K I N E M AT I C S

PRESENTED BY:
D M Warakagoda
BSc B.E. (KDUSL), MSc MIC (UK)
 PHYSICS

MECHANICS

ELECTRICAL
MECHANICS
OPTICS The area of physics concerned with the
motions of physical objects, more specifically
HEAT the relationships among force, matter, and
motion
- (Hugh D., 1930)

K I N E M AT I CS
(deals with describing motions)

DYNAMICS
(deals with causes of motion)
 QUANTITY

SCALAR QUANTITY VECTOR QUANTITY

A physical quantity which A physical quantity which

can be described only by can be described by its
its magnitude magnitude and direction

 Speed  Displacement
 Mass  Acceleration
 Time  Velocity
 Distance  Weight
 POSITION

The location of the object

(whether it's a person, a ball, or a
particle) at a given moment in
time

D I S TA N C E ( d )

The total movement of an object

OR
How much ground an object has Even though the distance
covered despite its starting or travelled by the child along
ending point this path is 400 m,

DISPLACEMENT (s) the magnitude of his

displacement is 120 m and the
A change of position that occurs direction is along AB.
from one point to another point
in a particular direction
EXAMPLE

Total distance that the child has travelled between

home and school is
=AB + BC + CD
= 100 m + 400 m + 200 m
= 700 m

However, the straight line distance from home to

school is 500 m. This means that the magnitude of
the displacement is 500 m while its direction is
along AD
 EXERCISE 01 EXERCISE 02

A child starts to walk from point A and goes to

point C. After staying there a little while, he
comes back to point B.

What is the distance he travelled and his

displacement?

What is the distance ran

and displacement of the
athlete?
 SPEED

The rate at which a given distance

is traversed

Speed = d
t

The usual units for speed

metres per second - (m/s)
or
kilometres per hour - (km/h)

Problem 1

A man walks 600 m in 5 minutes.

Determine his speed in
(a) metres per second and
(b) kilometres per hour
Problem 2.
A car travels at 50 kilometres per hour for
24 minutes. Find the distance travelled in this time.

Problem 3.
A train is travelling at a constant speed of 25 metres
per second for 16 km. Find the time taken to cover
this distance.

Problem 4.
A train covers a distance of 96 km in 1 h 20 min.
Determine the average speed of the train (a) in
km/h and (b) in m/s.

Problem 5.
A horse trots at an average speed of 12 km/h for 18
minutes; determine the distance covered by the
horse in this time.

Problem 6.
A ship covers a distance of 1365 km at an average
speed of 15 km/h. How long does it take to cover
this distance?
 ANSWERS

2 4 speed = distance travelled / time taken

= 96 x 60
80
= 72 km/h
= 72 x 1000
3600
= 20 m/s
3
5 speed = distance travelled / time taken
12 = d x 60
18
d = 3.6 km

6 speed = distance travelled / time taken

15 = 1365
t
t = 91 hrs
 VELOCITY

The rate of change of the The velocity of an object can be

displacement. obtained by dividing its displacement
by time.
Therefore, it is a vector quantity
that has both a magnitude and a Velocity = s
direction. t

The velocity of an object is the =

speed of the object in a specified
direction.

Thus, if a plane is flying due south It follows that if the plane had flown
at 500 kilometres per hour, its in a circular path for one hour at a
speed is 500 kilometres per hour, speed of 500 kilometres per hour, so
but its velocity is 500 kilometres that one hour after taking off it is
per hour due south. again over the airport, its average
velocity in the first hour of flight is
zero.
EXAMPLE

The variation of the displacement, I. What kind of motion has the child
measured with respect to the starting undergone during the first 4 s?
point, of a child riding a bicycle on a
straight path during each 1 s time interval II. What is the rate of change of the
is shown in the table below. displacement during the first 4 s?

t 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 III. Give one word to describe the rate of

s 0 2 4 6 8 8 8 8 4 0 change of the displacement.

IV. What can you say about the motion of

the child during the time period from
4 s to 8 s?

V. Describe the motion during the time

interval from 8 s to 10 s.

VI. Find the velocity of the child during

the last 2 s.
 ANSWERS
I. Uniform Velocity

II. rate of change of the displacement =

III. Rate of change of the displacement is VI. velocity of the child during the last 2s
the velocity.

IV. The child has not moved during the

time period from 4 s to 8 s.

V. The displacement during the time

interval from 8 s to 10 s has taken That is, the velocity is 4 m/s in the
place in the opposite direction. He opposite direction.
has come back to the starting point
after 10 s.
 EXERCISE 01

If a plane flies from place O to place A, a

distance of 300 km in one hour, A being due
north of O.

It then flies from A to B, a distance of 400 km

during the second hour of flight, B being due
east of A.

Its average velocity for the two hour flight is?

 ANSWERS

OB Distance =
By Pythagoras theory,
OB² = OA² + AB²
OB² = 300² + 400² = 90000 + 160000 = 250000
OB = 500km

Its average velocity for the two hour

flight is =
 A CC E L E R AT I O N EXAMPLE

Acceleration is the rate of change A car changes velocity from 15 km/h to

of velocity with time. The average 20 km/h in 25 min. Determine the
acceleration = average acceleration in m/s² of the car
during this time.

a = (v – u) / t
= 20 ms¯¹ - 15ms¯¹
25 x 60 s
= 5 ms¯¹
1500 s
= = 0.003 ms¯²

If the velocity is decreasing, the

acceleration takes a negative value.
The negative acceleration is known
as the DECELERATION.
Problem 1.
Train travelling at 30 km/h accelerates uniformly to 50
km/h in 2 minutes. Determine the acceleration.

Problem 2.
A car travelling at 50 km/h applies its brakes for 6 s and
decelerates uniformly at 0.5 m/s2. Determine its velocity
in km/h after the 6 s braking period.

Problem 3.
A cyclist accelerates uniformly at 0.3 m/s2 for 10 s, and
his speed after accelerating is 20 km/h. Find his initial
speed.

Problem 4.
An engine is travelling along a straight, level track at 15
m/s. The driver switches off the engine and applies the
brakes to bring the engine to rest with uniform
retardation in 5 s. The retardation of the engine is?
 ANSWERS
3

2 4.

a = (v – u) / t
= ( 0 – 15 ) / 5
= - 3m/s²

Since they are asking for the

retardation/deleceration , the answer is
= 3m/s ²
 GRAPHS IN KINEMATICS

Graphs are often the best way to convey

descriptions of real world events in a compact
form. Graphs of motion come in several types
depending on which of the kinematic quantities
(time, position, velocity, acceleration) are assigned
to which axis.

Distance – time graphs

Displacement – time graphs

Velocity – time graphs

 DISPLACEMENT – TIME GRAPH

Graphs that illustrate how the

displacement of a body varies with
time are known as displacement -
time graphs. These graphs are
plotted by marking the time on the
x-axis and the displacement on the y-
axis.
 EXAMPLE 01

The following table shows the variation of

the displacement of a body with time.

t 1 2 3 4 5
s 0 2 4 6 8

The displacement - time graph for the

above data set is shown below.
Therefore, the velocity can be calculated
by choosing two fairly distant points A
and B on the above graph and by
calculating the gradient as shown below.

Therefore, the velocity of the motion

represented by the above graph is 3 m s-1
 EXAMPLE 02
I. What is the average velocity when
travelling from O to A?
Answer the following questions based on
the given displacement – time graph. II. What is the average velocity when
travelling from A to B?

III. What is the average overall velocity

when travelling from O to B?

OA velocity = 3 – 0 = 3 = 1.5 ms¯¹

2–0 2
Displacement (m)

AB velocity = 4 – 3 = 1 = 0.3 ms¯¹

5–2 3

Average velocity = total displacement

total time taken
= 4m / 5s
= 0.8 ms¯¹
EXERCISE 01

A person travels from point O to A, then from

A to B and finally from B to C. The
displacements of A, B and C from O and the
times, measured from the start to reach points
A, B and C are as shown:

A B C
DISPLACEMENT 3 4 5
TIME 4 6 8

Plot the displacement/time graph and

determine the velocity of travel for each of
the three parts of the journey.

Determine the average velocity (both in m/s

and km/h) for the whole journey for the
information given
 ANSWERS

OA velocity = 100 – 0 = 100 = 2.5 ms¯¹

40 – 0 40
Displacement (m)

AB velocity = 200 – 100 = 100 = 5 ms¯¹

60 – 40 20

BC velocity = 250 – 500 = 50 = 1.25 ms¯¹

100 – 60 40

Average velocity = total displacement

total time taken
= 250m / 100s
= 2.5 ms¯¹

= 2.5 ms¯¹ x 3600 s x 1km

1000m x 1h
= 9 km/h
 VELOCITY – TIME GRAPH

A velocity-time graph shows the speed

and direction an object travels over a
specific period of time. The vertical axis
of a velocity-time graph is
the velocity of the object. The
horizontal axis is the time from the start.

In Velocity – time graphs,

Gradient = acceleration

Area under the curve =

total displacement of the
object
EXAMPLE 01

The velocity of a car travelling along

a straight road changes uniformly

Velocity (m/s)
from zero to 50 m/s in 20 s.

It then maintains this velocity for

30s and finally reduces velocity
uniformly to rest in 10 s. Draw the
velocity/time graph for this journey.
OA = 50 – 0 = 50 = 2.5 ms¯¹
Find the acceleration for each of the acceleration 20 – 0 20
three
stages of the journey. AB = 50 – 50 = 0
acceleration 50 – 20
Determine the total displacement of
the whole journey. BC = 0 – 50 = - 50 = - 5 ms¯¹
acceleration 60 – 50 10
Total area = OAX ∆ + ABYX + BYC ∆
= 20 x 50 + (30 x 50) + 10 x 50
2 2
= 500 + 1500 + 250
= 2250 m
EXERCISE 01

An object starting from rest, acquires a velocity of 15 m s-1 after moving for 6
s under a uniform acceleration. Then the object moves with that velocity for
6 s and comes to rest after decelerating for 3 s.
(i) Plot the velocity - time graph for this motion.
(ii) Find the acceleration during the first 6 s.
(iii) What is the displacement during these 6 s?
(iv) What is the displacement travelled under the uniform velocity?
(v) What is the deceleration during the last 3 s?
(vi) What is the displacement during the last 3 s?
(vii) (a) Write down an expression in order to find the total displacement
travelled by the object during the complete motion, using the velocity -
time graph.
(b) Find the total displacement travelled using the above expression.
ANSWERS
 K I N E M AT I C S 2
Model motion under gravity in a vertical plane
using vectors
I. Projectiles
II. Time of flight
III. Range & Greatest Height
IV. Equation of the path of a projectile

Motions under gravity in a vertical plane

I. Free fall
II. Vertical motion under gravity
III. Projectiles
 F R E E - FA L L & EQ UAT I O N O F M OT I O N

The force that acts on a falling body is the gravitational force exerted by the earth.
The acceleration caused by the earth’s gravitational attraction is known as the
gravitational acceleration. Its symbol is g.

The average value for the gravitational acceleration at sea level is about 9.8 m s-2.
This means that the velocity of a free falling body increases by 9.8 m s-1 every
second.

a = (v – u) / t v=u+at Equation of the path of a projectile

s = ut + ½ at²

s = distance travelled
u = initial velocity
a = gravitational acceleration
t = time taken
 F R E E - FA L L & EQ UAT I O N O F M OT I O N

v=u+at
EXAMPLE 01 = 0 + (9.8 x 2)
= 19.6 m/s
A stone is dropped from an aero plane.
Determine v=u+at
(a) its velocity after 2 s and = 19.6 + (9.8 x 3)
(b) the increase in velocity during the third = 49 m/s
second, in the absence of all forces except
that due to gravity. a = 9.8 m/s² the increase in velocity
= 49 m/s – 19.6 m/s
= 29.4 m/s
 EXERCISE 01

1. Determine how long it takes an

object, which is free-falling, to change
its speed from 100 km/h to 150 km/h,
assuming all other forces, except that
due to gravity, are neglected.

2. An object is dropped from the third

floor of a building. Find its
approximate velocity 1.25 s later if all
forces except that of gravity are
neglected.

3. During free fall, a ball is dropped

from point A and is travelling at 100
m/s when it passes point B. Calculate
the time for the ball to travel from A
to B if all forces except that of gravity
are neglected.
 ANSWERS

2 v=u+at
= 0 + (9.8 x 1.25)
= 12.25 m/s

3 v=u+at
t=v–u
a
= 100 – 0
9.8
= 10.2 s
 VERTICAL MOTION UNDER GRAVITY

Point A -
B Always starts with a initial velocity (u)

Point B -
Greatest/Maximum Height
the ball reaches a height beyond which it can’t move
upwards anymore and stops there i.e. its velocity
becomes zero at that height.
The height where the velocity becomes zero which is
the maximum height the ball went upward. (v = 0)
Then the ball starts to fall back to the ground with
t₁ t₂ acceleration.

Point C –
The point where the ball would return to the ground.

Time of flight - The total time took for the object to

A C reach to the highest point and return back.
T = t₁ + t₂
EXERCISE 01

1. A ball is thrown up in vertical direction with an initial speed of 40 m/s.

Find acceleration of the ball at the highest point.

2. A fruit in a tree that detaches from the stalk takes 4 s to fall to the ground

(a) What is its velocity when it reaches the ground?

(b) What is the height that it fell from

3. An object is projected vertically upwards at an initial velocity of 30 m/s

(a) Find the time taken by the object to reach its maximum height.
(b) What is the maximum height reached by the object?
(c) Sketch the velocity-time graph for the motion of the object from the time
it was projected until it reaches the maximum height.
 ANSWERS

2 3
v=u+at v=u+at
= 0 + (9.8 x 4) t = (v - u)/a
= 39.2 m/s = (0 – 30) / -9.8
= 3.06s
v = s/t
s = vt s = ut + ½ at²
= ½ (initial velocity + final velocity) x t = (30 x 3.06) + (½ x 9.8 x 3.06²)
= ½ (u + v) t = 91.8 + 45.88
= ½ ( 0 + 39.2) x 4 = 137.68m
= 78.4 m
K I N E M AT I C S 3
 R E L AT I V E MOT I O N

This velocity is with respect to some frame that is known as THE REFERENCE
FRAME. In everyday life, when we measure the velocity of an object, the
reference frame is taken to be the ground or the earth.

For example, if you are travelling in a train and the train is moving at a speed
of 100 km/hr, then your speed according to another passenger sitting on
that train is zero. According to him, you are not moving.
But if someone observes you from outside the train, standing on the ground,
according to him, you are moving with 100 km/hr as you are on the train
and the train is moving with 100 km/hr.

Here, the motion observed by the observer depends on the location (frame)
of the observer. This type of motion is called relative motion.
 R E L AT I V E V E LO C I T Y

The relative velocity of an object A with respect to object B is the rate of

change of position of the object A with respect to object B.
If VA and VB be the velocities of objects A and B with respect to the ground,
then
The relative velocity of A with respect to B is VAB = VA – VB
The relative velocity of B with respect to A is VBA = VB – VA

relative velocities can be described by the motions of an airplane in the wind

or a boat in a current

Put into words, the velocity of A

with respect to C is equal to the
velocity of A with respect to B plus
the velocity of B with respect to C.
Reference frame B is the
intermediate reference frame.
 Relative Motion in One Dimension

In one-dimensional motion, objects move in a straight line. So there are only

two possible cases:
I. Objects are moving in the same direction
II. Objects are moving in the opposite direction

For example, you can toss and catch a ball in a moving bus if the motion is in
a straight line at constant speed.

Again take the example of a man sitting on the train if the train is moving
with 100 km/hr forward. Then according to the man sitting on the train, the
trees outside are moving backwards with 100 km/hr.
Because from the man’s point of view, the outside environment is moving in
the opposite direction to the train with the same velocity.

So for all types of questions, if you have to find the velocity of A with respect
to B, then assume that B is at rest and give the velocity of B to A in the
opposite direction.
EXAMPLE 01

Two bodies A and B are travelling with the same speed 100 km/hr in opposite
directions. Find the relative velocity of body A with respect to body B and
relative velocity of body B with respect to body A.
The relative velocity of A to B is VAB = VA – VB
= 100- (-100)
= 200 km/hr
The relative velocity of B to A is VBA = VB – VA
= -100 – (100)
= -200 km/hr (-ve means towards left)

In the same question, if both bodies are moving in the same direction with the
same speed then,
The relative velocity of A to B is VAB = VA – VB
= 100-100
=0
The relative velocity of B to A is VBA = VB – VA
= 100-100
=0
That means A is at rest with respect to B and B is at rest with respect to A, but
both are moving with 100 km/hr with respect to the ground.
EXAMPLE 02

Find the velocity of the boat with respect to the ground

The velocity of the boat with respect to the water - V BW

The velocity of the water with respect to the ground - VWG

If the observer is observing the motion from the ground, then the velocity of
the boat with respect to the ground is equal to the velocity of the boat in still
water plus the velocity of the water.

Velocity of a boat with respect to the ground

= velocity of the boat in still water + velocity of the water to ground
= V BW + VWG

VBG = V BW + VWG
EXAMPLE 02

Take the example of the person sitting in a train moving east. If we choose east as the
positive direction and Earth as the reference frame, then we can write the velocity of
the train with respect to the Earth as,
→ VTE =10m/s where the subscripts TE refer to train and Earth.

Let’s now say the person gets up out of the seat and walks toward the back of the
train at 2 m/s. This tells us he has a velocity relative to the reference frame of the
train.

Since the person is walking west, in the negative direction, her velocity with respect to
the train as,
→ VPT =−2m/s

Find the velocity of the person with respect to Earth.

→ VPE =→ VPT +→ VTE

Note the ordering of the subscripts for the various reference frames in (Figure). The
subscripts for the coupling reference frame, which is the train, appear consecutively in
the right-hand side of the equation. (Figure) shows the correct order of subscripts
when forming the vector equation.
 When constructing the vector equation, the subscripts
for the coupling reference frame appear consecutively
on the inside. The subscripts on the left-hand side of the
equation are the same as the two outside subscripts on
the right-hand side of the equation.

Adding the vectors,

→ VPE =8m/s
so the person is moving 8 m/s east with respect to Earth.
EXERCISE 01

Motion of a Car
Relative to a Truck

A truck is traveling
south at a speed of 70
km/h toward an
intersection.
A car is traveling east
toward the
intersection at a
speed of 80 km/h
((Figure)).

What is the velocity of

the car relative to the
truck?
 ANSWERS

The velocity of the car with respect to Earth is

→ VCE =80km/h
The velocity of the truck with respect to Earth is
→ VTE =−70km/h

Thus, → VCT =→ VCE +→ VET

 EXERCISE 02

1. A boat heads north in still water at 4.5 m/s directly across a river that is running
east at 3.0 m/s. What is the velocity of the boat with respect to Earth?

2. A ship sets sail from Rotterdam, heading due north at 7.00 m/s relative to the
water. The local ocean current is 1.50 m/s in a direction 40.0° north of east. What
is the velocity of the ship relative to Earth?

3. A boat can be rowed at 8.0 km/h in still water.

(a) How much time is required to row 1.5 km downstream in a river moving 3.0 km/h
relative to the shore?
(b) How much time is required for the return trip?
(c) In what direction must the boat be aimed to row straight across the river?

4. A motorboat traveling 4 m/s, East encounters a current traveling 7.0 m/s, North.
a) What is the resultant velocity of the motorboat?
b) If the width of the river is 80 meters wide, then how much time does it take the
boat to travel shore to shore?
c) What distance downstream does the boat reach the opposite shore?
 ANSWERS

1.

2. VBE = tan 40° x 7

= 0.839 x 7
= 5.873 m/s

3. VBE = VBW + VWE Sin ɵ = 3 /11

= 8+ 3 ɵ = sin¯¹ (0.2727)
= 11 km/h ɵ = 22°
V = d/t
t = d/V 4. SQRT [ (4 m/s)2 + (7 m/s)2 ] = 8.06 m/s
= 1.5 km / (11km/h)
= 0.136 h = 8.18 mins The time to cross the river is
t = d / v = (80 m) / (4 m/s) = 20 s
VBE = VBW + VWE
The distance traveled downstream is
= 8 – 3 = 5 km/h
d = v • t = (7 m/s) • (20 s) = 140 m
t = d/V
= 1.5 km / (5 km/h)
= 0.3 h = 18 mins
K I N E M AT I C S 4
 ROTA RY M OT I ON

Rotary motion is also known as circular motion and rotational motion

The rotary motion includes the physical motion of a certain object which is
spinning on an axis of its own. Rotary motion is analyzed in a similar way as
linear motion. When we say that a certain object has uniform rotational
motion, uniform circular motion, or uniform rotary motion, it means that the
direction in which the object is moving doesn’t change.
At the same time, it also means that the speed of that movement is constant
as well.

Simply put, a certain spinning object’s inertia can be described as the

resistance it has during rotary motion changes. Rotary tables that have high
amounts of inertia will need more energy to change their position or velocity
on the rotational axis.
Inertia is a very important element of rotary motion, as it is crucial to give a
better explanation of the movement and behavior of objects with rotary
motion
When a person is sitting on a stationary bike it can be impossible to maintain
balance and they would have to use their feet to keep themselves from
falling down.
Most people think that this has something to do with us and how we
maintain our balance while riding a bike but, in fact, it’s all due to the rotary
movement of the wheels or the lack of it. When the wheels aren’t rotating,
there is no inertia, meaning that there isn’t anything resisting the position
change.
On the other hand, when moving with a bicycle, the wheels have a lot of
inertia and all the upright position changes are naturally resisted by the
wheel. This means that the person riding the bike has a better chance of
maintaining their balance.
MOMENT OF INERTIA
 CE SATURDAY SUNDAY
9 – 11 am UNIT 8 UNIT 13 - ONGOING
2 – 4 pm UNIT 2 UNIT 4 SESSIONS

6 – 8 pm Can start Unit 20 UNIT 6

QS SATURDAY SUNDAY
9 – 11 am Can start Unit 11 UNIT 13
2 – 4 pm UNIT 2 UNIT 4
6 – 8 pm Can start Unit 23 UNIT 12

Unit 8 – 48 hrs done

Unit 3 – FINISHED
Unit 2 – 6 hrs done - 15 MORE SESSIONS REMAINING
Unit 13 – 18 hrs done - 9 MORE SESSIONS REMAINING
Unit 4 – 24 hrs done - 6 MORE SESSIONS REMAINING
Unit 6 – 2 hrs done - 17 MORE SESSIONS REMAINING
Unit 12 – 8 hrs done - 14 MORE SESSIONS REMAINING
(THIS IS AS OF 8TH JULY ’21)