12 12

a
13 13
14 14
15 15 t
16 16
17 17 v  at  v f  vinitial
18 18
19
20
19
20
v f  v0  at
Instantaneous Acceleration

 The instantaneous acceleration is the limit of

the average acceleration as t approaches 0

2
v x dv x d x
a x  lim   2
t  0 t dt dt
Calculus
dx
v
dt
2
dv d x
a  2
dt dt
Instantaneous Acceleration -- graph
 The slope of the
velocity vs. time graph
is the acceleration
 The green line
represents the
instantaneous
acceleration
 The blue line is the
average acceleration
Acceleration and Velocity, 1

 When an object’s velocity and acceleration

are in the same direction, the object is
speeding up
 When an object’s velocity and acceleration
are in the opposite direction, the object is
slowing down
Example

 Acceleration and velocity are in opposite directions

 Acceleration is uniform (blue arrows maintain the same
length)
 Velocity is decreasing (red arrows are getting shorter)
 Positive velocity and negative acceleration
Some math. Assume constant
acceleration dv
 constant  a
dt
dv  adt
vf t t

 dv  v
v0
f  v0   adt a  dt a(t  0)  at
0 0

v f  v0  at
v  v0  at
More … v  v0  at
dx
 v0  at
dt
dx  v0 dt  atdt
x t t

 dx  v  dt  a  tdt
x0
0
0 0

1 2
x  x0  v0t  at
2
1 2
x  x0  v0t  at
2
One more calculus trick: the chain rule
dv dv dx dv
a  v
dt dx dt dx
adx  vdv
x vf

a  dx   vdv
x0 v0

1 2 2
a ( x  x0 )  (v f  v0 )
2
for x 0  0
2 2
v  v  2ax
f 0
Kinematic Equations
-- summary from the book.
Kinematic Equations
 The kinematic equations may be used to
solve any problem involving one-dimensional
motion with a constant acceleration
 You may need to use two of the equations to
solve one problem
 Many times there is more than one way to
solve a problem
Kinematic Equations, specific

 For constant a,
 Can determine an object’s velocity at any time t
when we know its initial velocity and its
acceleration
 Does not give any information about displacement
Kinematic Equations, specific

 For constant acceleration,

v xi  v xf
vx 
2
 The average velocity can be expressed as
the arithmetic mean of the initial and final
velocities
Kinematic Equations, specific

 For constant acceleration,

1 2
x f  xi  v xi t  a xt
2
 Gives final position in terms of velocity and
acceleration
 Doesn’t tell you about final velocity
Graphical Look at Motion –
displacement – time curve
 The slope of the curve
is the velocity
 The curved line
indicates the velocity is
changing
 Therefore, there is an
acceleration
Graphical Look at Motion – velocity
– time curve
 The slope gives the
acceleration
 The straight line
indicates a constant
acceleration
Graphical Look at Motion –
acceleration – time curve
 The zero slope
indicates a constant
acceleration
Let’s get real and throw
something out of a building
and watch it fall.
This is called free fall.
Freely Falling Objects
 A freely falling object is any object moving
freely under the influence of gravity alone.
 It does not depend upon the initial motion of
the object
 Dropped – released from rest
 Thrown downward
 Thrown upward
Acceleration of Freely Falling Object
 The acceleration of an object in free fall is directed
downward, regardless of the initial motion
 The magnitude of free fall acceleration is g = 9.80
m/s2
 g decreases with increasing altitude
 g varies with latitude
 9.80 m/s2 is the average at the Earth’s surface
 In the English/American system, g=32 ft/sec2.
Acceleration of Free Fall/Rise, cont.

 We will neglect air resistance

 Free fall motion is constantly accelerated
motion in one dimension
 Use the kinematic equations to solve
problems.
Free Fall Example
Let’s drop an object from the top
of this building by simply releasing it.

How long will it take to get to the ground?

How fast will it be going when it gets to the

ground?

What color is the object?

Issues –

Where is the origin?

IS y the same thing as x?? How can that
be???
 Use Transparencies …..
Motion Equations from Calculus
 Displacement equals
the area under the
velocity – time curve
tf
lim
tn 0
v
n
xn tn   v x (t )dt
ti

 The limit of the sum is a

definite integral