Contents

1. Introduction …………………………………………………………………. 1.1

Translational motion, Kinematics, Particle, Reference Frame. 1.1
2. Rectilinear Motion ………………………………………………………... 1.1
2.1 Fundamental Concepts ………………………………………………. 1.1
Position, Displacement and Distance, Average Velocity and
Average Speed, Instantaneous Velocity and Speed, Average
Acceleration, Instantaneous Acceleration.
Beginner’s Box: 1 1.5
2.2 Analysing Rectilinear Motion with Graphs ………………………. 1.6
Beginner’s Box: 2 1.8
2.3 Analysis of Rectilinear Motion …..…………………………………. 1.10
2.3.1 Uniform Velocity Motion ………………………………….. 1.10
2.3.2 Uniform Acceleration Motion …………………………….. 1.10
Equations of Uniform Acceleration Motion, Analysis
using Graphs.
Beginner’s Box: 3 1.13
2.3.3 Variable Acceleration Motion …………………………….. 1.14
Acceleration as a function of time, Acceleration as a
function of position, Acceleration as a function of
velocity.
Beginner’s Box: 4 1.17
3. Curvilinear Translation ………………………………………………….. 1.18
3.1 Fundamental Concepts ………………………………………………. 1.18
Position and Position Vector, Displacement and Distance,
Average Velocity and Average Speed, Instantaneous Velocity
and Speed, Average Acceleration, Instantaneous Acceleration.
3.2 General Equations of Curvilinear Translation …………………… 1.20
3.3 Curvilinear Translation in Cartesian Components ……………… 1.20
3.4 Curvilinear translation as Superposition of Three Recti-linear
Motions ……………………………………………………………..…… 1.21
Beginner’s Box: 5 1.23
3.5 Motion in a Plane: Projectile Motion ……………………………..… 1.24
3.5.1 General Projectile Motion …………………………………. 1.24
Beginner’s Box: 6 1.30
3.5.2 Projectile on Inclined plane ……………………………….. 1.31
Beginner’s Box: 7 1.34
3.6 Motion in a Plane: Circular Motion …………………………………. 1.35

JEE Physics
 3.6.1 Angular Variables ………………………………………….. 1.36
Angular Position, Angular Displacement, Angular Vel-
ocity, Average Angular Velocity, Angular Acceleration,
Average Angular Acceleration, Directions of Angular
Variables.
3.6.2 Analysis of Circular Motion with graphs ………………. 1.37
3.6.3 Analysis of Circular Motion in Angular Variables ……. 1.39
Beginner’s Box: 8 1.42
3.6.4 Analysis of Circular Motion in Linear Variables: …….. 1.43
Distance travelled, Arc Coordinate, Velocity, Accelerat-
ion: Normal and Tangential components, Linear and
Angular Variables in Vector Notations.
3.6.5 Radius, Center of Curvature of a Curve ………………… 1.45
3.6.6 Radial and Transverse Components of Velocity 1.47
Beginner’s Box: 9 1.48
4. Relative Motion: …………………………………………………………… 1.49
Relative Position, Relative Velocity and Relative Acceleration, Velocity
of Approach and Separation, Angular Velocity of a Particle Relative to
Another Particle, Methods of Analysis.
4.1 Relative Motion of Non-interacting Bodies ………………………… 1.50
Beginner’s Box: 10 1.52
4.2 Relative Motion of a body in a medium or on a Carrier …………. 1.53
Beginner’s Box: 11 1.57
5. Motion of Interconnected Bodies: Constraint Motion …………… 1.58
5.1 Method of Constraint Equation ……………………………………… 1.58
5.2 Visual Inspection ………………………………………………………. 1.58
Beginner’s Box: 12 1.62
6. Answers to In-Chapter Exercises……………………………………… 1.64

JEE Physics
Arvind Tiwari Particle Kinematics

1. Introduction:

Translational Motion:
A body in translational motion changes its position with time without
change in its orientation.
All the particles of a body in translational motion follow identical
paths and at an instant have equal velocities and accelerations.
Motion on a straight-line path is known as
rectilinear motion or motion in one dimension and Translation Motion
motion on a curved path is known as curvilinear
motion. Curvilinear motion is further divided into Rectilinear Motion Curvilinear Motion
Or
two categories. Motion on a plan curvilinear path One Dimensional Motion
is known as motion in a plane or two-dimensional
motion and motion on a three-dimensional curvil- Motion in a Plane Motion in Space
Or Or
inear path is known as motion in space or three- Three-Dimensional
Two-Dimensional
dimensional motion. Motion Motion

Kinematics:
It is the study of nature of motion without considering any causative
interaction (forces and energy) involved.

Particle:
A particle is a material point i.e. a body of negligibly small size.
Besides this common manifestation, to analyse translational motion,
a body is treated as a particle irrespective of its size. Thus, the term
“Particle Kinematics” refers to the kinematics of translational motion.

Reference Frame:
The idea of motion has a relative sense. For a motion to be observed
there must be a body under investigation, a second body relative to
which motion is to be investigated and an investigator. The investigator
that is known as observer has to choose a zero of time scale of his own,
a point in the space attached with the second body as the origin and a
coordinate system. These two things the time scale and the coordinate
system are collectively known as reference frame.

2. Rectilinear Motion:

2.1. Fundamental Concepts:

Position:
To analyse rectilinear motion, a straight line parallel to or along the
direction of motion is assumed as an axis and a fixed point on the line
as the origin. This idea enables us to get rid of vector notations by
assigning positive sign to all the position coordinates on one side of the
origin and negative sign to those on the other side of the origin.
Position of particle in rectilinear motion is represented by its distance B A
from the origin with sign.
5 O 5 x/m
In the Fig. 1.1, positions O, A and B of a particle are xO = 0, xA = 5 m Fig. 1.1
and xB = 3 m respectively.

Displacement and Distance:

Displacement is a measure of change in position and distance or
distance travelled is the length of path traversed.

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Arvind Tiwari Chapter 1
Displacement is a vector having direction from the initial towards the
final position, but distance travelled is a scaler.
Modulus of displacement of a moving particle may increase or
decrease with time, whereas distance travelled will always increase
with time.
Modulus of displacement x and distance travelled s bear the
following relation.
 s; Unidirectional motion
x : 
 s; Motion with changing direction

Average Velocity and Average Speed:

Average velocity in a time interval is that constant velocity with which
a particle, if assumed to move, will cover the same displacement as it
covers in its actual motion.
If displacement of a particle in a time interval t is x, average
velocity vav in this time interval is given by the following equation.
x
vav  [1.1]
t
Average speed in a time interval is that constant speed with which a
particle, if assumed to move, will travel the same distance as it travels
in its actual motion.
If distance travelled by a particle in a time interval t is s, average
velocity cav in this time interval is given by the following equation
s
cav  [1.2]
t
  c ; Unidirectional motion
vav :  av
 cav ; Motion with changing direction
Average velocity is a vector and average speed is a scalar.

Instantaneous Velocity and Speed:

Instantaneous velocity v of a particle is defined as the time rate of
change in its position coordinate x and instantaneous speed c is defined
as the time rate of change in distance travelled s.
dx ds
v and c [1.3]
dt dt
Instantaneous speed is the modulus of instantaneous velocity.
Usually, the word instantaneous is omitted and these quantities are
simply called velocity and speed.
Velocity is a vector quantity, whereas speed is a scalar quantity.
C B In rectilinear motion, direction of velocity is denoted by positive and
D A negative signs. A positive velocity denotes motion in the direction of
5 0 5
increasing position coordinates and a negative velocity denotes motion
in the direction of decreasing position coordinates. For instance, in Fig.
Fig. 1.2
1.2, velocities of particles A and D are positive, while that of B and C
are negative.

Average Acceleration:
Average acceleration is defined as the ratio of change in velocity to the
corresponding time interval.

1.2 JEE Physics

Arvind Tiwari Particle Kinematics

If at the instants ti = t and tf = t + t a particle has velocities vi = v

and vf = v + v, its average acceleration aav is given by the following
equation.
vf  vi v
aav   [1.4]
tf  ti t
It is a vector quantity. In rectilinear motion its direction is assigned
a positive or negative sign as obtained by the above equation.

Instantaneous Acceleration:
Instantaneous acceleration or simply acceleration a of a particle tells as
that how fast and in what direction velocity of a body changes with time.
It is defined as the time rate of change in velocity v.
dv dv
a v [1.5]
dt dx
It is a vector quantity. Its direction is represented by positive or
negative signs. A positive acceleration points in the direction of
increasing position coordinates and a negative acceleration points in the
direction of decreasing position coordinates.

Change in Direction of Motion:

In rectilinear motion, at the instant when a particle reverses its
direction of motion, its velocity must be zero and acceleration must have
a non-zero value. Furthermore, direction of acceleration at this instant
must be opposite to the direction of velocity, which the particle had
before the reversal of direction

Example-1: A particle starts from the position x0 = 2 m at the

instant t = 0 and reaches the position x2 = 5 m at an instant t = 2 s, then
it turns back and reaches the position x4 = 0 at the instant t = 4 s. Find
displacement, distance travelled, average velocity and average speed in
the time interval t = 0 to t = 4 s.
Solution: Position of the particle at the given instants is shown in the t=4s t=2s
adjoining figure. In the time interval t = 0 to t = 4 s t=0
Displacement: x  x 4  x 0  0   2   2 m in positive x-direction 5 0 5 x/m
Distance travelled: s  x 2  x0  x4  x 2  5   2   0  5  12 m
x 2 m
Average Velocity: vav    0.5 m/s in positive x-direction
t 4s
s 12 m
Average Speed: cav    3 m/s
t 4s

Example-2: A particle moving along a straight line covers half of the

distance with a constant velocity v1 and remaining half with another
constant velocity v2. Find its average velocity for the whole motion.
Solution: Let half of the distance be x. Time taken in the first and the
second half of the distances are
x x
t1  and t2 
v1 v2
Now using definition of average velocity i.e. eq. 2.1, we have

JEE Physics 1.3

Arvind Tiwari Chapter 1

x xx 2x 2v1v2
vav   vav   
t t1  t2 x x v1  v2

v1 v2

Example-3: A particle moving along a straight line covers half of the

distance with a constant velocity v1 and on the remaining half of the
distance, it moves with constant velocities v2 and v3 for equal amounts
of time. Find its average velocity for the whole motion.
v1 v2
Solution: Let half of the distance be x. Time taken in the first half of
x x the distance is
x
t1 
v1
Say the particle moves with velocities v2 and v3 each for time t2.
x
x   v2t2  v3t2  t2 
v2  v3
Now using definition of average velocity i.e. eq. 2.1, we have
x xx 2x 2v v  v3 
vav   vav    1 2
t t1  2t2 x 2x 2v1  v2  v3

v1 v2  v3

Example-4: A particle moves along the x-axis according to the law

x  t 2  2t  2 , where x is in meters and t is in seconds.
(a) Deduce expressions for velocity and acceleration.
(b) When and where does the particle reverse direction of motion?
(c) Calculate average velocity during time interval 0 to 2 s.
(d) Calculate average speed during time interval 0 to 2 s
(e) Calculate average acceleration during time interval 0 to 2 s.
Solution:
(a) From eq. [1.3] and [1.5], we have
dx
Velocity: v  v  2t  2
dt
dv
Acceleration: a  a2
dt

x2= 2 (b) Applying conditions of direction reversal with the above results, we
find that the particle reverses its direction of motion at the instant
O x1= 1 x0= 2 x/m t = 1 s and position x1 = 1 m as shown in the adjoining figure.
(c) Displacement during the given time interval t = 2  0 = 2 s is x
= x2  x0 = 0. From eq. [1.1], we have
x 0
vav   vav   0 m/s
t 2
(d) Distance travelled s during the given interval t  2  0  2 s is
s  x1  x0  x2  x1  2 m
From eq. [1.2], we can calculate the average speed.
s 2
cav   cav   1 m/s
t 2

1.4 JEE Physics

Arvind Tiwari Particle Kinematics

(e) In the given interval t  2  0  2 s, change in velocity is v = v2 –

v1 = 2  (2) = 4 m/s, therefore from eq. [1.4], we can find the
average acceleration.
v 4
aav   aav   2 m/s2
t 2

Beginner’s Box: 1
1. The ratio of modulus of displacement to distance ion, its acceleration may or may not be in the
travelled in a time interval is positive x-direction.
(a) always equal to unity. (c) If the change of position of a particle in
(b) always less than unity. rectilinear motion is in the positive x-direct-
(c) less than unity, if direction of motion changes. ion, both the instantaneous velocity and the
(d) unity if motion is unidirectional. average velocity must be in the positive x-
direction.
2. Choose the correct statements from the following (d) If the change of position of a particle in
(a) Distance travelled by moving particle is a rectilinear motion is in the positive x-direct-
monotonically increasing function of time ion, only the instantaneous velocity and not
whereas modulus of displacement may or the average velocity must be in the positive x-
may not. direction.
(b) The modulus of the average velocity in an
6. A body moving on a straight-line path, when
interval is equal to its average speed in that
reverses its direction of motion
interval.
(c) It is possible to have a situation, where speed (a) it must have zero velocity and zero
of a particle is never zero but the average acceleration.
velocity in a time interval is zero. (b) its velocity and acceleration both must be
(d) For a particle moving with constant speed, reversed.
the modulus of the average velocity in a time (c) it must have zero velocity and a finite non-
interval is equal to its average speed in that zero acceleration.
interval. (d) it must have a finite non-zero velocity and
acceleration.
3. An object is moving along the x-axis. Its positions
after successive equal time intervals are shown 7. A ball traveling with velocity 20 m/s is collides a
by dots in the following figure. brick wall and rebounds back with velocity 15
m/s. A high-speed camera records this event. If
x
the ball remains in contact with the wall for 3.5
x=0
ms, what is the average acceleration of the ball
The object can move with during its contact with the wall?
(a) negative velocity and positive acceleration (a) 10000 m/s2 (b) 25000 m/s2
(b) negative velocity and negative acceleration (c) 40000 m/s2 (d) None of these.
(c) positive velocity and positive acceleration
(d) positive velocity and negative acceleration 8. A boy runs 100 m with a uniform speed of 6 m/s
and walks back to the starting point with a
4. A body in rectilinear motion cannot have uniform speed of 3 m/s. Find his average velocity
(a) increasing speed and negative acceleration. and average speed for the whole round trip.
(b) decreasing speed and positive acceleration.
(c) zero velocity and zero acceleration. 9. An insect crawls in a straight line on the ground
(d) zero velocity and non-zero acceleration. and in doing so it covers 50% of the total distance
with uniform speed v and 50% of the remaining
5. Mark the correct statement or statements. distance with uniform speed 0.5v. Now it turns
(a) If the change of position of a particle in back and covers the remaining distance with
rectilinear motion is in the positive x-direct- uniform speed 0.25 v. What is its average speed
ion, its acceleration must also be in the and average velocity?
positive x-direction.
10. A particle moves along the x-axis according to the
(b) If the change of position of a particle in
rectilinear motion is in the positive x-direct- law x  2t 3  15t 2  36t  23 , where position x is

JEE Physics 1.5

 Chapter 1
in meters and time t is in seconds. Calculate and average speed of the particle during the time
displacement, distance travelled, average velocity interval t  0 to t  5 .

2.2. Analysing Rectilinear Motion with Graphs:

For an arbitrary function y = f(x), following facts learnt in calculus are
used to analyse a graph.
I. Slope of tangent at a point is equal to the instantaneous rate of
change in y with respect to x at that point.
II. Slope of secant through the points (x1, y1) and (x2, y2) is equal to the
average rate of change in y with respect to x in the interval [x1, x2].
III. Area between a curve and the abscissa in the interval [x1, x2] is
equal to the change in the value of the anti-derivative or the
integral in this interval.
From the above fundamental ideas of calculus, we can draw the
following useful conclusions.
 Slope of position-time graphs = Velocity
 Slope of distance-time graph = Speed
 Slope of velocity time graph = Acceleration
 Product of velocity and slope of velocity-position graph
= Acceleration
 Area between velocity-time graph and the time axis = Displacement
 Area between speed-time graph and the time axis = Distance
 Area between acceleration-time graph and the time axis = Change
in velocity
 Area between acceleration-position graph and the position axis =
Half of the change in value of square of the velocity.

x/m Example-5: Position-time (x-t) graph of a rectilinear motion of

particle is shown in the adjoining figure.
50
(a) In which time intervals, the particle moves with uniform velocity
A
in the negative x-direction.
B (b) Identify the time intervals during which acceleration is positive.
(c) Identify the time intervals during which particle is speeding up.
10 20 t/s (d) Calculate average velocity and average speed in the time interval
[4 s, 20 s].
Solution:
(a) Velocity is equal to the slope of the x-t graph; hence the particle is
moving with uniform velocity in negative x-direction in the time
interval [10 s, 16 s].
(b) During the interval [16 s, 20 s] acceleration is positive because
slope of position-time curve is positive.
(c) During the interval [16 s, 20 s] particle is speeding up because
modulus of slope of position-time graph increases with time. You
can also see that acceleration and velocity both have the same sign
(+) in this interval.
(d) From the given graph x4 = 30 m and x20 = 10 m.
1.6 JEE Physics
Arvind Tiwari Particle Kinematics

10  30
vav  Slope of the chord AB   1.25 m/s
20  4
For average speed, it is required to find the distance travelled. The
graph, the distance travelled s during the time interval 4 s to 20
s is
s  x10  x 4  x16  x10  x 20  x16  20  80  40  140 m
s 140
Average speed: cav    8.75 m/s
t 16

Example 6: A train moves from one station to another in two hours. c/(km/h)
Its speed-time graph during the journey is shown in the adjoining
60
figure.
(a) Calculate the maximum acceleration during the journey. 40
(b) Calculate distance covered during the time interval [0.75 h, 1 h]. 20
Solution: 30 60 90 120 t/min
(a) Acceleration being equal to the slope of v-t graph has maximum
value during the time interval [0.75 h, 1.0 h].
The maximum acceleration equals to 160 km/h2.
(b) Distance travelled during an interval equals to the area between
c-t graph and the time axis.
s  1
2  20  60   0.25  10 km
Example 7: Velocity-time graph of a particle moving in the positive v/(m/s)
x-direction is shown in the adjoining figure. 50

(a) How long will it take to return to its initial position?

(b) How much distance will it travel to return to its initial position?
(c) Draw its acceleration-time graph. 0
10 20 t/s
Solution: Consider the given graph redrawn on the next page with
giving names O, A, B, C, D, E and F to some points.
(a) When the particle returns to the initial position, its displacement
and hence area between the v-t graph and the t-axis becomes equal v/(m/s)
A B
40
to zero. Let this instant be denoted by t as shown in the reproduced
figure at point F.
Area of trapezium OABC  Area of trapezium CDEF  0 O
10 t
C F t/s
 Area of trapezium OABC  Area of trapezium CDEF
D E
 12  AB  OC   OA  12  CF  DF   EF
  4  8   40  t  8  t  10   20  t  21 s
(b) Let the distance travelled in the time interval it returns to its
initial position is denoted by s. a/(m/s2)
s = 2  Area of trapezium OABC    AB  OC  OA  480 m 0
10 20 t/s

(c) Slope of v-t graph is equal to the acceleration. Hence, acceleration- 0
time graph is shown in the adjoining figure.
a/(m/s2)
Example 8: Acceleration-time graph of a particle moving in the 5
positive x-direction is shown in the adjoining figure. If at the instant t
= 0, the particle starts from rest, express its velocity as function of time
and draw velocity-time graph.
0
0 10 20 t/s
JEE Physics 1.7
Arvind Tiwari Chapter 1
Solution: The graph shows that relation of acceleration with time
changes at the instant t = 10 s, expressions for velocity in the time
a/(m/s2)
intervals [0, 10 s] and [10 s, 20 s] will be different.
4.0
0  t  10 s; Refer the adjoining figure, where at the instant t
0.4t acceleration is 0.4t. Until this instant, the area under a-
t graph (= change in velocity) is shown by shaded portion.
0
0 t 10 20 t/s v0  1
2  0.4t  t
v  0.2t 2 (1)
10  t  20 s; Refer the adjoining figure, where the area under a-t
a/(m/s2) graph (= change in velocity) is shown by shaded portion
4.0 v0  1
2 t  t  10  4
v  4t  20 (2)
0 From equations (1) and (2), we have
0 10 t 20 t/s
v/(m/s)  0.2t 2 0  t  10
v
60 4t  20 10  t  20
40 The velocity-time graph is shown in the adjoining figure, where ordinate
20
0 represents velocity in meter per second and the abscissa represents
0
time in seconds. Curve in gray and black colors represent v-t relation in
0 5 10 20 30 t/s the time intervals [0 s, 10 s] and [10 s, 20 s] respectively.

Example 9: Acceleration of a particle moving in straight line varies

a/(m/s2)
with its position according to the graph shown in the adjoining figure.
20
If the particle starts from rest, find its velocity when it passes through
the position x = 45 m.
10
Solution: From eq. [1.5], we have
0 v x x
0 10 20 30 40 x/m dv 1
  vdv   f ( x )dx   f ( x )dx  2 v  v02 
2
a v
dx v0 x0 x0

Thus, the area between acceleration-position graph and the position

axis is equal to the half of the change value of square of the velocity.
Using this fact, we have
1 2 1
 v  0    45  15   15  v  30 m/s
2 2

Beginner’s Box: 2
1. Which of the following figures represents 2. Which of the following figures represent
velocity-time graph of a ball thrown vertically relationship between the distance travelled and
upward? Upward and downward directions are time of a ball thrown vertically?
assumed positive and negative respectively. s s
v v
(a) (b)
(a) (b)
t t t t

v v s
s

(c) (d) (c) (d)

t
t t t

1.8 JEE Physics

Arvind Tiwari Particle Kinematics

3. One of the following figures represents best represents or represent an object that is
position-time graph, another one represents moving with a positive acceleration?
velocity-time graph, and the remaining one x x
represents the acceleration-time graph of the
same object. Study the graphs carefully and (a) (b)
mark the correct statement.
t t
I II III x
x t t

Time Time Time (c) (d)

(a) Graph I, II and III represent position,

velocity and acceleration-time relationships
respect-ively. 7. The velocity-time graph of a body in rectilinear
(b) Graph I, II and III represent velocity, motion is shown in the figure, where velocity is
position and acceleration-time represented on the ordinate in meter per
relationships respect-ively. seconds and time on the abscissa in seconds.
(c) Graph I, II and III represent acceleration, Distance of the body from the origin after 8
position and velocity-time relationships second is
respectively. v
(d) Graph I, II and III represent acceleration, 4
velocity and position-time relationships 2
respectively. 0
2 4 6 8 t
2
4. The graph shows position as a function of time
for two trains running on parallel tracks. Which (a) 18 m (b) 16 m (c) 8m (d) 6m
of the following statements is true?
A 8. Velocity-time graph of a particle in rectilinear
B motion is circular in shape as shown in the
Position

figure. Velocity is represented on the ordinate

in meter per seconds and time on the abscissa
in seconds. During the first ten seconds
distance travelled is closest to
T Time
(a) at time T both trains have equal velocities.
Velocity

70
(b) both trains speed up all the time
(c) both trains have equal velocities at some
instant before T 0
(d) all of the above statements are true 0 10 Time

5. Consider the following acceleration-time (a-t) (a) 450 m (b) 550 m

graphs of an object in rectilinear motion with a (c) 500 m (d) None of these
non-zero positive initial velocity. Which of these
graphs shows increasing speed? 9. Velocity of a particle moving along a straight
line is shown in the following graph
a a a
II III v
I 60
40
t t t
20
(a) graph I only. (b) graphs II only. t (s)
1 2 3 4 5 6
(c) graphs I and II only. (d) all the graphs. 20
40
6. Each of the graphs shown in the figure
represents the displacement x from a fixed Which of the flowing statements is/are correct?
point as a function of time t for an object moving (a) It reverses direction of motion at t = 2 s.
on straight-line path. Which graph or graphs (b) At t = 3 s, it was 75 m away from the
starting point.

JEE Physics 1.9

 Chapter 1
(c) In the time interval [1 s, 4 s], displacement

Acceleration
is 30 m. 6
(d) It returns to the starting point in 6 s after
travelling a distance of 120 m. 0
2 4 Time
10. Acceleration of a particle varies with time as –6
shown in the given graph. The particle starts
from position x = 2 m at the instant t = 0. (a) Find an expression for velocity and position
Acceleration is represented on the ordinate in in terms of t.
m/s2 and time on the abscissa in seconds. (b) Calculate the displacement in the interval
from t  2 s to t  4 s.

2.3. Analysis of Rectilinear Motion:

We can classify rectilinear motion problems in following categories
according to the given information.
Rectilinear Motion

Uniform Velocity Motion Accelerated Motion

Uniform Acceleration Motion Variable Acceleration Motion

I. Acceleration as function of time.
II. Acceleration as function of position.
III. Acceleration as function of velocity.

2.3.1 Uniform Velocity Motion:

v/(m/s) In uniform velocity motion, a particle moves with constant speed on a
v straight-line path segment without change in direction.
Area = vt = x  x0 If a particle moving with uniform velocity v in the positive x-direction
O t t/s is observed at position x = x0 at the instant t = 0, its equation of motion
Fig.-1.3 (a)
at any time t is
x/m x  x 0  vt [1.6]
x
Velocity-time (v-t) graph for this motion is shown in the Fig.-1.3(a).
x0 Displacement i.e. change in position is equal to the area between v-t
O t t/s graph and the time axes, the position-time graph thus obtained is
Fig.-1.3 (b) shown in the Fig.-1.3(b).

2.3.2. Uniform Acceleration Motion:

In uniform acceleration motion, acceleration remains constant in
magnitude as well as in direction.
Most common example of uniform acceleration motion is rectilinear
under uniform gravity of an object either dropped from a height or
thrown upwards or thrown downwards.

Equations of Uniform Acceleration Motion:

a Consider a particle moving in the positive x-direction with uniform
v0 v acceleration a. It passes the position x0 at the instant t = 0, moving with
O x0 x a velocity v0 as shown in the Fig.-1.4.
t=0 t v t
dv
Fig.-1.4 a   dv  a  dt
dt v0 0

 v  v0  at [1.7]

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Arvind Tiwari Particle Kinematics

Now from the above equation and definition of velocity, we have

x t
dx
v
dt
  dx 
x0
 v
0
0  at  dt

 x  x 0  v0t  12 at 2 [1.8]
Now from the above equation and definition of acceleration, we have
v x
dv
a v   vdv  a  dx
dx v0 x0

 v  v  2a  x  x 0 
2 2
0 [1.9]
The equations [1.7], [1.8] and [1.9] are known as the first, second and
third equations of uniformly accelerated motion.
On combining the first and the second equations, we get another very
useful equation.
v v
x  x0   0 t [1.10]
 2 

Analysis using Graphs: a/(m/s2)

a
Acceleration-time graph for uniform acceleration motion is shown in
Fig.-1.5(a). Change in velocity (v  v0) during the time interval [0, t] is Area = v  v0= at
equal to the area between the a-t graph and the time axis. This area
O t t/s
shown by a shaded portion in Fig.-1.5(a) yields the first equation and Fig.-1.5(a)
hence velocity time graph as shown in Fig.-1.5(b).
v/(m/s)
The area between the v-t graph and the time axis during a time v
interval [0, t] is equal to the displacement (x  x0). This area shown by
a shaded portion in yields the following equation.
v0 Area =
v v
x  x0   0 t [1.10]
 2  O t t/s
Fig.-1.5(b)
From the second equation, we can draw the position time graph as x/m
shown in Fig.-1.5(c).
Velocity-time graph being a straight line with a slope equal to Slope of this
tangent is
acceleration can be easily drawn and then displacement can be easily
equal to the
obtained as an area between the v-t graph and the time axis. In this x0 initial velocity
way, v-t graph becomes very useful tool in analyzing uniformly
O t/s
accelerated motion. Fig.-1.5(c)

Example 10: A particle starts with velocity v0 from the origin and
moves in the positive x-direction with a uniform acceleration a. Find an
expression for its displacement during nth second of motion. a

Solution: Displacement during nth second of the motion is its xnth

x
x(n) xn
displacement from the end of (n1)th to the end of nth second. Consider
a portion of the path, where positions of the moving particle at the ends
of (n1)th and nth second are shown.
Using the second equation of uniform acceleration motion, we have
 x n 1  v0  n  1   12 a  n  1
2
x  x 0  v0t  12 at 2 and

x n  v0 n  12 an2
Using above two results, we have
x nth  xn  x n 1  v0  12 a  2n  1

JEE Physics 1.11

Arvind Tiwari Chapter 1
Example 11: A particle is moving along the x-axis with a constant
acceleration a = –4 m/s2. If at the instant t = 0, it is observed at the
position x0 = 0 moving with velocity v0 = 24 m/s, determine the position,
velocity when t = 8 s and distance travelled in the interval [0, 8 s].
4 m/s2 Solution: Referring the adjacent figure for given and required
v0= 24 m/s v8 information and using the first equation of uniform acceleration motion,
we have
x0= 0 x8 x
vt  v0  at  v8  24  ( 4)  8  8 m/s
Using the second equation of uniform acceleration motion, we have
xt  x 0  v0t  12 at 2  x 8  0  24  8  12  4   82  64 m
Distance travelled that is length of the path traversed requires shape of
the path to be known. In rectilinear motion, locations where particle
reverses its direction of motion help us to decide shape of the path.
Where the particle reverses its direction of motion, its velocity must be
zero. Using the third equation of uniform acceleration motion, we have
v2  v02 0  24 2
v2  v02  2a  x  x0   x  x 0   0  72 m
2a 2( 4)

x0= 0
Now from the adjoining figure, the distance-travelled s is
x8 = 64 x = 72
m s  x  x 0  x 8  x  80 m

Example 12: A particle moving with uniform acceleration passes the

point x = 2 m with a velocity 20 m/s at the instant t = 0. After some time,
it is observed at the point x = 32 m moving with a velocity 10 m/s.
(a) What is its acceleration?
(b) Find its position and velocity at the instant t = 8 s.
(c) What is the distance travelled during the interval t = 0 to 8 s?
a
20 m/s 10 m/s Solution: Refer the adjacent figure for the given and required information.
(a) Using the third equation of uniform acceleration motion, we have
x0= 2 xt= 32 x
vt2  v02 102  202
vt 2  v02  2a( xt  x0 ) a   5 m/s2 m/s2
2( xt  x 0 ) 2(32  2)
(b) Using second equation of uniform acceleration motion, we have
xt  x 0  v0t  12 at 2  x 8  2  20  8  12  5  82  2 m
Using the first equation of uniform acceleration motion, we have
vt  v0  at  v8  20   5   8  20 m/s m/s
(c) Where the particle returns, its velocity must be zero. Using the
third equation of uniform acceleration motion, we have
v2  v02 0  202
5 m/s2
v2  v02  2a  x  x0   x  x0   2  42 m
20 m/s 2a 2( 5)

x
Now from the adjoining figure, the distance-travelled s is
x0= 2 x = 42
s  x  x0  x0  x  80 m

Example 13: A ball is dropped from the top of a building. The ball
takes 0.50 s to fall past 3 m length of a window.
(a) How fast was the ball going as it passed the top of the window?
(b) How far is the top of the window from the top of the building?
Acceleration due to gravity is g = 10 m/s2.

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Arvind Tiwari Particle Kinematics

Solution: The ball is dropped, so it starts falling from the top of the
building with zero initial velocity (v0= 0). h
Using the first equation of the constant acceleration motion, we have t
v  v0  at  v  0  10t v
3m
 v  10t (1) t + 0.5
v'
And
 v '  10t  5 (2)
Now, we have
v v  v  v' 
x  x0   0 t  Window height =    0.5
 2   2 
 t  0.35 s
(a) From equation (1), we have v  10t  3.5 m/s
v v 0 v
(b) x  x0   0 t h  t  61.25 m
 2   2 

Beginners Box: 3
1. A 150 m long train is moving with a uniform (c) v2  v1  gt and v2  v1  t  h
velocity of 45 km/h. The time taken by the train
(d) None of the above.
to cross a bridge of length 850 meters is
(a) 56 s (b) 68 s (c) 80 s (d) 92 s 4. Two stones are thrown simultaneously from the
top edge of a building with a speed of 20 m/s,
2. A physics teacher finds a scrap of paper on stone A straight down and B straight up.
which was has written the following equation: (a) The stone B hits the ground 4 s after A.
02  72  2  ( 9.8)  x (b) Both the stones hit the ground with the
same speed.
Of which of the following problems would this
(c) Stone A hits the ground with greater speed.
equation be a part of the correct solution?
(d) Information is insufficient to decide.
(a) Find the speed of an object 7 seconds after
it was dropped from rest. 5. A particle starts from rest and moves with a
(b) Find the distance an object has fallen 7 uniform acceleration a. If its velocity after n
seconds after it was dropped. seconds becomes v, the displacement of the
(c) Find the height from which a ball if dropped body in the last two seconds is:
will strike the ground with a speed of 7 m/s. v(n  1) v(n  1)
(d) Find the maximum height to which a ball (a) (b)
n n
will rise if it is thrown upward with an
initial speed of 7 m/s. 2v( n  1) 2v(2n  1)
(c) (c )
n n
3. A ball dropped from the top of a building passes
past a window of height h in time t. If its speeds 6. A stone is dropped into a well in which water is
at the top and the bottom edges of the window at a depth h. Denoting speed of the sound in the
are denoted by v1 and v2 respectively, which of air by v and acceleration due to gravity by g,
the following sets of equations are correct? find the time after which the splash is heard.
2h 2h h
v1 (a) (b) 
v g v
h 2h h h 2h
(c)  (d) 
v2 g 2v 2g v

7. A stone thrown vertically upward with an

(a) v2  v1  gt and v2  v1  t  h
initial velocity u from the top of a tower,
(b) v2  v1  gt and v2  v1  t  2h reaches the ground with a velocity 3u. Denoting
JEE Physics 1.13
 Chapter 1
acceleration due to gravity by g, find the height (b) What is the acceleration?
of the tower. (c) At what distance before the first pint, was
3u2 4u2 6u2 9u2 the car at rest?
(a) (b) (c) (d) (d) Plot the position-time and velocity-time
g g g g
graphs for the car from rest (t = 0).
8. During a period of constant acceleration, an 10. You are driving your car and suddenly you see
object moves through a distance of 25 m on a a child at some distance in front of your car. To
straight horizontal path and its velocity avoid an accident, you have to stop the car as
changes from 5.0 m/s due east to 15 m/s due quickly as possible. But depending upon your
west. For how many seconds did this period of reflexes you take a certain time between the
constant acceleration lasts? instant you notice the child and begin braking.
(a) 1.5 s (b) 2.5 s (c) 4.0 s (d) 5.0 s. This is known as reaction time. Suppose you see
a child while driving at 90 km/h and in best of
9. A car starts from rest and moves on a straight your efforts you are able to stop your car in
road with a uniform acceleration. It covers the distance of 50 m. If you know that maximum
span between two points 60 m apart in 6 s and retardation that braking can provide is 50/7
passes the second point with a speed of 15 m/s. m/s2, calculate your reaction time.
(a) With is its speed at the first point?

2.3.3. Variable Acceleration Motion:

Sometimes, problems in rectilinear motion involve acceleration that is
not constant. In general, variable acceleration of a particle can be
expressed as a function of one or more of the variables t, x and v.

I. Acceleration as a function of time:

Let acceleration be a given function of time say a = f(t). From the
definition of acceleration, we get
v t
dv
a   dv   f (t )dt
dt v0 0

t
 v  v0   f (t )dt [1.11]
0

The above equation expresses v as function of time, say v = g(t).

Now using definition of velocity, we have
x t
dx
v
dt
  dx   g  t  dt
x0 0

t
 x  x0   g (t )dt [1.12]
0

The above equation expresses position as function of time.

Thus, in order to determine velocity, we have to integrate
acceleration once with respect to time and to determine position
we have to integrate velocity once or acceleration successively two
times with respect to time.

Example 14: Acceleration of a particle moving along the x-axis is given

by the equation a   3  2t  m/s2. At the instants t = 0 and t = 6 s, it
passes through the same position.

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Arvind Tiwari Particle Kinematics

(a) Find the initial velocity v0.

(b) What will be the velocity at t = 2 s?
Solution: From the definition of acceleration, we get
v t
dv
a   dv    3  2t  dt
dt v0 0

 v  vo  3t  t 2 (1)
By using eq. (1) in the definition of velocity, we have
x t
dx
v
dt
  dx 
x0
 v
0
0  3t  t 2  dt

 x  x 0  v0t  32 t 2  13 t3 (2)

(a) Applying the given condition that the particle occupies the same x
coordinate at the instants t = 0 and t = 6 s in eq. (2), we have
x 0  x6  x 0  x 0  6v0  54  72
 v0  3 m/s

(b) Using value of v0 and t = 2 s in eq. (1), we have

v  3  3t  t 2  v2  5 m/s

II. Acceleration as a function of position:

Let acceleration be a given function of position say a = f(x). Using
definition of acceleration and substituting f(x) for a, we have
v x
dv
a v   vdv   f ( x )dx
dx v0 x0

x
 v  v02  2  f ( x )dx [1.13]
x0

The above equation expresses velocity as function of position say

v  g ( x ) . Now substituting g(x) for v in the definition of velocity,
we have
t x
dx dx
v   dt   g( x )
dt t0 x0

x
dx
 t  t0   g(x )
x0
[1.14]

The above equation expresses a relation between x and t.

Example 15: Acceleration of a particle moving along the x-axis is

defined by the law a  4 x , where a is in m/s2 and x is in m. At the
instant t = 0, the particle passes the origin with a velocity of 2 m/s
moving in the positive x-direction.
(a) Find its velocity v as function of its position coordinates.
(b) Find its position x as function of time t.
(c) Find the maximum distance it can go away from the origin.
Solution:

JEE Physics 1.15

Arvind Tiwari Chapter 1

(a) By substituting the given expression in a  v  dv dx  , we have

v x
dv
a v
dx
  vdv 
v0
  4 x  dx
x0

 v  2 1  x 2
Since the particle passes the origin with positive velocity of 2 m/s,
we drop the minus sign in the above equation and obtain velocity
as function of position.
v  2 1  x2
(b) By substituting above obtained expression in the definition of
velocity, we have
x t
dx dx
v    dt
dt 0 2 1  x2 t0

 x  sin 2t
(c) The maximum distance it can go away from the origin is 1 m
because maximum magnitude of sine function is unity.

III. Acceleration as a function of velocity:

Let acceleration be a given function of velocity say a = f(v).
Using definition of acceleration and substituting f(v) for a, we have
t v
dv dv
a   dt   f (v)
dt t0 v0

v
dv
 t  t0   f (v )
v0
[1.15]

The above equation expresses a relation between v and t.

Now we can obtain relation between velocity and position as
explained in following equations.
x v
dv vdv
a v
dx
  dx   f (v )
x0 v0

v
vdv
 x  x0   f (v )
v0
[1.16]

Example 16: Acceleration of particle moving along the x-axis varies

according to the law a  2v , where a is in m/s2 and v is in m/s. At the
instant t = 0, the particle passes the origin with a velocity of 2 m/s
moving in the positive x-direction.
(a) Find its velocity v as function of time t.
(b) Find its position x as function of time t.
(c) Find its velocity v as function of its position coordinates.
(d) Find the maximum distance it can go away from the origin.
(e) Will it reach the above-mentioned maximum distance?
Solution:

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Arvind Tiwari Particle Kinematics

(a) Employing the given relation in the definition of acceleration, we

have
v t
dv dv
a
dt
 2 v  20 dt  v  2e 2t

(b) Employing the above equation in the definition of velocity, we have

x t
dx
v   dx    2e 2t  dt  x  1  2e 2t
dt 0 0

(c) Employing the given expression of a in a  v  dv dx  , we have

v x
dv
a v   dv  2 dx  v  2 1  x 
dx 2 0

(d) The above result suggests that it will stop at x = 1 m. Therefore,

the maximum distance away from the origin it can go is 1 m.
(e) Result obtained in part (b) suggests that to reach x = 1 m, the
particle will take time that tends to infinity. Therefore, it will
approach infinitely close to x = 1 m but never reach this position.

Beginners Box: 4
1. Velocity of a body moving along x-axis is given 5. Speed v of a particle moving on a straight line,
by (4t3  2t), where t is in second and velocity in as function of position x is given by v2 = 108x –
m/s. What is the acceleration of the particle, 9x2. The modulus of acceleration in m/s2 when
when it is 2 m from the origin? it is at distance 3 m from the fixed-point is
(a) 28 m/s2 (b) 22 m/s2 (a) 9 (b) 18
(c) 12 m/s2 (d) 10 m/s2 (c) 27 (d) None of these

2. Acceleration a of a particle increases linearly 6. Acceleration of a particle moving along the x-

with time t according to the law a = bt. Here b axis varies with its position coordinate x
is a positive constant. If at the instant t = 0 the according to equation a  4  x , where a is in
velocity is v0, the distance travelled as function meter per second square and x is in meters. If
of time will be the particle starts form rest at the origin, select
1 1 the correct alternative(s).
(a) v0t  bt 3 (b) v0t  bt 3
6 2 (a) It oscillates between x  0 and x  8 m.
1 3 1 (b) It oscillates between x  8 m and x  8 m.
(c) v0t  bt (d) v0t  bt 3 (c) It passes the origin with maximum speed,
6 2
which equals to 4 m/s.
3. Acceleration of a particle as a function of time (d) It passes the position x = 4 m with a maxi-
is given by a = (1.5t – 0.15t2) m/s. If the particle mum speed which equals to 4 m/s.
starts from rest at the instant t = 0 s, the
7. Velocity v of a particle moving on a straight-line
maximum velocity in the forward direction is
path varies with time t according to the
(a) 10 m/s (b) 25 m/s following equation.
(c) 50 m/s (d) None of these
dv
 6.0  3v
4. A particle moving along a straight line has a dt
velocity v m/s, when it clears a distance of x If the particle was at rest at the instant t = 0,
meters. These two quantities are related by the which of the following statements is/are
relation v  49  x . Its acceleration correct?
(a) is increasing. (a) Its terminal speed is 2.0 m/s.
(b) is decreasing. (b) Its speed varies with the time according to
(c) first increases than becomes constant. the equation v = 2(1 – e–3t) m/s.
(d) is uniform and equals to 0.5 m/s2.
JEE Physics 1.17
 Chapter 1
(c) Its speed is 0.1 m/s when the acceleration is 9. The acceleration a experienced by a moving
half the initial value. motor boat, after its engine is cut-off, is given
(d) The magnitude of the initial acceleration is by a  kv3 , where k represents a positive
6.0 m/s2. constant and v represents velocity. If v0 is the
magnitude of the velocity at the instant of cut-
8. Acceleration of a self-propelled vehicle of mass
m whose engine delivers a constant power p is off, the magnitude of the velocity at a time t
after the cut-off is
given by the following equation.
v0 v0
p (a) (b)
a
mv 2v02 kt  1 2v02 kt  1
In order to increase its velocity from v1 to v2, the 2v0 2v0
(c) (d)
distance it has to travel in a resistance less 2
2v kt  1
0 2v02 kt  1
medium will be
3p 2 m 3 10. A particle moves along the x-axis with an
(a) (v2  v12 ) (b) (v2  v13 )
m 3p acceleration a  6  3 x .At the instant t = 2 s, it
m 2 m was observed at position x = 27 m, moving with
(c) (v2  v12 ) (d) (v2  v1 ) velocity v = 27 m/s. Calculate its velocity and
3p 3p
acceleration at the instant t = 4s.

3. Curvilinear Translation:

3.1. Fundamental Concepts:

z Position and Position Vector:

B
P
Position of particle in a reference frame is represented by coordinates of
the point where the particle is located.
A vector drawn from the origin to the location of a particle is known
O as the position vector of the particle.
x A y 
In the Fig. 1.6, position vector r of a particle P moving on a path AB
Fig. 1.6 is shown at an instant.

Displacement and Distance.

Displacement is a measure of change in position whereas distance or
distance travelled is the length of path traversed.
z If a particle moves from a point P to another point Q in a time interval
B Q(t + t) 
t to t + t on a path AB, its displacement is the vector r and the
s distance travelled is the length s of the path traversed on the segment
P(t) PQ as shown in the Fig. 1.7.
Modulus of displacement of a moving particle may increase or
O s decrease with time whereas distance travelled will always increase.
x y 
A Modulus of displacement r and the distance travelled s bear the
Fig. 1.7 following relation.
  s; Unidirectional motion
r : 
 s; Motion with changing direction

Average Velocity and Average Speed:

Average velocity in a time interval is that constant velocity with which
if a particle were assumed to move, it would cover the same
displacement as it covers in its actual motion.
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Arvind Tiwari Particle Kinematics

If displacement of a particle in a time interval t is r , average

velocity vav in this time interval is given by the following equation.

 r
vav  [1.17]
t
Average speed in a time interval is that constant speed with which if a
particle were assumed to move, it would travel the same distance as it
travels in its actual motion.
If distance travelled by a particle in a time interval t is s, average
velocity cav in this time interval is given by the following equation
s
cav  [1.18]
t
   c ; Unidirectional motion
vav :  av
 cav ; Motion with changing direction

Example-3.1: A particle moves on a circular path of radius r = 7.0 m y

with a constant speed c = 1.1 m/s from a point P on the x-axis to a point Q
Q on the y-axis. The center of the circular path is at the origin. Find the
average velocity of the particle.

Solution: Displacement is the vector PQ .
O
  
PQ  OQ  OP  7.0 jˆ  7.0iˆ  7.0  iˆ  jˆ  m
P x

Distance travelled s is equal to one fourth of the circumference

1 1 22 
s   2 r    2   7   11 m
4 4 7 
Time taken by the particle:
s 11 m
t    10 s
c 1.1 m/s
Average velocity:

 Displacement PQ 7.0  iˆ  jˆ  m
vav     0.7  iˆ  jˆ  m/s
Time taken t 10 s

Instantaneous Velocity and Speed:

Instantaneous velocity of a particle is equal to the time rate of change in z
its position vector. It is directed along the tangent to the path at that B
point as shown in Fig.-1.8.
 
 r dr P (t)
v  lim  [1.19]
t  0 t dt
O
Instantaneous speed is equal to the time rate of change in distance y
x A
travelled. Fig.-1.8
s d s
c  lim  [1.20]
t  0 t dt
Modulus of instantaneous velocity is equal to instantaneous speed.

c v [1.21]
Usually, the word instantaneous is omitted and these quantities are
simply called velocity and speed.

JEE Physics 1.19

Arvind Tiwari Chapter 1
Average Acceleration:
Acceleration tells us that how fast velocity vector changes with time.
Average acceleration in a time interval is that constant acceleration
with which if the particle were assumed to move, it would have the same
change in velocity as it has in its actual motion.
It is defined as the ratio of change in velocity vector in a time interval
to the time interval. If in a time interval t, velocity vector changes by
 
v , the average acceleration aav is given by the following equation.

 v
aav  [1.22]
t

Instantaneous Acceleration:

Instantaneous acceleration a of a particle tells as that how fast and in
what direction velocity of a body changes with time. It is equal to the

time rate of change in velocity vector v .

 dv
z a [1.23]
B dt

a P Acceleration vector has two components, one responsible for change
in magnitude and the other for change in direction. They are known as
tangential and normal components of acceleration.
O 
y In the Fig.-1.9 the instantaneous acceleration a , the tangential
x A  
acceleration aτ and the normal acceleration an of a particle P moving
Fig.-1.9
on curvilinear path AB are shown.

3.2. General Equations of Curvilinear Translation:


Velocity vector v of a particle is defined as derivative of its position
 
vector r with respect to time t and acceleration vector a is defined as

derivative of its velocity vector v with respect to time t. According to
z
these definitions, we can write the following equations.

 dr      
t

Q v  r  r0   vdt  r  r0  r [1.24]
dt 0

 dv      
t
a  v  v0   adt  v  v0  v [1.25]
dt 0
P
In Fig.-1.10 , a particle moving on a curvilinear path passes a point P
O y at the instant t = 0 and point Q at a latter instant t. The triangle formed
  
x by vectors r0 , r and r represents the eq. [1.24] and triangle formed by
Fig. 1.10   
vectors v0 , v and v represents the eq. [1.25].

3.3. Curvilinear Translation in Cartesian Components:

Analysis of kinematics of motion involves either operation of
differentiation or integration of a vector with respect to time according
to eq. [1.24] and [1.25].
Consider a particle moving on a curvilinear path. If it is at a point P
(x, y, z) an instant of time t, its position, velocity and acceleration vectors
are given by the following equations.

r  xiˆ  yjˆ  zkˆ [1.26]
 dx ˆ dy ˆ dz ˆ
v i j k  vx iˆ  vy jˆ  vz kˆ [1.27]
dt dt dt

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Arvind Tiwari Particle Kinematics

 dv dvx ˆ dvy ˆ dvz ˆ
a  i j k  ax iˆ  a y jˆ  az kˆ [1.28]
dt dt dt dt
Here vx  dx dt , vy  dy dt and vz  dz dt are the components of the
velocity in the x, y and z-directions respectively. Similarly, ax  dvx dt ,
a y  dvy dt and az  dvz dt are the components of acceleration in the x,
y and z- directions respectively.
Operation of integration required to find position vector from the
velocity vector and velocity vector from the acceleration vector can be
performed according to the following equations.
   
t t t
r  r0   iˆ  vx dt  jˆ  vy dt  kˆ  vz dt  [1.29]
 0 0 0 
   
t t t
v  v0   iˆ  ax dt  jˆ  a y dt  kˆ  az dt  [1.30]
 0 0 0 


x x x
v  iˆ vx20  2  ax dx  jˆ v2y 0  2  a y dy  kˆ vz20  2  az dz [1.31]
x0 y0 y0

3.4. Curvilinear Translation as Superposition of Three Simult-

aneous Rectilinear Motions:
As the base unit vectors î , ĵ and k̂ in Cartesian coordinate system
are constants, operation of differentiation and integration on any
component does not yield a value in the direction of other components.
Therefore, a curvilinear translation can be analysed in a cartesian
coordinate system as superposition of three simultaneous rectilinear
motions each along one of the coordinate axes.


Example 3.2: Position vector r of a particle varies with time t
 
   
according to the law r  12 t 2 iˆ  43 t1.5 jˆ   2t  kˆ , where r is in meters
and t is in seconds.
(a) Find suitable expression for its velocity and acceleration as
function of time.
(b) Find magnitude of its displacement and distance travelled in the
time interval t = 0 to 4 s.
Solution:
(a) From definition of velocity vector (e. [1.19]), we have

 dr 
v  v  tiˆ  2 t jˆ  2kˆ  m/s
dt
From definition of acceleration vector (eq. [1.23]), we have

 dv   1 ˆ
a  a   iˆ  j  m/s2
dt  t 

(b) Displacement r is defined as the change in position vector.
   

r  r4  r0  r  8iˆ  323 jˆ  8kˆ m 

r  82   323   82  15.55 m
2
Magnitude of displacement:

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Arvind Tiwari Chapter 1
Distance travelled s is defined as the path length and can be
calculated by integrating speed with respect to time over the
concerned time interval.

t 4 4
s   v d t
0
 s  
0
t 2  4t  4  dt   t  2  dt  16 m
0

Example 3.3: A particle starts from point (24 m, 10 m) at the


instant t = 0 and moves with velocity v that varies with time t as

v   3t 2iˆ  2tjˆ  m/s. Find its position vector at t = 4 s.

Solution: Displacement r in time interval t = 0 to t = 4 s, is given
by the following equation.
  
t 4
r   vdt  3t iˆ  2tjˆ  dt
2
 r 
0 0

  4   4 
 r   3 t 2 dt  iˆ   2 tdt  jˆ
 0   0 

 r   64iˆ  16 jˆ  m

Final position Displacement r being equal to the difference in the final position
 
vector rf and the initial position vector ri as shown in the adjacent
figure. Following triangle law of vector addition, we have
   
Origin rf  ri  r  rf   24iˆ  10 jˆ    64iˆ  16 jˆ 

Initial position  rf   40iˆ  26 jˆ  m


Example 3.4: A particle moving with uniform acceleration a   8iˆ 

m/s2 passes the origin with a velocity v0  16iˆ  12 jˆ  m/s at the instant
t = 0.
(a) Find when and where it will cross the y-axis.
(b) Find when and where it is moving parallel to the y-axis.
(c) What is the equation of its trajectory?
(d) Draw the trajectory.
Solution:
x-component of motion y-component of motion
x0 = 0; v0y = 16 m/s; ax = 8 m/s2 y0 = 0; v0y = 12 m/s; ay = 0
Using equations of uniform It is uniform velocity motion,
acceleration motion, we have therefore
vx  16  8t (1) y  12t (3)

x  16t  4t 2 (2)

(a) When it crosses the y-axis, its x-coordinate will be zero. Therefore,
from the eq. 2 given in the above table, we have
x  16t  4t 2  0  16t  4t 2  t  0, 4 s
At t = 0, it was at the origin, so it will cross the y-axis at t = 4 s.
To find where it crosses the y-axis, we use eq. (3) given in the above
table at the instant t = 4 s.
y  12t  y4  12  4  48 m
It crosses the y-axis at t = 4 s on y = 48 m.
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Arvind Tiwari Particle Kinematics

(b) When it is moving parallel to the y-axis, its x-component of velocity

must be zero. Therefore, using eq. (1) given in the table, we have
vx  16  8t  0  16  8t  t  2 s
Using eq. (2) and (3), at the instant t = 2 s, we have
x  16t  4t 2  x 2  16  2  4  22  16 m
y  12t  y2  12  2  24 m
It is moving parallel to the y-axis at the point (16 m, 24 m) after 2 y/m
s from the instant it was at the origin. 50
(c) Equation of trajectory is relation between it x and y-coordinates.
Substituting t from eq. (3) in to eq. (2), we have 25
2
x  y
4
3
1
36
y
0
(d) The trajectory is shown in the adjoining figure. 0 5 10 15 x/m

Beginner’s Box: 5
1. A car starts from point O and following the path 4. Direction of average velocity depends on
shown stops at point Q. Find distance travelled (a) the directions of initial and final velocities
and displacement of the car, if a = 7 m, b = 8 m only.
and r = 3.5 m? [Take  = 22/7] (b) the directions and magnitude of initial and
b 4r final velocities.
O A
B C D (c) initial and final locations only.
a 2r
(d) initial and final locations and the directions
and magnitude of initial and final velocities.

(a) 48m and 36m (b) 48m and 42m 5. If velocities of a body at the initial and final
  
(c) 48m and 32m (d) 48m and 40m locations are vi and vf , the average velocity vav
  
2. If a particle is moving on a curvilinear path, is defined by the equation vav  12 (vi  vf ) . This
(a) its velocity vector can have components statement is true
along the tangent and normal to the path. (a) only when the body moves on a straight-line
(b) its velocity vector cannot have component path irrespective of its acceleration.
along the normal to the path. (b) only when the body moves on a straight-line
(c) its acceleration vector may be parallel to the path with constant acceleration.
velocity vector. (c) only when the body moves with constant
(d) it must have a varying velocity and hence a acceleration irrespective of shape of the
varying speed. path.
(d) only when the body moves on a straight-line
3. A particle is moving in a plane on a curve path and does not reverses its direction of
y  f ( x ) . Mark correct statement motion.
(a) Slope of the tangent at a point is equal to
6. A particle is moving in a plane with velocity
the instantaneous speed at that point.
(b) Instantaneous velocity at any point has given by u  u iˆ  ( a cos t ) jˆ . If the particle is
0
direction along the tangent to the path at at the origin at t = 0, the trajectory of the
that point. particle is given as
(c) Slope of the tangent at a point is equal to the
u   x 
instantaneous acceleration at that point. (a) y  a sin  0  (b) y  a sin  
d2 y  x   u0 
(d) Second derivative at any point will be
dx 2 1 u  1  x 
(c) y  .sin  0  (d) y  .sin  
equal to the instantaneous acceleration at a  x  a  u0 
that point.

JEE Physics 1.23

 Chapter 1
Question 7 and 8 are based on the following passage. 8. What is its minimum speed during the motion?
A particle moving with uniform acceleration passes (a) Zero (b) 6 m/s (c)8 m/s
 (d) Insufficient information to decide.
the origin with a velocity of u  8iˆ  6 jˆ m/s. It
follows a trajectory shown in the figure. 9. A particle is moving in the x-y plane with
y (m) vy  8t m/s and ax  4t m/s2. Initially the
particle starts from (0 m, 2 m) with a zero x-
10 component of velocity. Find speed of the
particle when x = 18 m.
5 10. The position of a particle moving in a plane is

given by r  3sin(2 t )iˆ  2cos(2 t ) jˆ , where r is
in meters and t is in seconds.
–2 –1 1 2 3 4 5 x (m)
(a) Plot the path of the particle.
7. How long after the instant it was at the origin, (b) Find the velocity vector and acceleration
it again crosses the y-axis. vector.
(c) Find the moments when its speed is
(a) 1.5 s (b) 2.0 s (c)2.5 s (d) 3.0 s maximum or minimum.

3.5. Motion in a Plane: Projectile Motion:

An object given an initial velocity when continues to move by its own
inertia in a free space or in a force field with or without a medium is
known as projectile, its motion as projectile motion and its path as
trajectory.
A football kicked by a player, an arrow shot by an archer, water
sprinkling out a water-fountain, an athlete in long jump or high jump,
Parabolic a bullet or an artillery shell fired from a gun, if have initial velocity in
Trajectory a direction other than the vertical, follow parabolic trajectories. These
are some common examples of projectile motion.
At present, we study projectiles moving on parabolic trajectories and
by the term projectile motion; we usually refer to this kind of motion.
Fig.-1.11 For a projectile to move on parabolic trajectory, the following conditions
must be fulfilled.
● Acceleration vector must be uniform.
● Velocity vector never coincides with line of the acceleration vector.

Important Terms:
Consider motion of a ball thrown from ground hitting an inclined plane
Trajectory
Velocity of
as shown in Fig.-1.12. The point from where it is projected is known as
v0
Projection Maximum point of projection, the velocity with which it is thrown as velocity of
Height (H)
Target
projection, the angle which velocity of projection makes with the
Point of Angle of
Projection Projection horizontal as angle of projection, the point where it hits as target, the

horizontal displacement as horizontal range or range, the height of the
Horizontal Range (R) highest point above ground as maximum height, the time it spends in
Fig.-1.12 the air as air time or time of flight and the path traced as trajectory.

3.5.1: General Projectile motion

Projectile on a parabolic trajectory is an example of motion in a plane
or in two-dimension. It can be conceived as superposition of two
simultaneous rectilinear motions in two mutually perpendicular direct-
ions that can be analyzed separately as two rectilinear motions.

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Arvind Tiwari Particle Kinematics

Usually the horizontal and the vertical are taken as the x and y-axes
as shown in Fig.-1.13. Here it is considered that the point of projection
O and the target P both are on the ground i.e. in the same horizontal
level. Vertical component of velocity of the ball decreases in its upward
motion, vanishes at the highest point and thereafter increases in the
downward motion due to gravity. At the same time, the ball continues
to move uniformly in horizontal direction.

x=0 x Horizontal or x-Component of Motion x=R

t=0 t t=T
Vertical or y-Component of
Motion O v0x v0x v0x v0x P v0x x

y y y
B v0x
y=H y=H y=H

vy vy C v0x
y y y
v0x vy
vy A
vo
v0y v0y
x=R
t=0  t=T P v0x
t=0 P t=T
O v0x x P  x
O
v0y v0y v0

Fig.1.13: Projectile motion as superposition of two rectilinear motions one in vertical and other in horizontal direction.

Vertical or y-component of motion:

Since forces other than gravitational pull of the earth are negligible,
vertical component of acceleration of the ball is g vertically downwards
i.e. ay = g. Denoting the vertical component of the velocity of projection
by v0y, vertical component of velocity vy and height y above the ground
at an instant t can be expressed with the help of the three equations of
uniform acceleration motion.
vy  v0 y  gt (1)

y  v0 yt  12 gt 2 (2)

v2y  v02y  2 gy (3)

Horizontal or x-component of motion:

Since effects of wind and air resistance are assumed negligible as
compared to effect of gravity, the horizontal component of acceleration
of the ball becomes zero and the ball moves with uniform horizontal
component of velocity v0x. Horizontal displacement x at an instant t is
described by the following equation.
x  v0x t (4)

Time of Flight: At the highest point of trajectory when t  12 T , the

vertical component of velocity becomes zero. At the
instant t  T , the ball strikes the ground with velocity
vy = v0y.
By using either of the above two conditions in eq. (1),
we obtain the time of flight.
JEE Physics 1.25
Arvind Tiwari Chapter 1
2v0 y
T  [1.32]
g

Maximum Height: At the highest point of trajectory where y  H , the

vertical component of velocity becomes zero.
By substituting this information in equation (3), we
obtain the maximum height.
v02 y
H [1.33]
2g

Horizontal Range: The horizontal range or simply the range is the

horizontal displacement in the whole time of flight.
Substituting the expression of time of flight in eq. (4),
we obtain the range.
2v0 x v0 y v02 sin 2
R  [1.34]
g g
For angle of projections  and 90º , a projectile has
the same range.

Maximum Range: The above expression of range makes obvious that

to obtain maximum range Rm, the angle of projection
must be equal to 45º.
Substituting this condition  = 45º in the expression of
range, we have
v02
Rmax  [1.35]
g
R  Rmax sin 2 [1.36]

Equation of trajectory: Equation of the trajectory is relation between

the x and the y coordinates of the ball without
involvement of time t.
By substituting t from equation (4) into equation (2),
we have
g
y  x tan   x2 [1.37]
2v cos2 
2
0

Alternate form: If range is given in advance, the equation of

trajectory can be written in an alternative form
involving horizontal range.
 x
y  x tan  1   [1.38]
 R

y Target is not in the level of point of projection: If the target is not in the
same level with the point of projection but at a height
h above the point of projection as shown in the Fig.-
A B 1.14 (a), we first substitute y = h in eq. (2) and get the
v0
time of flight.
y=h
 2
v0 y
 v0 y  2h
x=R x T     
Fig.-1.14 (a)
g  g  g

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Arvind Tiwari Particle Kinematics

Here the () and (+) signs correspond to the points A

and B respectively.
The angle of projection for the maximum horizontal
range is
 v0 
  tan 1  
 v2  2 gh 
 0 
If the target is at a depth h below the point of y
projection as shown in the Fig.-1.14 (b), by substitute- v0
ing y = h in eq. (2) we get the time of flight.

2 x
v0 y  v0 y  2h
T     
g  g  g y = h

Here the () sign yielding an imaginary root has been

omitted. x=R

In both the above situations, the horizontal range is Fig.-1.15 (b)

given by
R  v0x T
The angle of projection for the maximum horizontal
range is
 v0 
  tan 1  
 v2  2 gh 
 0 

Example 3.5: A ball is thrown with 25 m/s at an angle 53° above the
horizontal. Find its time of flight, maximum height, range and the
equation of trajectory. Acceleration due to gravity is 10 m/s2.
y
Solution: In the adjoining figure velocity of projection v0 = 25 m/s,
angle of projection  = 53º and its horizontal and vertical components v0
v0y
v0x and v0y are shown. From this information we have

v0 x  25 cos53  15 m/s and v0 y  25sin 53  20 m/s O v0x x

2voy 2  20
Time of flight: T  T  4s
g 10
2
voy 202
Maximum Height: H  H   20 m
2g 2  10
2vox voy 2  15  20
Range: R R  60 m
g 10
Equation of trajectory:
g 4x x 2
y  x tan   x2 y 
2v0 cos2 
2
3 45

Example 3.6: A ball is thrown with a speed of 49 m/s, find the greatest
range on the horizontal plane and two directions in which the ball may
be thrown so as to give a range of 122.5 m. Acceleration due to gravity
is 9.8 m/s2.
Solution: For greatest range angle of projection is 45º.

JEE Physics 1.27

Arvind Tiwari Chapter 1

v02 49  49
Rmax   Rmax   245 m
g 9.8
Angle of projection  for the given range R = 122.5 m:
1  R 
R  Rmax sin 2   sin 1  
2  Rmax 
   15 and 75

Example 3.7: A particle is projected in a direction making an angle 

above the horizontal. If it passes through two points (a, b) and (c, d) find
the angle of projection.
Solution: The given points must lie on the trajectory; hence they
must satisfy the equation of trajectory.
g
y  x tan   x2
2v cos2 
2
0

Substituting these coordinates, we have

g
For the point (a, b)  b  a tan   a2 (1)
2v cos2 
2
0

g
For the point (c, d)  d  c tan   c2 (2)
2v02 cos2 
From eq. (1) and (2), we have
 bc 2  a 2 d 
  tan 1  
 ac 2  a 2 c 

Example 3.8: Equation of trajectory of a ball projected from the ground

is given by the following equation.
3x 5x 2
y 
4 256
If all the quantities are in SI units, find the maximum range that can
be achieved by the ball by only varying its angle of projection.
Solution: Comparing the given equation with the equation of
trajectory, we can find the angle of projection and the modulus of the
velocity of projection.
g
y  x tan   x2    tan 1  3/4 
2v cos 
2
0
2

256 g
and v0   20 m/s
5  2cos2 
Now the maximum range angle of projection must be 45º.
v02 20  20
Rmax   Rmax   40 m
g 10

Example 3.9: A ball is projected from the ground with an unknown

velocity and at an angle of sin-1(4/5). If it hits the ground 40 m away
from the point of projection, find its equation of trajectory. Acceleration
due to gravity is 10 m/s2.
Solution: The alternative form equation of trajectory has to be used.

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Arvind Tiwari Particle Kinematics

 x 4x x 2
y  x tan  1   y 
 R 3 30

Example 3.10: A ball projected from the ground just clears a 10 m

high wall that is 20 m away from the point of projection, thereafter the
ball hits the ground 40 m away from the wall. Horizontal component of
velocity of the ball is perpendicular to the wall. Find the modulus of
velocity of projection and the angle of projection. Acceleration due to
gravity is 10 m/s2.
Solution: Trajectory of the ball is shown in the adjoining figure. From
the figure, it is obvious that the range is R = 60 m. Now using the 10 m
alternate form of equation of trajectory, we have 20 m 40 m
 x  yR 
y  x tan  1      tan 1  
 R x R  x 
   tan 1  3/4   37
Now using the expression of range, we can find the modulus of velocity
of projection.
2v02 cos  sin  gR
R  v0   25 m/s
g 2cos  sin  y
vy
Example 3.11: After 4 s a ball was thrown from the ground, it passes
through a point P, and strikes the ground after 5 s from the instant it P v0x
passes through the point P. Assuming acceleration due to gravity to be t=4s
9.8 m/s2 find height of the point P above the ground.
Solution: The ball takes 4 s to reach the point P from O and 5 s to v0y v0
reach Q from P. Thus, time of flight of the ball is T = 4 + 5 = 9 s as shown
 t=9s
in the adjacent figure. t=0
O v0x Q x
From the expression of time of flight, we can obtain y-component v0y of
velocity of projection.
2v0 y
T   v0 y  12 gT
g
Substituting this in second equation of uniform acceleration motion in
the y-direction, we get the height y of the point P.
y  v0 yt  12 gt 2  y  12 gt T  t   12  9.8  4  9  4   98 m

Example 3.12: A projectile is fired from the top of a cliff that is at a

height 45 m above the ground with velocity 50 m/s in at an angle
sin 1  4/5  above the horizontal. Find how far from the foot of the cliff
i.e. horizontal range of the projectile. Acceleration of free fall 10 m/s2.
y v0 = 50 m/s
Solution: Substituting y = 45 m at the instant t = T and value of v0y
v0y = 40 m/s
and g in the second equation of uniform acceleration motion for the  = sin1(4/5)
vertical component of motion, we get the time of flight. 
v0x = 30 m/s x
2 2
y  v0 yt  gt
1
2
 45  40T  5T  T  1 s and 9 s y = 45 m

Here T = 9 s is the only acceptable value.

Substituting this and value of v0x in the equation of the horizontal x=R
component of motion, we get the horizontal range.
R  v0x T R  360 m

JEE Physics 1.29

 Chapter 1
Beginner’s Box: 6
1. A particle moves with a constant acceleration.
10 m/s 20 m/s
The path of the particle may be
(a) 5 kg (b) 10 kg
(a) an arc of a circle. (b) a parabola. 20 m/s 20 m/s
(c) a straight line. (d) any of these.
30 m/s 40 m/s
2. A ball is projected at some angle above the
(c) 15 kg (d) 20 kg
horizontal. It follows a parabolic trajectory as 20 m/s 20 m/s
shown in the figure. Its velocity vector changes
y 6. In the following figure, trajectory of a ball
B projected from the ground is shown. Here the x
A and the y-axes represent the horizontal and the
vertical. Points A and B are at the same
O x horizontal level. Which of the following
statements are correct?
(a) at the fastest rate at B
(b) at A rate of change in velocity vector is y
smaller than that at B A B
(c) at A rate of change in velocity be more than t = t1 t = t2
that at B
(d) at equal rate on all the points of the C
trajectory. O x
t=0 t=T

3. A particle moving with constant acceleration (a) T  t1  t2 (b) T  0.5  t1  t2 


passes the origin with a velocity of u  8iˆ  6 jˆ (b) v0 = vC and vA = vB (d) vAx  vBx  vDx
m/s. Its trajectory is shown in the following
figure. Its acceleration is 7. Path of a projectile moving in the x-y plane is
y (m) given by equation y  x  x 2 . Which of the
following statements is incorrect?
10 (a) Range is 1 m
(b) Maximum height is 0.25 m
(c) Air Time is 0.5 sec
5
(d) Projection angle is 45°

8. At what inclination a particle should be thrown

–2 –1 1 2 3 4 5 x (m) so that it hits the ground 80 m away in 4 s?
 
(a) a  3iˆ m/s2 (b) a  4iˆ m/s2 9. A ball is thrown horizontally from the top of a
 
(c) a  4.5iˆ m/s2 (d) a  8iˆ m/s2 490 m high building with a velocity of 98 m/s.
Find the time of flight, horizontal range and
4. A boy throws a ball with velocity 10 m/s at an velocity with which the ball strikes the ground.
angle 53º above the horizontal and catches it in
the air at the same horizontal. To calculate the 10. A ball thrown from the ground has a velocity
distance that he had covered to catch the ball, 
v  6iˆ  8 jˆ at a height of 4 m above the ground.
he made some calculations. Which one of the
following is correct calculation? Here î and ĵ are unit vectors in the horizontal
and upward directions respectively.
(a) 1.6×6 = 9.6 m (b) 1.2×8 = 9.6 m
(c) 1.6×8 = 12.8 m (d) 1.2×6 = 7.2 m (a) Calculate the maximum height attained by
the ball.
5. Four cannons fire shells of different masses in (b) Calculate horizontal distance travelled
different directions. The horizontal component before it strikes the ground.
of the shell's velocity is the same in all four (c) Calculate velocity when it strikes the
cases. In which cases will the shell have the ground
greatest range if air resistance is neglected?

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Arvind Tiwari Particle Kinematics

3.5.2: Projectile on an inclined plane:

Artillery applications often finds the target either up a hill or down a
hill. These situations can approximately be modeled as projectile motion
up or down an inclined plane.

Projectile up an inclined plane using Cartesian components:

Consider the projectile fired from a point O on an inclined plane with a
velocity v0 at an angle  with the horizontal as shown in Fig.1.16. The y x
vx
inclined plane makes an angle  with the horizontal. Assume a 
v0 P
Cartesian coordinate system, x-axis of which coincides with the line OP v0y v0x v0y vP
joining the point of projection and the target and the origin with the ax   Horizontal
point of projection. O
The x and y components of the velocity of projection are also shown.  ay
g
v0 x  v0 cos(   ) and v0 y  v0 sin(   )
Fig.-1.16
The acceleration due to gravity g being vertical makes the angle  with
the negative y-axis, therefore its x and y-components are
ax  g sin  and a y  g cos 

y-component of motion:
This component of motion is described by the following three equations
of uniform acceleration motion. Here vy denotes y-component of velocity,
y denotes position coordinate on the y-axis at an instant of time t.
vy  v0 y  a yt (1)

y  v0 yt  12 a yt 2 (2)

v2y  v02y  2a y y (3)

x-component of motion:
This component of motion is described by the following three equations
of uniform acceleration motion. Here vx denotes x-component of velocity,
x denotes position coordinate on the x-axis at an instant of time t.
vx  v0 x  ax t (4)

x  v0 x t  12 ax t 2 (5)

vx2  v02x  2ax x (6)

Every projectile motion up an inclined plane can be analyzed using the
above six equations.
Quantities of interest in artillery applications and hence in projectile on
incline plane are time of flight, range on the incline plane and the angle
at which the shell hits the target.

Time of flight: Moving in the air for time interval T the projectile hits
the target P, its y-component of velocity v0y becomes in
the negative y-direction. Using this information in
equation (1), we obtain the time of flight.
2v0 y 2v0 sin(   )
T   [1.39]
ay g cos 
When the projectile hits the target P, its y component
of displacement also becomes zero. This information
with equation (2) also yields the time of flight.

JEE Physics 1.31

Arvind Tiwari Chapter 1
Range on the plane: The range of a projectile on an incline plane is the
distance between the point of projection and the
target. It is equal to displacement in the x-direction
during whole flight. By substituting time of flight in
equation (5), we obtain expression for the range R.
2v0 sin(   )cos
R [1.40]
g cos2 

Angle of hit: It can be represented by the angle made by the velocity

vector either with the inclined plane ( ) or with the
horizontal (  ).
 v0 y 
  tan 1   [1.41]
 v0 x  g sin  T 
Here the expression in the denominator is the x-
component of velocity vx with which the projectile hits
the target.

y Projectile down an inclined plane using Cartesian components:

For projectile down an incline plane only the sign of ax and the angle 
v0 v0y have to be reversed according to the Fig.-1.17 in the eq. (4), (5) and (6).
 
v0x ax O 2v0 y 2v0 sin(   )
 ay
Time of flight: T   [1.42]
x
ay g cos 
g

2v0 sin(   ) cos 

Range on the plane: R [1.43]
g cos2 
Fig.-1.17

 v0 sin     
Angle of hit:   tan 1   [1.44]
 v0 sin      g sin  T 

Analysis of incline plane projectile using Equation of trajectory:

y Trajectory
Sometimes the hill may be away from the point of projection or the hill
P may not have uniform slope as shown in Fig.-1.18 (a) and (b).
v0 Hill In these cases, the shape of the hill can be expressed by a suitable
y = mx + c (xP, yP)
equation of the form y  mx  c for a hill of uniform slope or y  f ( x ) for
O  x
a hill of nonuniform slope. The target P where the projectile hits the hill
Fig.-1.18 (a) is the intersection of trajectory of the projectile and the profile of the
hill. Therefore, coordinates (xP, yP) of the target can be obtained by
simultaneously solving equation of the hill and equation of trajectory of
y Trajectory the projectile.

P Time of flight: Since a projectile move with uniform horizontal

v0 Hill (xP, yP) component of the velocity (vox), its time of flight T can
y = f(x)
be calculated from the following equation.
O  x
xP
Fig.-1.18 (b)
T 
v0x

Example 3.13: A particle is projected with a velocity of 30 m/s at an

angle 60° above the horizontal on a slope of inclination 30°. Find its
range, time of flight and angle of hit. Acceleration of free fall is 10 m/s2.

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Arvind Tiwari Particle Kinematics

Solution: The coordinate system, projection velocity and its

component, and acceleration due to gravity and its component are
shown in the adjoining figure. Where all the quantities are in SI units. v0 = 30
y
x
Substituting vy = v0y and t = T in the first equation of y-component of
motion, we get the time of flight. v0y = 15 60º v0x= 15√3
30º
2v0 y 2  15 ax= 5
T  T  2 3 s Horizontal
ay 5 3 30º
ay=5√3

Substituting value of time of flight in the second equation of x- g =10

component of motion, we get the range R.
R  v0 x T  12 axT 2
 R  15 3  2 3  12  5  (2 3)2  60 m
 y
In the adjoining figure, components of velocity vP when the projectile
hits the slope at point P are shown in SI units. The angle  which vx = 5√3 x
velocity vector makes with the x-axis is known as angle of hit.
 
The y-component of vP is is equal in modulus to that of velocity of P
v0y= 15 vP
projection. The x-component of velocity vx is calculated by substituting
values of time of flight in the first equation of x-component of motion.
vx  v0 x  ax t  vx  15 3  5  2 3  5 3 m/s
From the figure, the angle of hit is
 v0 y 
  tan 1      60
 vx 

Example 3.13: Find the angle of projection with the horizontal for a
projectile to have the greatest range.
(a) Up a hill of uniform slope. (b) Down a hill of uniform slope.
Solution:
(a) The range R of a projectile projected with velocity v0 to hit a target
up a hill of uniform slope of inclination  is expressed in terms of
angle of projection  by the following expression.
2v02 sin(   ) cos 
R
g cos2 
In the above expression, only the term sin(   ) cos  depends on
angle . It can be expressed as
sin(   ) cos   sin(2   )  sin 
The above term is maximum when 2    90 and so the range.
Therefore, for maximum range required angle of projection is given
by the following equation.
  45  12 
(b) The range R of a projectile projected with velocity v0 to hit a target
up a hill of uniform slope of inclination  is expressed in terms of
angle of projection  by the following expression.
2v02 sin(   )cos 
R
g cos2 
Following the similar analysis as in the previous part, we get the
angle  of projection for the greatest range down the hill is
  45  12 

JEE Physics 1.33

Arvind Tiwari Chapter 1
Example 3.14: A shell is fired from point O on the level ground with
a velocity 50 m/s at angle 53º. A hill of uniform slope of 37º with the
50 m/s horizontal starts from point A that is 100 m away from the point O as
O 53º A 37º shown in the figure.
100 m (a) Find the distance from A of the point where the shell hits the hill.
(b) Find the time of flight of the shell.
Solution:
y (a) In the adjacent figure, distance l of point P, where the shell hits
v0 = 50 P the hill, components of the velocity of projection and other
v0y = 40

quantities are shown in SI units.

l
v0x = 30  4l 3l 
O Coordinates of the point P: 100  , 
x  5 5
100
Equation of trajectory of the shell:
gx 2 4x x 2
y  x tan   y 
2v02x 3 180
Coordinates of the point P must satisfy the above equation of
trajectory. Therefore, we have
2
3l  4l  4 1  4l 
 100      100  
5  5  3 180  5
 l  100 m

(b) The shell covers the horizontal component x of displacement OP
with the constant horizontal component of velocity v0x = 30 m/s in
the entire time of flight T. Therefore, we have
 4  100 
x 100  
5 
T  T   6s
v0x 30

Beginner’s Box: 7
1. Two bullets of unequal masses are fired v2 v2
simultaneously with unequal speeds parallel to (a) (b)
g g (1  sin  )
an inclined plane from the same point. Which
one will strike the plane first? v2 v2
(c) (d)
g (1  sin  ) g (1  cos  )

3. A ball is projected horizontally with a speed v

from the top of a plane inclined at an angle 45°
with the horizontal. How far from the point of
projection with the ball strike the plane?
(a) The heavier one, if it has less initial velocity
than the lighter one. v2 2v2
(a) (b)
(b) The lighter one, if it has more initial g g
velocity than heavier the one.
2v2 2 2v2
(c) That one, which has more initial velocity (c) (d)
than that of other irrespective of their g g
masses.
(d) Both will strike the plane simultaneously. 4. A ball is projected from an inclined plane with
a velocity 10 m/s perpendicular to the plane. If
2. From the bottom an inclined plane of angle of inclination of the plane is 30º, find the
inclination , a bullet is fired with velocity v. range of the projectile on the inclined plane.
The maximum possible range of the bullet on (a) 40/3 m (b) 20/13 m
the inclined plane is
1.34 JEE Physics
Arvind Tiwari Particle Kinematics

(c) 13/20 m (d) 13/40 m 8. Two planes OA and OB of inclinations 30º and
60º respectively merge at the point O as shown
5. A shot is fired from a hill of uniform inclination in the figure. A particle is projected from point
sin 1  4/5  with the horizontal. If the shot P with velocity u = 103 m/s in a direction
strikes the hill horizontally at a point higher perpendicular to the plane OA. If the particle
than the point of projection, find the angle of strikes the plane OB at right angle at point Q,
projection with the horizontal. calculate
 3   8  B
(a) sin 1   (b) sin 1  
 73   73  A u Q
P
 3 
(c) tan 1   (d) None of these
 73  30º 60º
O
6. A particle is projected with a velocity u at an
angle  with the horizontal from a plane (a) the velocity with which particle strikes the
inclined at an angle  with the horizontal as plane OB,
shown in figure. Find y-component of velocity of (b) the time of flight,
the particle, when it reaches the maximum (c) the vertical height H of P from O,
distance from the incline plane. (d) the maximum height from O attained by the
particle, and
y x (e) the distance PQ.
u 9. Show that whether a ball is thrown horizontally


Horizontal or at right angles with the same speed from an
inclined plane, the ball will strike the plane at
the same point. Assuming speed of projection u
7. The moment a small block A is released from
and the angle of inclination of the plane ,
point O on smooth inclined plane, a ball B is
develop an expression for the range in the
thrown with velocity u from the point O. If both
above-mentioned situations.
the objects meet at the point where the ball
strikes the plane first time, find the angle of 10. If for a given modulus of velocity of projection
projection of the ball with the horizontal. from an inclined plane, the maximum range
u down the plane is three times the maximum
O B range up the plane, find the angle of inclination
A
of the plane.

3.6. Motion in a Plane: Circular Motion

y
A particle moving on circular path is said to be in circular motion.
A convenient way to represent position of a particle on a circular path P
is to choose a two-dimensional coordinate system in the plane of the
path with the origin at the center of the path. In Fig.-1.19, a particle P 
O x
is shown on a circular path of radius r at an instant, when position

vector r of the particle makes an angle  with the x-axis. The position
of the particle can either be defined by its Cartesian coordinates (x, y)
or a set of other coordinates (r, ) known as polar coordinates.
Fig.-1.19
Advantage of the polar coordinates lies in the fact that for a known
circular path only the angel coordinate  changes with time whereas in
Cartesian system both the coordinates x and y change with time. Thus,
motion on a circle of known radius can be described in terms of the angle
coordinate  and its time derivatives.
JEE Physics 1.35
Arvind Tiwari Chapter 1

Angular and Linear Variable:

The angle coordinate and its time derivatives are collectively known as
angular variables. Whereas, the distance travelled, speed, velocity and
acceleration are known as linear variables.

3.6.1. Angular Variables:

z Motion on a circular path can be completely described, if we know how
the angle  varies with time and the radius. Accordingly, the following
Direction
quantities known as angular motion or circular motion variables.
of Angular
displacement
Angular position:
The angle coordinate  at an instant is known as angular position.
Right hand
Angular Displacement
O A change in angular position  in a time interval is known as angular
 y
displacement.
x P A finite angular displacement is a scalar whereas an infinitesimally
Fig.-1.20 small angular displacement is a vector.
Direction of angular displacement vector is conventionally given by
the right-hand rule as shown in Fig. 1.20.

Angular Velocity:
It tells us how fast and what direction the position vector rotates.
The instantaneous rate of change in angular position  with respect to
time is known as angular velocity.

It is a vector quantity pointing in the direction of d . It is usually

denoted by  .

 d
 [1.45]
dt

Average Angular Velocity:

Average angular velocity in a finite time interval t is equal to the ratio
of finite angular displacement  to the corresponding time interval.

av  [1.46]
t
Since a finite angular displacement is a scalar, the average angular
velocity is also a scalar.

Angular Acceleration:
The instantaneous rate of change in angular velocity with respect to
time is known as angular velocity.

It is a vector quantity pointing in the direction of d . It is usually

denoted by  .

 d
 [1.47]
dt

Average Angular Acceleration:


Average angular acceleration  av in an interval is defined as the ratio

of change in angular velocity  to the corresponding time interval t.

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Arvind Tiwari Particle Kinematics

 
 av  [1.48]
t

Directions of Angular Variables:

For motion in a plane, the position vector can rotate either clockwise or
anticlockwise. Thus, the angular variables can have only two directions
that are either perpendicularly out of or perpendicularly into the plane
of motion according to the right-hand rule. Similar to rectilinear motion,
these directions can be denoted by (+) and () signs.
Usually the angular position is assumed (+)ve or ()ve, if measured
in anticlockwise or clockwise senses respectively. For this convention,
the angular velocity is defined by the following equation.

d    ve for increasing value of 

 
dt    ve for decreasing velue of 

Angular acceleration has the same sign as the angular velocity has,
if the latter one is increasing in modulus, otherwise the opposite sign.
d d 2 d
  2  [1.49]
dt dt d

Example-3.16: Angular position  of a particle moving on a

curvilinear path varies according to the equation   t 3  3t 2  4t  2 ,
where  is in radians and time t is in seconds.
(a) Find angular velocity and angular acceleration as functions of time.
(a) Find average angular acceleration in the time interval [2 s, 4 s].
Solution:
(a) Angular velocity
d
     3t 2  6t  4  rad/s
dt
Angular acceleration
d d 2
 or     6t  6  rad/s2
dt dt 2
(b) Average angular acceleration
 final  initial 4  2 28  4
 av     av    12 rad/s2
t tfinal  tinitial 42 2

3.6.2. Analysis of Circular Motion with graphs:

Definitions of the angular variables suggests us to draw the following
conclusions in a manner analogous to the rectilinear motion.
 Slope of  -t graphs = 
 Slope of  -t graph = 
 Product of  and slope of  -t graph = 
 Area between  -t graph and the time axis = 
 Area between  -t graph and the time axis =  
 Area between  - graph and the  -axis = Half of the change in
value of square of .

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Arvind Tiwari Chapter 1

Example-3.17: Angular acceleration velocity  of a particle varies

linearly with time t according to the given graph. The particle starts
4.0 moving from the angular position 0 = 0.
(a) Find angular acceleration  as function of time.
0.0 (b) Find the initial angular velocity 0.
1.0 3.0 t/s
(c) Express the angular velocity as a function of time.
(d) Find angular position  as function of time.
(e) Find the average angular velocity av in the time interval [0, 3 s].
Solution:
(a) Angular acceleration is equal to the slope of  -t graph. Here the
graph is a straight line, therefore its slope and hence the angular
acceleration is a constant.
From the graph the angular acceleration  can be calculated from
the points (1.0, 0.0) and (3.0, 4.0).
 4.0  0.0
    2.0 rad/s2
t 3.0  1.0

4.0
(b) Initial angular velocity 0 is shown in the adjoining figure. It can
be calculated with the help of value of slope i.e.  and the points
0.0
(0.0, 0) and (1.0, 0.0).
1.0 3.0 t/s
0  0.0  0
  2.0   0  2.0 rad/s
t 1.0  0.0
(c) Using equation of straight line y  mx  c , where m is the slope
and c is intercept on the y-axis, we can express the angular velocity
as function of time. Here we replace y with , m with , x with t
and c with 0.
y  mx  c    0   t
Now substituting the values of 0 and , we have
  2t  2
(d) Angular displacement is equal to the area between the -t graph
and the t-axis. Denoting the angular position by  at an instant t,
the angular displacement (  0) in the time interval [0.0, t] is
0.0
1.0 t t/s given by the area of the shaded portion shown in the adjoining
2.0
figure.
  t 2  2t
(e) Average angular velocity the time interval [0, 3 s]

av   av  1.0 rad/s
t

Example-3.18: Angular acceleration  of a particle varies with its

2.0 angular position  according to the graph shown in the adjoining figure.
If the particle starts moving from the angular position  = 0, find its
1.0 angular velocity at the angular position  = 12 rad.
Solution:
  
d 1
 d   f ( )d   f ( )d  2   02 
4 8 12 16 /rad
   2

d 
0 0 0

Thus, the area between  - graph and the  -axis = Half of the change
in value of square of .
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Arvind Tiwari Particle Kinematics

Using this fact, we have

1 2 1
   0   2.0  4   2.0  1.0   4  1.0  4
2 2
   6 rad/s

3.6.3. Analysis of Circular Motion in Angular Variables:

We can classify circular motion problems in following categories, which
are similar to those of rectilinear motion.

Circular Motion

Uniform Angular Velocity Motion Variable Angular Velocity Motion

Or
Uniform Circular Motion
Uniform Angular Acceleration Motion Variable Angular Acceleration Motion

I. Angular acceleration as function of time.

II. Angular acceleration as function of angular position.
III. Angular acceleration as function of angular velocity.

We can observe analogy given in the following table between

variables used to describe rectilinear motion and angular variables used
to describe circular motion.

Rectilinear Motion Variables Circular Motion Variables

Position coordinate x Angular position 
dx d
Velocity v Angular velocity 
dt dt
d 2 x dv dv d 2 d d
Acceleration a 2  v Angular acceleration   2  
dt dt dx dt dt d

Each type of angular motion problem has to be solved by the methods

similar to that described for corresponding type of rectilinear motion
problems by replacing the rectilinear motion variables with analogous
angular variables. For example, the equations for uniform angular
acceleration motion are written here.

Rectilinear Motion: Uniform a Circular Motion: Uniform 

v  v0  at (1)   0   t (1)
x  x 0  v0t  12 at 2 (2)   0  0t  12  t 2 (2)
v  v  2a  x  x0 
2 2
0 (3)     2   0 
2 2
0 (3)
v v  0   
x  x0   0 t (4)   0   t (4)
 2   2 

Example-3.18: A particle is moving on a circular path with a constant

angular acceleration of 2 rad/s2, its initial angular speed being 60/ rpm.
What will be its angular speed and angular displacement 2 s after the
start of the motion?
Solution: Initial angular velocity in SI units is
2 60 2
1 rpm  rad/s  0    2 rad/s
60  60

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Arvind Tiwari Chapter 1
Angular speed is modulus of angular velocity. At t = 2 s
  0   t  2  2  2  2  6 rad/s
Angular displacement at t = 2 s
   0  0t  12  t 2     0  2  2  12  2  22  8 rad/s2

Example-3.19: A particle moves on a curve from rest with a constant

angular acceleration 3.0 rad/s2. A person starts his stopwatch at a
certain instant and record that the particle covers an angular span of
120 rad in the time interval [0, 4 s]. For how long was the particle in
motion, when the person started his stopwatch?
Solution: Let there be another stopwatch that starts at the instant,
when the particle starts. According to this stopwatch, if the person stats
his stopwatch at the instant t = t1, we have to find t1.
Denoting angular positions and angular velocity at the instant t  t1 by
1 and 1 and the angular position at the instant t2  t1  4 s by 2, we
can express the angular span with the help of an equation analogous to
the second equation of uniform acceleration rectilinear motion.
  2  1  1 t2  t1   12  t2  t1 
2
   0  0t  12  t 2
Substituting values 1, 2, t1and t2, we have
1  24 rad/s
Now from an equation analogous to the second equation of uniform
acceleration rectilinear motion, we have
  0   t  1  0   t1
Substituting 0 = 0, 1 = 24 rad/s and  = 3 rad/s2, we
have
t1  8.0 s

Example-3.19: Angular velocity of a particle varies with time

according to equation   at  b , where a and b are positive constants.
At the instant t = 0, the particle passes angular position is 0 = 2 rad
with angular velocity is 0 = 1.0 rad/s. At the instant t = 2 s, the angular
velocity becomes 2 = 5.0 rad/s. Determine angular position and angular
velocity when t = 4 s.
Solution: The given equation   at  b resembles that of uniform
angular acceleration motion. By comparing these equations, we have
Initial angular velocity = b = 0 = 1.0 rad/s
Angular acceleration =  = a
Now we can find the constant a =  from eq. (1) by substituting time t =
2 s and 2 = 5.0 rad/s.
  0   t  5.0    2  1.0
   2 rad/s
Angular velocity at the instant t = 4 s
  0   t  4  1.0  2  4  9 rad/s
From eq. (2), the angular position at the instant t = 4 s
  0  0t  12  t 2  4  2  1.0  4  12  2  42  22 rad

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Arvind Tiwari Particle Kinematics

Example-3.20: A particle moves on a circular path with angular

1
acceleration   kt 2 , where  is in rad/s2 and t is in seconds. It is
observed at angular position is 4.0 rad at the instant t = 0 and at the
instant t = 1 s, it passes the angular position 10/3 rad with an angular
speed 10.0 rad/s. Express angular acceleration, angular velocity and
angular position as functions of time.
Solution:
d
   d    dt
dt
1
Substituting   kt 2 , we have
1
  A  2kt 2
(1)
Here A is a constant of integration.
d 3
    B  At  4kt 2 (2)
dt
Here B is another constant of integration.
Substituting  = 4.0 rad and t = 0 in eq. (2), we have B = 4.0 rad. Now
the equation (2) becomes
3
   4  At  4kt 2 (3)
Substituting  = 10/3 rad and t = 1 s in eq. (3), we have
10
 4  A  4 k (4)
3
Substituting  = 10 rad/s and t = 1 s in eq. (1), we have
1  A  2k (5)
38 4
From eq. (4) and (5), we have A  rad/s and k   rad/s3/2 .
3 3
Substituting values of the constant A and k in the given expression of
, eq. (1) and eq. (3), we have
4  12
  t (6)
3
38 8 12
  t (7)
3 3
38 16 32
  4  t t (8)
3 3

Example-3.21: The angular acceleration of a particle moving along a

circular path from rest to rest varies as   2   , where  is the angular
displacement from an initial position of rest. Find the maximum
angular velocity during the motion and angular span of the motion.
Solution: As  is the angular displacement from an initial position of
rest, we have 0 = 0 and 0 = 0 rad/s at the instant t = 0.
 
d
 
d
  d    2    d
0 0

    4   2
As the particle moves from rest to rest, the angular span is given by the
two roots of the equation obtained by substituting  = 0 in the above
expression.
JEE Physics 1.41
Arvind Tiwari Chapter 1

4   2  0    0 and 4 rad
Angular span is  = 0 to  = 4 rad.
The particle acquires the maximum angular velocity at  = 2 rad.
max = 2 rad/s

Beginner’s Box: 8
1. Which of the following physical quantities 6. A particle moves on circle. Its angular position
is/are not a vector? from a fixed direction varies with time
(a) Angular velocity according to the equation    t 2  4  m.
(b) Average angular velocity
(a) Angular velocity 3 s is 6 rad/s.
(c) Angular acceleration
(b) Angular acceleration is a constant.
(d) Average angular acceleration
(c) Average angular velocity in time interval [2
2. Moving on a circular path, a particle starts from s, 4 s] is 6 rad/s.
rest and acquires an angular velocity of 600 (d) Average angular acceleration in time
rpm in 2 s. Find the average angular accele- interval [2 s, 4 s] is 2 rad/s2
ration of the particle.
7. When a disk has rotated through an angle , its
(a) 5 rad/s2 (b) 10 rad/s2 angular velocity  is given by the equation
(c) 15 rad/s2 (d) None of these
   2  2 . Find its angular acceleration at
3. Moving on a circular path, a particle starts from angular position  = 1.0 rad.
rest and acquires an angular velocity of 36 rad/s (a) 8 rad/s2 (b) 10 rad/s2
in 6 s. The angular displacement of the particle (c) 12 rad/s2 (d) None of these
in this 6 s interval is
8. Angular velocity of a particle varies with time
(a) 54 rad (b) 108 rad
according to the given graph. The angular
(c) 216 rad (d) Insufficient information
velocity  is n rad/s and time t is in seconds.
4. Two particles P and Q move on circular path Find the angular displacement.
with uniform angular acceleration and uniform 
angular velocity respectively in opposite 4
directions. At the instant t = 0, their angular
separation is  and angular velocities are is 0P
0 t
and 0Q. If they meet with angular velocities 0 6
of equal moduli, the time they meet is
9. A particle is moving on a circular with an
2 2
(a) (b) angular velocity of 2.0 rad/s. At an instant t =0,
0P  0Q 0P  20Q it is subjected to a constant angular
2 2 acceleration 2.0 rad/s2.
(c) (d)
0P  2.50Q 0P  30Q (a) Find the angular velocity of the particle at
the instant t = 10 s.
5. A particle starts from rest and stops after an (b) How many complete revolutions does the
angular displacement . If the moduli of particle make in time interval [0, 10 s]?
maximum angular acceleration and retardation
are  and  respectively, find the minimum 10. Angular velocity  of a particle varies with time
time taken by the particle to cover this angular t according to equation   at  b . Here a and b
displacement . are constants. At the instant t = 0, the angular
velocity is 1.0 rad/s and angular position is 2
    rad and at the instant t = 2 s, angular velocity
(a) (b) 2 
     is 5.0 rad/s. Determine angular position  and
angular acceleration  at the instant t = 4 s.
     2     
(c) (d)
 

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Arvind Tiwari Particle Kinematics

3.6.4. Analysis of Circular Motion in Linear Variables:

Distance Travelled:
The length of the circular path traversed in a time interval is the
distance travelled in that time interval.
Distance travelled between two points on a circular path is equal to
or greater than the arc length between the two points.

Arc Coordinate:
Position of a particle on a known circular path can be defined by its
distance with sign along the path from a fixed point. This idea suggests
a special coordinate system in which the fixed point is the origin, the
circular path is the only axis and the distance is the only coordinate
known as arch coordinate.
In Fig.-1.21, a particle P on a circular path of radius r is shown at an

instant t moving with a velocity v at an arc coordinate s.
P(t)
s  r [1.50]
s
Sign of the arc coordinate is the same as that of the angular position . 
O O’(t = 0)
Velocity:
Velocity or linear velocity is defined as the time rate of the arc Fig.-1.21
coordinate.
 ds d 
v v   r
dt dt
 v  r [1.51]

Linear velocity v is always along the tangent to the path at the
location of the particle as shown in Fig.-1.21.
Modulus of linear velocity is known as linear speed or speed.

Acceleration: Normal and Tangential components:

  
To explore acceleration, suppose velocity changes from v to v  v in a
time interval from t to t + t as shown in Fig.-1.22 (a). In this interval,
t + t
the particle covers an arc length s and an angular span  in addition,
 s t
direction of its velocity vector changes by an angle .
    r
In Fig.-1.22 (b), velocities v , v  v , change in velocity v and its O
  
two components vn and vτ are shown. The component vτ is in the Fig.-1.22 (a)
 
direction of velocity vector v  v , therefore it is along the tangent to
the path.
     
lim v  lim  vn  vτ   dv  dvn  dvτ
t  0 t 0

Where 
 
 def Component of dv  to v
dvn  d  v   
due to change in direction of v.

 def  Modulus of component of dv tangent to
dvτ  dv  d  r   Fig.-1.22 (b)
the path = Change in speed in time dt
 
Now acceleration vector a  dv dt can expressed as
 
 dv dv
a n  τ
dt dt

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Arvind Tiwari Chapter 1

y Here the first and the second terms in the LHS are known as the normal
and the tangential components of acceleration. We denote them by
 
P symbols an and aτ respectively.
  
s a  an  aτ [1.52]
O A x These components of acceleration are shown in Fig.-1.22 (c).

Normal Component of Acceleration or Centripetal Acceleration:

Fig. 1.22 (c) 
Since dvn  d  v and v = r, modulus of normal component of
acceleration can be expressed as
 v2
an  an  v   2 r  [1.53]
r
This component of acceleration is responsible to change only the
direction of velocity vector.

Tangential Component of Acceleration:


Since dvτ  dv  d  r , modulus of tangential component of
acceleration can be expressed as
 dv dv
a τ  aτ  v  r [1.54]
dt ds
This component of acceleration is responsible to change only the speed.
It points along the velocity vector.

Linear and Angular Variables in Vector Notations:

z Consider an infinitesimally small interval of time [t, t + dt] of a particle
moving on a circular path of radius r in the x-y plane as shown in Fig.
1.23. For this part of time, we can write
   
y dr  d s  d  r [1.55]
O
   
d t + dt  dr ds d   
v   r  r [1.56]
x t dt dt dt
  
Fig.-1.23  dv d    dr    
a  r     r   v [1.57]
dt dt dt
   
The term   r points along the velocity vector and the term   v
towards the center. These are the tangential and the normal
components of the acceleration vector.
  
aτ    r [1.58]
   
an    v   2 r [1.59]

Example-3.22: A particle moving on a circular path of radius 1.5 m at

a constant angular acceleration of 2 rad/s2 has angular speed 60/ rpm
at the instant t = 0. Find angular speed, angular displacement, linear
velocity, tangential and normal components of acceleration at the
instant t = 2 s.
Solution: Initial angular speed is given in rpm (revolution per
minute). It is expressed in rad/s as
2  60  2 rad
1 rpm  rad/s  0      2 rad/s
60   60 s

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Arvind Tiwari Particle Kinematics

At the instant t = 2 s, angular speed 2 and angular displacement  2

can be calculated by using the eq. (1) and (4) of uniform angular
acceleration circular motion.
Angular velocity:
2  0   t  2  2  2  2  6 rad/s
Angular displacement:
  1
2 0  2  t    12  2  6   2  8 rad
Linear velocity at t = 2 s:
v  r  v2  r2  1.5  6  9 m/s
Tangential component of acceleration at t = 2 s:
aτ   r  aτ  2  1.5  3 m/s2
It is a constant as  is a constant.
Normal component of acceleration at t = 2 s:
an   2r  an  22 r  62  1.5  54 m/s2

Example-3.22: A particle is moving on a circular path with a constant

tangential acceleration. After 2 s from the beginning, angle between the
total acceleration vector and the radius joining the particle with the
center of the path becomes 45°. Find angular acceleration of the
particle?
Solution:
Tangential acceleration is a constant hence the angular acceleration. a
a
For an angle of 45º between the acceleration vector and radius, moduli
45º
of the tangential and normal components of accelerations must be equal an2
at the instant t = 2 s as shown in the adjoining figure.
aτ  an2   R  23 R Center

  2
2 (1)
Since angular acceleration is uniform, form the eq. (1) and (4) of uniform
angular acceleration circular motion, we have
  0   t  2  0  2  2
Substituting this in eq. (1), we have
  0.25 rad/s2

3.6.5. Radius, Center of Curvature and Curvature of a Curve:

If a circle drawn at a point P of a curve passes through P and two other
points one on each side and infinitely close to P, the circle is called the
circle of curvature or the osculating circle of the curve at P. The circle of
curvature of a curve lies on the concave side of the curve.
In general, any curve can be assumed consisting of an infinitely large
number of segments that are either infinitesimally small arcs of circles
or segments of straight-lines. Every such constituent infinitesimal arc
is a part of a circle of curvature.
The center and radius of the circle of curvature at a given point are
called center of curvature and radius of curvature of the curve at that
point. Reciprocal of radius of curvature is called the curvature.

JEE Physics 1.45

Arvind Tiwari Chapter 1
In Fig.-1.24, the circle of curvature, center of curvature C and the
radius of curvature  of curve at the point P are shown.
C
 If direction of velocity of a particle moving on a curve turns through
an angle d after an infinitesimal path length ds, the radius of
P curvature is given by the following equation,
Fig.-1.24 ds
 [1.60]
d
Radius of curvature of a plane curve y = f(x) is given by
3

  dy  2  2
1    
 dx  
 [1.61]
d2 y
dx 2
If speed v and the normal component of acceleration an at a point are
known, the radius of the path at that point can be calculated by the
following equation.
v2
 [1.62]
an
Radius of curvature of a curve is a pure geometric property of the
curve. For a given curve, it does not depend on the speed and normal
component of acceleration.

Example-3.23: Find radius of curvature of the curve y = kx2 at the

point (0, 0). Here k is a positive constant.
Solution: Here we have to use.
dy dy
 2kx  0
dx dx x 0

d2 y d2 y
 2k   2k
dx 2 dx 2 x 0

Substituting above values in eq. [1.61], we have

1

2k

Example-3.23: A particle is projected with velocity v0 from the ground

at an angle  with the horizontal.
(a) Find the time rate of change in speed at the point of projection.
(b) Find the minimum radius of curvature of trajectory of the
particles.
(c) Find radius of curvature at a point in terms the minimum radius
of curvature, where velocity vector makes an angle  with the
horizontal.
y Solution:
v0
(a) Time rate of change in speed is the tangential acceleration that
can be calculated with the help of the adjacent figure.

O aτ  g sin 
 an = gcos x
a = gsin
(b) The eq. [1.62] suggests that the radius of curvature must be
g minimum at the highest point of the trajectory, where speed is the

1.46 JEE Physics

Arvind Tiwari Particle Kinematics

minimum one and normal component of acceleration is the y v = v0cos

maximum one as shown in the adjacent figure.
v02 cos2  v0
v2 an = g
  min 
an g 
O
x
(c) Velocity and accelerations of the particle are shown in the adjacent y
figure, when the velocity vector makes angle  with the horizontal. vx = v0cos
From the figure the speed v and the normal component of an = gcos 
 v
acceleration an are
v0 cos  O
v and an  g cos  x
cos 
Now form eq. [1.62], we have
v2 v02 cos2 
 
an g cos3 
Now substituting expression for min, we have
min

cos3 

Example-3.23: A particle moves on a plane with constant speed. The

magnitude of its acceleration vector is also constant. Decide shape of its
path.
Solution: Constant speed requires zero tangential acceleration,

therefore the particle has only normal acceleration an . The magnitude
of the acceleration vector hence that of the normal acceleration is given
to be constant, therefore from eq. [1.62], we have
v2 v2
an    constant
 an
A planar path of constant radius of curvature is a circle.

3.6.6. Radial and Transverse Components of Velocity:

Velocity of a particle moving on plane curvilinear path can be resolved y
into two directions that are parallel to and perpendicular to the position
vector. These components known as the radial and the transverse v
components are shown in Fig.-1.25 by symbols vr and v respectively. vr
P
The radial component of velocity accounts for the change in modulus 
O
of the position vector. x

dr Fig.-1.25
vr  [1.63]
dt
The transvers component of velocity accounts for the rotation of the
position vector.
d
vθ  r  r [1.64]
dt y

Example-3.22: A particle moves with uniform velocity vo in the P

positive y-direction along the line x = x0 as shown in the figure. If it
crosses the x-axis at the instant t0 = 0, express its angular velocity and
angular acceleration as function of time. O
x
JEE Physics 1.47
Arvind Tiwari Chapter 1
y Solution: In the adjacent figure, the radial and the transverse
components of velocity of the particle are shown. Substituting

v vr expression of v from the figure into eq. [1.64], we have
P
vθ   r v0 cos   x sec 
v0 vx
O
   cos2   2 0 02 2
x0 x x0 x 0  v0 t
Differentiating the above expression of angular velocity with respect to
time, we can obtain the angular acceleration .
2v03 x0t

x 
2
2
0  v02t 2

y Alternate method to find angular velocity.

From the adjacent figure, we have
P y  x 0 tan 
y Since angular velocity is the time rate rotation of the position vector,
differentiating the above equation with respect to time, we have

O
x0 x dy d d v0
 x 0 sec 2     cos2 
dt dt dt x 0
Substituting cos from the figure, we have
v0 x 0

x  v02t 2
2
0

Differentiating the above expression of angular velocity with respect to

time, we can obtain the angular acceleration .
2v03 x0t

x 
2
2
0  v02t 2

Beginner’s Box: 9
1. If a particle is moving on a curvilinear path, (a) I and II. (b) III
(a) its velocity vector can have components (c) II and IV (d) II and III
along the tangent and normal to the path.
3. A particle moving on a fixed circular path has
(b) its velocity vector cannot have component
constant tangential acceleration. Mark the
along the normal to the path.
correct statement or statements.
(c) its acceleration vector may or may not be
parallel to the velocity vector. (a) The magnitude of its centripetal accelerat-
(d) it must have a varying velocity and hence a ion will also be constant.
varying speed. (b) The magnitude of its centripetal accelerat-
ion will increase with time.
2. A particle is moving on the plane curvilinear (c) The magnitude of its centripetal accelerat-
path from point A to B. Its acceleration vector ion will decrease with time.
when speed is increasing or decreasing (d) The magnitude of its centripetal accelerat-
respectively should be in directions ion may increase or decrease with time.
B
II Tangent to 4. During projectile motion on parabolic path,
III the path velocity
I (a) decreases at the fastest rate in the
IV P beginning at the lowest point on its
Normal to
A V the path trajectory.

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Arvind Tiwari Particle Kinematics

(b) increases at the fastest rate at the end at when tangential and normal accelerations have
the lowest point of its trajectory. equal magnitude.
(c) changes at uniform rate throughout its
flight. 8. The speed of a racing car is increased at a
(d) decreases uniformly before it reaches the constant rate from 108 km/h to 126 km/h over a
highest point thereafter increase at uniform distance of 130 m along a curve of 240 m radius.
rate till it hits the ground. Determine the magnitude of the total
acceleration of the car after it has traveled 120
5. An electric fan has blades of length 30 cm as m along the curve.
measured from the axis of rotation. If the fan is
rotating at 1200 rpm, the acceleration (m/s2) of 9. Position vector of a particle is given by equation

a point on the tip of the blade is about r  ( R sin pt )iˆ  ctjˆ  ( R cos pt )kˆ . Here R and p
(a) 1600 (b) 4740 (c)2370 (d) 5055 are positive constants and t is time. Determine
the radius of curvature of the path followed and
6. A particle follows a circular path of radius 9.0 draw the approximate shape of the path.
m such that the distance traveled varies as
s  2t 2 . Find its velocity and acceleration when 10. A bridge has shape of the parabola
the angle between them becomes 45°. y  5  103 x 2 , where positive y-axis points
vertically up and the coordinates x and y are in
7. A particle moves on a circular path of radius 8 meters. An automobile crosses the bridge with
m. Distance traveled by the particle in time t is constant speed of 72 km/h. Find acceleration of
given by the equation s  23 t 3 . Find its speed the automobile when it passes the highest point
of the bridge.

4. Relative Motion:
Motion of a body has a relative sense. To analyze motion of a body, say
A, an observer have to fix a reference frame to some other body say B.
The result obtained describe motion of body A relative to body B.
Motion of a particle relative to another particle describes how the former
one appears moving from a reference frame fixed with the latter one.

Relative Position, Relative Velocity and Relative Acceleration: y

  B
Consider two particles A and B at position vectors rA and rB in a
reference frame S, origin of which is O as shown in Fig.-1.26. Here the

vector rB/A drawn from the particle A to B is defined as the position S A
vector of B relative to A. According to the triangle law of vector addition,
these position vectors bear the following relation.
  
rB  rA  rB/A O x
  Fig. 1.26
Relation between velocities vA and vB of the particles A and B with

respect to the frame S and the velocity vB/A of B with respect to A can be
obtained by differentiating the above equation with respect to time.
  
drB drA drB/A   
   vB  vA  vB/A
dt dt dt
 
Similarly, relation between accelerations aA and aB of the particles A

and B with respect to the frame S and the acceleration aB/A of B with
respect to A can be obtained by differentiating the above equation with
respect to time.
  
dvB dvA dvB/A   
   aB  aA  aB/A
dt dt dt

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Arvind Tiwari Chapter 1
Velocity of Approach and Separation:
Modulus of the component of velocity of a particle with respect to the
other along the line joining them is known as the velocity of approach
or separation depending on whether the separation between the
particles is decreasing or increasing with time.

Angular Velocity of a Particle Relative to Another Particle:

Angular velocity is the time rate of rotation of the position vector. For
vB  
B two particles A and B moving with velocities vA and vB , angular
vA
B velocity (B/A) of B with respect A, when separation between them is r
A
is equal to the ratio of modulus of component of their relative velocity
A perpendicular to the line AB to the separation AB.
Fig.-1.27 (a)
vB sin  B  vA sin  A
For fig. 2.34 ( a ) : B/A 
AB
B
vA B vB sin  B  vA sin  A
A For fig. 2.34 (b) : B/A 
vB AB
A If two particles A and B are moving on coplanar and concentric
Fig.-1.27 (b)
circular paths with angular velocities A and B and the common center
is O, the quantity B  A is not the angular velocity of B relative to A
but is the time rate of change in angle between lines OB and OA.

Methods of Analysis:
The above three equations are used to analyze translation motion of a
particle relative another particle.
These equations can be solved either by analytical method i.e. using
Cartesian components or by graphical method i.e. constructing vector
triangle and then employing geometry.

4.1. Relative Motion of Non-interacting Particles:

In this article, we study relative motion between two particles that do
not have any physical effect on the motion of each other. Physical
situations involving motion of two cars, raindrops and man, two men
etc. come in this category.

Example-3.22: An elevator car (lift) is moving upward with uniform

acceleration of 2.0 m/s2. At the instant, when its velocity is 2.0 m/s
upwards a ball is thrown upward from its floor. The ball strikes back
the floor 2.0 s after its projection. Acceleration due to gravity is 10 m/s2.
(a) Find the velocity of projection of the ball relative to the lift.
(b) Find the velocity of the ball relative to the lift when it strikes back.
Solution: We denote velocities of the ball and the lift relative to
  
ground by vB and vL , velocity of ball relative to lift by vB/L , accelerations
 
of the ball and the lift relative to the ground by aB and aL , and

acceleration of the ball relative to the lift by aB/L .

Knowing that the acceleration relative to the ground aB equal to that

due to gravity, acceleration of the ball relative to the lift aB/L can be
calculated by using relative motion equation for acceleration. That is
also represented in the adjoining figure.
  
a B  aL  a B / L  aB/L  ( aL  aB )  12 m/s2 

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Arvind Tiwari Particle Kinematics

Since aB/L is uniform, we can use equations for uniformly accelerated
motion in reference frame fixed with the lift. In this frame, all
quantities are relative to the lift.
  
vB/L  vB/L,0  aB/Lt (1)
  
yB/L  vB/L,0t  12 aB/Lt 2 (2)

(a) The ball strikes back the lift at the instant t = 2 s, the position yB/L
of the ball relative to the lift at this instant must be a null vector.
So, from eq. (2), we have
  
yB/L  vB/L,0t  12 aB/Lt 2  0  vB/L,0  2  12  12  22
 vB/L,0  12 m/s 
(b) The ball strikes back the lift at the instant t = 2 s, velocity of the
ball relative to the lift when it strikes back is given by eq. (1).
  
vB/L  vB/L,0  aB/Lt  vB/L  12  12  2  12 m/s
 vB/L  12 m/s m/s ↓

Example-3.23: A man when standstill observes the rain falling

vertically and when he walks at 4 km/h he has to hold his umbrella at
an angle of 53° from the vertical. Find velocity of the raindrops.
vr/m
Solution: It is a common intuitive fact that to protect himself a man
should hold his umbrella against velocity of raindrops relative to
himself as shown in the adjoining figure.
  
Assigning usual symbols vm , vr and vr/m to velocity of man, velocity of
rain and velocity of rain relative to man, directions of these quantities

Vertical
are shown in the adjacent figure.
53º
We can express their relationship by the following relative motion
equation for velocities.
  
vr  vm  vr/m
The above equation and its representation in the adjacent figure vm = 4 m/s

suggests that a standstill man observes velocity vr of rain relative to 37º
 53º
the ground and while moving with velocity vm , he observes velocity of

rain relative to himself vr/m .
From the geometry, we have
vr  vm tan 37  3 km/h 

Example-3.23: A man running on a horizontal straight track at 6

km/h find the rain falling vertically. He doubles his speed and finds the
raindrops are striking his face at an angle of 30° from vertical. Find the
velocity of the rain.
Solution: Considering the man running at 6 km/h as case-1 and at
double speed as case-2, the directions of the given velocity vectors with 30º
usual symbols are represented in the adjacent figure.
The velocity of the rain drops remains unchanged, therefore both the
cases, the required relation between the velocity vectors is given in the
following equation according to the relative motion equation for
velocities.
    
vr  vm1  vr/m1  vm2  vr/m2

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Arvind Tiwari Chapter 1
vm1 = 6 m/s A vm2 = 12 m/s Both the above equations are represented in the adjacent figure. Here
O B
60º the first case is represented by triangle OAC and the second case by
triangle OBC.
vr vr/m1 vr/m2 Since triangles OAC and ABC are congruent, the triangle OBC is an
equilateral one, therefore
vr  12 km/h at 60º with the horizontal

C Example-3.23: A hockey player P is running towards the east with a

velocity 1 m/s. His teammate Q is running towards the south. When Q
passes a point 8 m away in front of P, player P hits the ball with a speed
of 5 m/s with respect to himself. The player Q receives the ball 2 s after
A hits it. Find direction in which P hits the ball and velocity of the player
Q. Assume that the ball moves horizontally along the ground.

N vP Solution: The given quantities velocity vP = 1 m/s of the player P,

vb,E E
velocity vb/P = 5 m/s of the ball relative to P, velocity vQ of the player Q,
P  Q
initial distance PQ = 8 m between them are shown in the adjacent
vb/P vb,S vQ
figure, where N, E and S denote the north, the east and the south
vb
directions respectively.
The ball follows the path PR and the player Q follows the path QR
relative to the ground as shown in the adjacent figure. The ball and the
player Q both reach R simultaneously at t = 2 s.
Velocity of the ball relative to the ground
  
R vb  vP  vb/P
S
The ball covers 8 m towards the east in 2 s with its east component of
velocity vb,E  vP  vb/P cos  . Substituting the values of vP and vb/P, we
have
1  5cos    2  8
3
   cos 1    53 South of East
5
The player Q and the ball both cover equal southward displacements
with uniform southward components of velocities in the same time
interval, therefore vb,S = vQ.
vQ = 4 m/s due South

Beginner’s Box: 10
1. A pigeon flying horizontally observes an eagle (b) 2√3 m/s from vertical towards south
rushing towards it vertically downwards. (c) 2/√3 m/s from vertical towards north
Trajectory of the eagle as seen by the ground is (d) 2√3 m/s from vertical towards north
(a) vertical straight line.
3. A student is standing on a flatcar of a train
(b) oblique straight line.
traveling at a constant speed of 10 m/s towards
(c) parabola.
the north along a straight horizontal track. His
(d) Either a parabola or oblique straight line.
physics teacher, who is standing on the ground,
2. A boy facing towards the north observes the
declares that acceleration due to gravity at this
rain drops striking his face at an angle of 30º
place is 10 m/s2 and instructs the student to
from the vertical. If he starts walking towards
throw a rock in such a manner that he would
the south with a speed of √3 m/s, he observes
observe the rock to rise straight up to a height
the raindrops are falling vertically. The velocity
of 15 m. The student should throw the rock with
of the rain drops with respect to the ground is
respect to himself at a velocity of
(a) 2/√3 m/s from vertical towards south
1.52 JEE Physics
Arvind Tiwari Particle Kinematics

(a) 20 m/s in a direction 60º up of north. 7. Snow is falling vertically at a constant speed of
(b) 20 m/s in a direction 60º up of south. 8.0 m/s. At what angle from the vertical do the
(c) 20 m/s upward. snowflakes appear to be falling as viewed by the
(d) 10√3 m/s upward. driver of a car traveling on a straight, level road
with a speed of 50 km/h?
Question 4 and 5 are based on the following write-up.
The moment car A starts moving towards the east 8. Holding a flag, when you run at 8 m/s due east,
with a velocity of 20 km/h, another car B starts the flag flutters in the north and when you run
from a place 25 km south of A and moves towards at 2 m/s due south, the flag flutters in the
the north with a velocity of 15 km/h. northeast. If the wind velocity is uniform and
remain constant, find the wind velocity.
4. The distance between the cars
9. On a straight east-west road, two persons in
(a) continuously increases.
their cars are traveling in opposite directions.
(b) continuously decreases.
One of them is traveling towards west at 70
(c) first decreases than increases.
km/h and the other one towards east at 90
(d) first increases than decreases.
km/h. They observe an airplane. The person
5. The distance between the cars traveling eastwards claims that the plane is
crossing the road at right angles, while other
(a) 36 minutes after they start becomes 20 km
one claims the angle as 37°. Calculate the
and it is the minimum distance.
velocity of the airplane with respect to the
(b) 36 minutes after they start becomes 20 km
ground.
and it is the maximum distance.
(c) 48 minutes after they start becomes 25 km 10. A car 1.5 m wide is moving with a uniform
and it is the minimum distance. speed of 8 m/s along the edge of the road. When
(d) 48 minutes after they start becomes 25 km it is 6 m away from a pedestrian, the pedestrian
and it is the maximum distance. starts to cross the road. Determine the
minimum safe speed of the pedestrian, if he
6. A body A has velocity of 15 km/h from west to
moves with a uniform velocity.
east relative to body B, which is moving with a
velocity of 50 km/h from northeast to southwest
relative to body C. Determine the velocity of A
relative to C. 2m
6m

4.2. Relative Motion of a body in a medium or on a Carrier:

If motion of a body does not affect motion of the medium and motion of
the medium does not affect motion of the body relative to the medium,
their motion can be analyzed by using the relative motion equations.
Similarly, if motion of a body does not affect motion of the carrier and
motion of carrier does not affect motion of the body relative to the
carriers, their motion can be analyzed by using the relative motion
equations. Physical situations involving an airplane in the air, a
passenger on a train and a boat on water etc. come in this class.

Example-3.22: A raft and a boat both are flowing in a river side by

side. The boatman starts engine of the boat and goes downstream with
a constant speed relative to the river current. After 30 min, he turns
back, steers the boat towards the raft with the same speed relative to
the river current and meet the raft 4.0 km downstream from he had
started the engine. Find speed of the river current.
Solution: The time T in which the boat completes its round-trip, the
raft is drifted a distance x downstream relative to the ground. Motion of

JEE Physics 1.53

Arvind Tiwari Chapter 1
the boat and the raft relative to the ground in the in round-trip of the
t=0 bat is shown in the adjacent figure.
t = 1.0 h
Since the water currents carry the raft and the raft itself cannot move
4.0 km t=T on the water, velocity of the raft must be equals to that of the river
Motion of the boat and the raft in currents. This fact suggests that the speed of the river current vr is
ground frame
equal to the ratio of the distance x the raft has been drifted to the time
T of the round trip of the boat.
x
vr  (1)
T
The distance x is 4.0 km. Now it is required to find T, which can be
t=0
calculated by considering the boat in a reference frame of the raft that
t=T
is also the frame of the river currents as shown in the adjacent figure.
t = 1.0 h
Modulus of velocity of a boat relative to the river currents remains
Motion of the boat in raft frame
unchanged in all directions. Therefore, speeds of the boat in
downstream and upstream directions relative to the river currents or
the raft must be equal. Thus, spending equal time in up and down-
stream motions, the time of the round-trip of the boat is
T  0.5 h  0.5 h  1.0 h
Now substituting x  4.0 km and T  1.0 in eq. 1, we have
vr  4.0 km/h

Example-3.23: A ball is projected from a flatcar that is moving with

velocity 6.0 m/s. The ball rises to a height of 20 m and lands on the
ground after traveling a horizontal distance of 32 m in front of flatcar.
If the flatcar was moving forward and its velocity is not affected by the
projection of the ball, find velocity of projection of the ball relative to the
flatcar.

y Solution: Let the x and y-axis of coordinate system represent the

horizontal and vertical respectively and the ball is projected from the
uyb/C flatcar with velocity ub/C relative to the vehicle as shown in the adjoining
ub/C figure.
Velocity of projection ub relative to the ground is defined by equation
uxb/C
   
vC = 6.0 m/s x ub  ub/C  vC  ub  uxb iˆ  uyb jˆ  uxb/C  vC  iˆ  uyb/C jˆ (1)
The maximum height h and time of flight T is decided by the vertical
component of motion. The above equation shows that the vertical
component of the velocity of projection remains unaffected by motion of
the flatcar. It is the horizontal component of motion of the ball, which
is affected, by the motion of the flatcar. Therefore, we have
2h
T   2 s and uyb  uyb/C  2 gh  20 m/s (2)
g
Horizontal motion of the ball is a uniform velocity motion, therefore
x x
uxb  ux b/C  vC   uxb/C   vC  10 m/s (3)
T T
From eq. (1), (2) and (3), we can express the velocity of projection
relative to the flatcar.

ub/C  uxb/Ciˆ  uyb/C jˆ  10iˆ  20 jˆ  m/s

Example-3.23: A raindrop during its vertical fall under gravity in still

air acquires a constant downwards terminal velocity near the ground

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Arvind Tiwari Particle Kinematics

due to viscous drag of air. Assuming air blowing due to east with
uniform velocity, establish suitable expression for velocity of raindrops
relative to ground represent it as addition of two vectors.

Solution: The horizontally blowing air with velocity va relative to the
ground, caries raindrops along with it at the same time motion of
raindrops have no effect on the velocity of the air. The vertically

downward terminal velocity of a raindrop being its velocity vr/a relative
 
to the and the velocity of the air va is added to yield velocity vr of the
raindrops relative to the ground.
  
vr  vr/a  va
 
The equation is represented as addition of two vectors vr/a and va in the
adjoining figure.
It is a common practice not to refer the term “relative to ground”.

Example-3.23: A boat can be rowed at 5 m/s on still water. It is used

to cross a 200 m wide river from south bank to the north bank. The river
current has uniform velocity of 3 m/s due east.
(a) In which direction, must it be steered to cross the river
perpendicular to current?
(b) How long will it take to cross the river in a direction perpendicular
to the river flow?
(c) In which direction, must the boat be steered to cross the river in
minimum time? How far will it drift?
Solution: Velocity of a boat on still water is equal to its velocity
relative to water.

vb/w  Velocity of boat relative to water
= Velocity of boat on still water
 
Velocity vb/w of a boat relative to water and velocity of water vw do not
affect each other. Therefore, flowing water carries the boat along with

it. Thus velocity vb of the boat relative to the ground is equal to vector
  
sum of vb/w and vw . The boat crosses the river with the velocity vb .
  
vb  vb/w  vw

(a) To cross the river perpendicular to current the boat must be y North
steered in a direction so that one of the components of its velocity
 P
vb/w relative to water becomes equal and opposite to water flow

velocity vw to neutralize its effect. It is possible only when velocity
of boat relative to water is greater than water flow velocity. In the b
adjoining figure, it is shown that the boat starts from the point O 
and moves along the line OP (y-axis) due north relative to ground

with velocity vb . To achieve this, it is steered at an angle  with East
the y-axis. x
O
vb /w sin   vw  5sin   3    37

(b) The boat will cover river width b with a velocity vby =vb/wy =
vb/qsin37º = 4 m/s in time t, which is given by
t  b / vb  t  50 s
(c) To cross the river in minimum time, the component perpendicular
to current of its velocity relative to ground must be kept to

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Arvind Tiwari Chapter 1
maximum value. It is achieved by steering the boat always
y North P perpendicular to current as shown in the adjoining figure. The boat
starts from O at the south bank and reaches point P on the north
bank. Time t taken by the boat is given by
t  b / vb /w  t  40 s
b
Drift is the displacement along the river current measured from
the starting point. Thus, it is given by the following equation. We
East denote it by xd.
O x x d  vbx t Substituting vbx  vw  3 m/s, from the figure, we
have
 x d  120 m

Example-3.23: A boat can be rowed at 4 m/s relative to water current.

It is used to cross a 180 m wide river flowing at 5 m/s.
(a) Is it possible to cross the river perpendicular to current?
(b) In which direction, must it be steered to minimize drift?
(c) How long will take to cross the river with minimum drift?
(d) What is the minimum drift?
Solution:
(a) No, it is not possible. Since a component vb/wx of the velocity of the
boat relative to water is required to neutralize the effect of current,
therefore to cross a river perpendicular to the current i.e. with a
zero drift, velocity vb/w of boat relative to water must be greater
than velocity of water currents vw .

y (b) The boat crosses the river with the velocity vb .
P
Q   
vb  vb/w  vw
To minimize the drift, the boat must have a component vb/wx of its
 velocity vb/w to neutralize effect of the currents. It is achieved by
b
steering the boat at an angle  as shown in the adjoining figure.
The velocity component vby of vb decides the time t to cross the river.
b b
t  (1)
O x vby vb/w cos 

The velocity component vbx   vw  vb/w sin   of vb decides the drift,

which is the distance xd = QP travelled parallel to the currents.
x d  vbx t (2)
Substituting value of t from eq. (1) and rearranging terms, we have
v 
x d  b  w sec   tan   (3)
 vb/w 
For minimum drift,
dx d v
 0  sin   b/w    53
d vw

(c) Using the above value of steering angel  in eq. (1), we have the
minimum time to cross the river.
b 180
t   100 s
vb/w cos  3 cos53

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Arvind Tiwari Particle Kinematics

(d) Using value of the steering angle from part b in eq. (3), we can
calculate the minimum drift.
x d  180  53 sec 53  tan 53   260 m

Beginner’s Box: 11
1. For a round trip by a motorboat up and down- which of the following can be velocity of the
streams a river, consider the statement, “The man relative to the river currents?
slower the river is flowing, the smaller is the (a) 5 m/s (b) 7 m/s
time taken.” What do you comment on this (c) Any value > 3 m/s (d) None of these.
statement?
(a) It is true because the best time would be 5. A swimmer who can swim in still water at √5
when the river isn’t flowing at all. m/s, crosses a uniformly flowing channel in
(b) It is false because for a particular flow rate, shortest time with a constant speed of 3 m/s.
the boat does better than it does in still Velocity of water flow is
water. (a) 2 m/s (b) 2.5 m/s
(c) It is neither true nor false because the time (c) 3 m/s (d) 3.5 m/s
lost in one way is gained in the other.
(d) More information is needed to decide. 6. In order to reach exactly opposite point on the
other bank of a river in which water current
2. A boat that can move in still water at 3 m/s is have velocity of 2 km/h, A boatman steers his
moving downstream a river, where water boat continuously perpendicular to the water
currents have velocity 2 m/s. A boy standing on current and maintains the speedometer
the boat throws a ball vertically upward with a reading at 8 km/h. In spite of all his efforts the
velocity of 10 m/s. When the ball attains its boat reaches a point 75 m downstream from the
maximum height, its velocity with respect to desired point. The width of the river is
the boy, the river current and the ground is (a) 100 m (b) 200 m
(a) 5, 3 and 0 m/s (b) 0, 3 and 5 m/s (c) 300 m (d) 400 m
(c) 0, 5 and 3 m/s (d) 3, 2 and 0 m/s
7. An airplane capable of achieving an air speed v
3. A boat crosses a river flowing west to east with (a speed relative to the air) is attempting to
a uniform velocity along the dotted line path travel a distance l due east. The wind is blowing
from the south bank to the north bank. The boat from a direction at an angle  north of east with
can move in still water with a constant speed uniform speed u. How long will it take to reach
that is more than the speed of the water the destination?
currents. Which of the following figures do/does l
not show boat in correct orientation? (a)
v  u sin2   u cos 
2 2

l
North North (b)
(a) (b) v2  u2 sin2   u cos 
l
East East (c)
v2  u2 cos2   u sin 
l
(d)
North North v2  u2 cos2   u sin 
(c) (d)
East East 8. A pilot has to reach a place 800 km towards
north from his starting airport in two hours.
30º
60º The wind blows uniformly at 40 km/h from east
to west. Assuming the east and the north as
4. A man crosses a 60 m wide river in 15 s and positive x and y-axes, find air velocity of the
reaches a point directly across the starting plane. Correct
point. If river currents flow at a speed 3 m/s,

JEE Physics 1.57

 Chapter 1
9. A boy on a raft sees two swimmers A and B that 10. A river 400 m wide is flowing at a rate of 2.0
can swim at equal constant speeds on still m/s. A boat is sailing at a velocity of 10 m/s with
water. The boy observes that A starts from a respect to the water, in a direction
point on the river bank and appears moving perpendicular to the river.
perpendicular to the river current, whereas B (a) Find the time taken by the boat to reach the
starts from a point on the other bank at the opposite bank.
same moment A had started and swims (b) How far from the point, directly opposite to
downstream. The river width is 200 m and both the starting point does the boat reach the
A and B reach a point at the same time. Find opposite bank?
the initial separation along the river between A
and B.

5. Motion of Interconnected Bodies: Constraint Motion:

Analyzing relation between motion of bodies interconnected through
some sort of physical links constitutes the area of this section. Some
characteristic property of the connecting link known as constraint
decides how motion of one body depends on that of the other.
In various physical situations, we often encounter interconnected
objects affecting motion of each other. The variety of connecting link
extends from a string, a rod, a direct contact to rays of light. A string
has a definite length and can only pull a body along its length, a rod
also has definite length and can pull or push a body in any direction,
bodies in direct contact can only push each other and a light ray follow
laws of geometrical optics to form image or cast shadow of an object.
These situations can analyze to find relation between positions,
velocities and accelerations by the following methods that based on
ideas of kinematics.

5.1. Method of Constraint Equation:

In this method, some characteristic property of the connecting link is
expressed in terms of position coordinates of the interconnected points
of the bodies under study. In this way, the equation obtained is known
as constraint equation. Differentiating the constraint equation once
with respect to time we get relationship between velocities and again
differentiating the velocity relation with respect to time we get
relationship between their accelerations of the interconnected points.
This method is based purely on kinematics.

5.2. Visual Inspection:

In some simple physical situations involving motion of two
interconnected bodies, effect of motion of one body on the other can be
predicted by inspection.

Example 5.1: In the setup shown, blocks A and B are connected by an

inextensible string that passes through two pullies as shown in the
figure. The block A is moving with velocity v1 and acceleration a1 as
a1 v1 shown. Express velocity and acceleration of block B.
A B
Solution:
Method of Constraint Equation: Their position coordinates x1 of the
block A and x2 of the axle of the pulley connected to the block B are
measured from the ceiling that is assumed as a fixed reference as shown

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Arvind Tiwari Particle Kinematics

in the adjacent figure. Since the pulley and the block B are connected
by rigid clamp, the axle of the pulley and the block B will move together
and have equal velocities and accelerations. The distance h and portion
h
b of the string wrapped over the pulleys always remain constant;
therefore, we can express the length lof the string by the following x1 x2
constraint equation.
v2 a2
x1  2x2  2b  l  2h
A B
Here b, l and h are constants, therefore the above equation reduces to
x1  2x 2  Constant (1)
Now we define velocities v1, v2, and accelerations a1, a2 as time
derivatives of corresponding position coordinates.
v1  x1 , a1  x1 and v2  x 2 , a2  x2 (2)
Differentiating the eq. (1) with respect to time, we get velocity relation.
x1  2x 2  0  v1  2v2  0  v2   12 v1
 v2  12 v1 ↓
Differentiating eq. (1) twice or the above equation once with respect to
time, we get the acceleration relation.
x1  2x2  0  a1  2a2  0
 a2  12 a1 ↑

Visual Inspection: Refer the adjacent figure, where it is apparent that

if the block B moves a distance x upwards, the portion of string on the
left to upper pulley decreases in length by 2x, causing the block A to
move a distance 2x downwards. Since both the blocks cover their x
respective displacements in the same time, the velocity of A must be
B
double in magnitude of that of B and so the acceleration.
2x
 We may exclude the constant like b and h and directly write eq. (1)
A
of the previous example, because we are interested only in changes
and rate of changes in the position coordinates.

Example 5.2: In the system shown, the block A is moving down with
velocity vA and C is moving up with velocity vC. Express velocity of the
block B in terms of velocities of the blocks A and C.
Solution: P
Method of Constraint Equation: The method requires assigning
position coordinate to each of the moving bodies and making constraint
equation for each string. vA A B C vC

In the given system, there are four moving bodies and two strings. The
moving bodies are the three blocks and one pulley P. We assign position
coordinates xA, xB, xC and xP all measured from the fixed reference xP
ceiling as shown in the figure. xB
xA xC
The required constraint equation for string connecting block A and
pulley P is
v2
x A  x P  l1  Constant (1) vA A B C
And the required constraint equation for the other string is vB

x B  2x C  2x P  l2  Constant (2)

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Arvind Tiwari Chapter 1
Let the block B is moving down with velocity v2. The velocities are
defined as
vA  x A , vB  x B , and vC  x C
Differentiating terms of eq. (1) and (2), eliminating x P and substituting
above values of velocities, we have
v2  2 v3  v1  ↓

2 cm/s Example 5.3: Refer the system shown in the figure, where block A is
M
moving downwards with a velocity 1 cm/s and the motor M is moving
towards the right with a velocity 2 cm/s. Find the rate at which the
1 cm/s

A
motor winds or unwinds the rope.
Solution:
Method of Constraint Equation: The block and the motor are
M 2 cm/s
x2 assigned position coordinates x1 and x2 measured from the fixed pulley
x1
as shown in the adjacent figure. If the rope length between the motor
and the block is denoted by l, the required constraint equation becomes
1 cm/s

A x1  x2  l
The velocities of the block and the motor are
x1  1 cm/s and x 2  2 cm/s
If the motor unwinds the rope the length l increases and if winds the
rope l decreases. Therefore, the rate of unwinding or winding the rope
equals to l .
Differentiating the constraint equation with respect to time and
incorporating the above-mentioned facts, we have
x  x  l
1 2  l  1  2  3 cm/s
The motor unwinds the rope at the rate 3 cm/s.

Example 5.3: In the setup shown, the block A is moving downwards

with a constant velocity v0. Find the following physical quantities at the
instant, when the string makes an angle  with the horizontal.,
A
(a) Velocity of the block B

B (b) Angular velocity of the rope between the block B and the pulley
(c) Acceleration of the block B
Solution:
(a) Velocity of the block B
Method of Constraint Equation: Both the blocks are assigned
position coordinates x and y measured from the fixed-point O as
shown in the adjoining figure. The velocities of the block as shown
in the figure are defined as
v0 A h v0   y and v  x
v
 y If the rope length is denoted by l, the constraint equation becomes
B x
O
h  y  x 2  h2  l
Differentiating the above equation and substituting definitions for
velocities, we have
x 2  h2 v0
v  v0 v  →
x cos 

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Arvind Tiwari Particle Kinematics

Visual Inspection: Component of velocities of all the points of the

string along the string must be equal. This fact can be used to find
velocity of the block B by visual inspection. From the adjacent v0 A
figure drawn according to the above fact, we have  v0
B v
v
v  0 (1)
cos 
(b) Angular velocity of the rope between the block B and the pulley
Method of Constraint Equation: From the figure referred in
solution of part (a) by this method, we have required constraint
equation.
x  h cot 
Differentiating both sides of the above equation with respect to
time and substituting value of velocity of the block B we can find
the angular velocity that is the time rate of change in the angle .
v0 sin2 

h cos 
Q
Visual Inspection: In the adjacent figure, the portion of the string
between the block B and the pulley is shown by segment PQ.
Angular velocity of the segment PQ is equal to the ratio of v0 A
component of relative velocity between P and Q to the length of  v0
P v
segment PQ.
v0tan
v tan 
 0
PQ

Now substituting PQ = h cosec, we have

v0 sin2 

h cos 
(c) Acceleration of the block B
Differentiating both sides of the eq. (1) obtained in part (a) and
then substituting expression for angular velocity of the segment
PQ, we can find the acceleration aB of the block B.
v02 sin3 
aB 
h cos 

Example 5.4: Rod A can slide in vertical direction pushing the

A
triangular wedge B towards left. If the wedge moves toward the right
with velocity u, find the velocity of the rod.
B
Solution: 
Method of Constraint Equation: Let horizontal position coordinate of
left corner of the wedge and vertical position coordinate of the A
lowermost left corner of the wedge be x and y respectively in a references v
frame fixed with ground. The velocities of bodies are defined as l u
v0  y and v  x y B

The angle  and the horizontal separation l between the rod and the y-
x lx
axis are constants and decides the constraint equation, which can be
expressed as
y  (l  x ) tan 

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Arvind Tiwari Chapter 1
Differentiating the above equation and substituting expressions for
velocities, we have
v  u tan 
Visual Inspection: If in a time interval t the wedge shifts horizontally
by a distance x, the will shift downwards a distance y as shown in the
x adjacent figure. Relation between these displacements is
  y   x tan 
y
Dividing both the sides of the above equation by t, we have
v  u tan 

Beginner’s Box: 12
1. If the block A is moving with an upward v v cos
acceleration a, find acceleration of the block B. (a) (b)
h cos  h
v tan  v sin 2 
(c) (d)
h h

A
5. For the setup shown, find acceleration of block
a
2 at the instant shown.
B

(a) 2a ↓ (b) 2a ↑ (c)3a ↓ (d) 3a ↑

2. In the given setup, acceleration of the block C is

2 m/s2 1
2 m/s2
A
2 3 3 m/s2

6. In the system shown in the fig.-3, the block A is

1 m/s2 B moving downwards with velocity 1 cm/s and the
C motor M un-wraps the rope at 1 cm/s. Find the
velocity of the block B.
(a) 3 m/s2 ↓ (b) 3 m/s2
↑
(c) 5 m/s2 ↑ (d) 5 m/s2 ↓

3. A boat is being pulled with the help of a rope.

Find the velocity of the boat, when the rope
makes an angle  with the water surface.
A
1 cm/s

v B M


7. The wedge A shown in the figure is moving

(a) v (b) v/cos
towards right with velocity v. Find the velocity
(c) vcos (d) v(1 – cos)
of the block B relative to the wedge and the
4. A rod pivoted at O can rotate in the vertical ground.
plane. A ball P is made to move horizontally
with a constant velocity v0 on a horizontal line
at a depth h below the pivot. When the rod B
makes an angle  with the horizontal, the A
angular velocity of the rod is 
O

h
8. In the system shown, the block A can slide
v0
between the inclined surface of the wedge and

the vertical wall. If the wedge B is moving with
P

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Arvind Tiwari Particle Kinematics

a velocity 2 m/s towards left, find the velocity of 10. In the system shown the thread connecting the
the block A? sleeve B passes over a small pulley fixed to
another sleeve A. Both the sleeves can slide on
A
two parallel rods. the sleeve A is moving
towards the right with constant velocity v0, find
B
37° the velocity of the sleeve B at the instant the
thread makes an angel  with the rod.
9. In the system shown two identical wedges held A
in rest against corner of a room. If the wedge A
is made to slide towards left with constant
acceleration of 0.5 cm/s2 find the acceleration  B
and velocity of the wedge B.

B
53º
A

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Arvind Tiwari Particle Kinematics

Answers to In-Chapter Exercises

In-Chapter Exercise 1
1. (c) and (d) 4. (c) 7. (a) 10. 55 m, 57 m, 11 m/s
2. (a) and (c) 5. (b) and (c) 8. 4 m/s and zero and 11.4 m/s
3. (c) 6. (c) 9. 0.5v and 0.25v.

In-Chapter Exercise 2
1. (c) 4. (c) 7. (d) 10. (a) a  3t  6 ,
2. (a) 5. (d) 8. (b) v  32 t 2  6t
3. (d) 6. (a) and (d) 9. (a), (c) and (d) (b) 6 m

In-Chapter Exercise 3
1. (c) 4. (a) and (b) 7. (b) (b) 1.67 m/s2
2. (d) 5. (c) 8. (c) (c) 7.5 m
3. (b) 6. (b) 9. (a) 5 m/s 10. 0.25 s

In-Chapter Exercise 4
1. (b) 4. (d) 7. (a), (b) and (d) 10. 75 m/s, 30 m/s2
2. (d) 5. (c) 8. (b)
3. (c) 6. (a) and (d) 9. (a)

Bilginer’s Box: 5
1. (a) 4. (d) 7. (b)
2. (b) 5. (c) 8. (b)
3. (b) 6. … 9. 30 m/s
10. (a) Ellipse of semi-major axis 3 cm along the x-axis and semi-minor axis 2 cm along the y-axis.
 
(b) v  6 cos(2 t )iˆ  4 sin(2 t ) jˆ a  12 2 sin(2 t )iˆ  8 2 cos(2 t ) jˆ
maximum speed: 0, 1/2, 1, 3/2, 2 s ….; minimum speed: 1/4, 3/4, 5/4 s ………..

Beginner’s Box: 6
1. (b) and (c) 5. (d) 9. 10 s, 980 m, (b) 14.4 m
6. (a) and (c) 
2. (d) 98iˆ  98 jˆ m/s (c) v  6iˆ  12 jˆ m/s
3. (d) 7. (c) 10. (a) 7.2 m
4. (a) 8. 45º

Beginner’s Box: 7
1. (d) 5. (b) (c) 5 m, 2u2
9. R tan  sec 
2. (b) 6. Zero (d) 21.25 m, g
3. (d) 7. 90º   (e) 20 m 10. 30º
4. (a) 8. (a) 10 m, (b) 2 s,

Beginner’s Box: 8
1. (b) 3. (d) 5. (d) 7. 30º
2. (a) 4. (d) 6. All 8. 12 rad
9. (a) 22 rad/s (b) 9
10. 22 rad, 9 rad/s and 2 rad/s2

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Arvind Tiwari Particle Kinematics

Beginner’s Box: 9
1. (b) 4. (c) 7. 8 m/s C2
9. R
2. (a) and (b) 5. …… 8. 5.15 m/s2 Rp2
3. (d) 6. 6.0 m/s, 4√2 m/s2 10. 4 m/s2 ↓

Beginner’s Box: 10
1. (d) 5. (a) 8. 10 m/s, 37º north of 10. v = 8√17 m/s
2. …… 6. 40.8 km/h at 60° east
3. (b) south of west 9. 150 km/h 53º north
7. 60° of east.
4. (c)

Beginner’s Box: 11
1. (a) 4. (a) 7. (a) 9. 200 m
2. (b) 5. (a) 8. (40iˆ  400 jˆ) m/s 10. (a) 40 s (b) 80 m
3. (b) 6. (c)

Beginner’s Box: 12
1. (a) 4. (d) 7. ………  1  cos  
10. vB  v0  
2. (b) 5. a2 = 8 m/s2 8. 1.5 m/s   cos  
3. (b) 6. ……… 9. ……

JEE Physics 1.65