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Lecture2 SBasu PDF

The document discusses motion in polar coordinates, including expressions for velocity and acceleration in terms of the radial and tangential unit vectors. Examples are provided of uniform circular motion and non-uniform circular motion to illustrate the radial and tangential acceleration terms. Key concepts covered include that an object traveling in a circular orbit with constant speed is always accelerating toward the center of the orbit.

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Himashree Bhattacharyya
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97 views

Lecture2 SBasu PDF

The document discusses motion in polar coordinates, including expressions for velocity and acceleration in terms of the radial and tangential unit vectors. Examples are provided of uniform circular motion and non-uniform circular motion to illustrate the radial and tangential acceleration terms. Key concepts covered include that an object traveling in a circular orbit with constant speed is always accelerating toward the center of the orbit.

Uploaded by

Himashree Bhattacharyya
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Polar Coordinates

Unit Vectors in Polar coordinates

ˆ
Unit Vectors in Polar coordinates

Unit vectors only depend on θ


Motion in Plane Polar
Coordinates
Velocity and acceleration in
polar coordinates
θ෠
Velocity in polar coordinate:
𝑟Ƹ
The position vector r in polar coordinate is given by : r  rrˆ
r
And the unit vectors are: rˆ  cos  iˆ  sin  ˆj & ˆ   sin  iˆ  cos  ˆj

Since the unit vectors are not constant and changes with time,
they should have finite time derivatives:

  
rˆ    sin  iˆ  cos  ˆj  ˆ and ˆ    cos  iˆ  sin  ˆj   rˆ 

dr
Therefore the velocity is given by: v  rrˆ  rrˆ  rrˆ  rˆ
dt
Radial velocity + tangential velocity

In Cartesian coordinates
Example-1: Uniform Circular Motion

ˆ
v  rrˆ  rˆ

dR d
Since r 0 and  
dt dt

Since v is along ˆ it must be perpendicular to the radius vector r


and it can be shown easily
Why polar coordinates?
Example-2:

Symmetry is important.
Acceleration in Polar coordinate:

rˆ  ˆ, ˆ   rˆ

Finally, the Coriolis acceleration 2rˆ


Usually, Coriolis force appears as a fictitious force in a rotating coordinate system.
However, the Coriolis acceleration we are discussing here is a real acceleration and
which is present when r and  both change with time.
Example-1: Circular motion
a  ar rˆ  a ˆ
ar  r  r 2 , a  r  2r
For a circular motion, r  R, the radius of the circle.
Hence, r  r  0
So, a  R and ar   R 2
d
For uniform circular motion,     constant. Hence, a  R 0
dt
d
For non-uniform circular motion,  is function of time. Hence, a  R  R ,
dt
d
where   is the angular acceleration.
dt
However, the radial acceleration is always ar   R 2   R 2
Therefore, an object traveling in a circular orbit with a constant speed is
always accelerating towards the center. Though the magnitude of the
velocity is a constant, the direction of it is constantly varying. Because the
velocity changes direction, the object has a nonzero acceleration.
Example-2:
Though the magnitude of radial velocity is constant there is a radial acceleration.
Motion: Kinematics in 1D

Example
Example

velocity time
Kinematics in 2D

The instantaneous acceleration is given by:


Kinematics in 2D

Example
Charge particle in a magnetic field
Equation of motion of a chain

A uniform chain of length ‘a’ is placed on a


horizontal frictionless table, so that a length
‘b’ of the chain dangles over the side. How
long will it take for the chain to slide off the
table?

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