Unit 1 KINEMATICS (the study of motion)

Kinematics - 1 Dimension
1. Scalar vs. Vector
Scalar = a quantity represented by a magnitude ( a value)
- usually is written as a normal letter x, d
- examples: time, position, distance, speed, temperature
Vector = a quantity represented by the magnitude and a direction
- usually it's written in bold italics or with an arrow above the letter ⃗x , x
- examples: displacement velocity acceleration force

1
 2. POSITION, DISPLACEMENT, DISTANCE
Position = describes where an object is relative to the origin (vector)
Displacement = the change in position of an object (vector connecting the
initial and the final position, d or ∆x)
⃗ x f −⃗
∆ x=⃗ xi =⃗x −⃗
x0

In words: displacement – final position – initial position

Distance = the lenght of a path (scalar d or x [m]). If the path is a straight line
the distance equals displacement.

Example 1
A runner jogs from corner to corner around a square park of side lenght 100 m.
Calculate the distance jogged and the displacement.

2
 3. SPEED and VELOCITY
d
Speed = the rate at which distance is traveled (scalar v [m/s]) v=
t

v = speed [m/s]
d = distance [m]
t = time [s]
If the speed is not constant, this equation gives the average speed.

⃗d
Velocity = the rate of change of position (vector ⃗v [m/s]) ⃗v =
t

⃗v = velocity [m/s]
d⃗ = displacement [m]
t = time [s]
If the velocity is not constant, this equation gives the average velocity

Uniform motion = motion at constant speed.

Example 2
It takes 8 and 1/3 minutes for the sunlight to reach Earth. If light travels at 3 x 10 8
m/s how far away is the Sun?

4. ACCELERATION
3
Acceleration is the rate of CHANGE of the velocity. Since velocity is the rate of
change in position (displacement), this means that acceleration is the rate of change
∆v v −v 0 change ∈velocity
of another rate. a= = =
∆t t time

Acceleration is a measure of how quickly is an object’s velocity changing

v = speed [m/s]
a = acceleration [m/s2]
t = time [s]
Speed and Velocity
• Constant speed (speed that is not changing). Remember speed is scalar and
has magnitude only. Constant speed makes no mention of direction.
• Constant velocity (velocity is not changing v = 0). Velocity is a vector
consisting of both magnitude and direction.
This implies that acceleration is zero: a = 0
• Instantaneous speed and velocity = Speed /velocity at a specific instant in time.
In acceleration problems velocity may be changing, but at a specific instant of time
there will be a specific instantaneous value for speed and velocity.
• In this course we will only consider constant acceleration so no need to
differentiate between instantaneous and average acceleration.
v 0 + v⃗ d⃗
⃗
If acceleration = ct., the average velocity can be found using v= =
2 t

v = average velocity [m/s]

⃗v = final velocity [m/s]
⃗v 0 = initial velocity [m/s]
⃗
d = displacement [m]
t = time [s]
The equations of motion with constant acceleration a are:
v=v 0 + at
2
d=v 0 t+1/2 a t
2 2
v =v 0 +2 ad

Example 4

4
Allyson Felix ran 100 meters in 10.89 s in London 2012 Olympics. As she starts from
rest, we can find out that she accelerates that a rate of 1.69 m/s2. What is her
velocity?
Steps Knows Unknown
1. Identify/list knowns and d =100 m v=?
unknowns. Draw a picture t = 10.89 s
with a reference frame v0 = 0 m/s
a = 1.69
m/s2
2. Choose the equation that
has the three knowns.

3. Simplify.

4. Algebraically manipulate
the equation for the
unknown.

5. Plug in the values end

solve for the unknown

Example 5
5
Newton rolls a ball on the floor with an acceleration of 1.5 m/s2. If the ball starts from
rest and rolls for 8.0 s as how far does the ball travel?

Example 6
A Formula 1 car can increase its speed from 65 km/h to 95 km/h in 0.807s. What is
the acceleration of an F1 car?

5. Free Fall
6
Free fall = when an object really moves only due to the acceleration of the gravity ag
or g. Acceleration due to the gravity (free fall acceleration) on Earth g = 9.8 m/s2.

Remember that down can be positive or negative depending on the reference frame.

Tips for solving Free Fall problems:

1. Along with identifying your knowns and unknowns values, you need to decide
on which direction is positive. The opposite direction will then be negative.

Typical convention for the reference frame

2. If you have a hard time finding your knowns, remember that some things are
not stated explicitly:
 free fall ag = 9.8 m/s2
 start from rest v0 = 0 m/s
 the object is dropped from a stationary position v0 = 0 m/s
 the object reaches its peak vf = 0 m/s
 the object in freefall initially moving upwards but returns to its
original position (height) v = - v0 and height = 0

3. If asked for the speed at which an object hits the ground, you are being asked
for the speed right before stopping.

Example 7
How far will a hammer fall after 3 s if it is dropped from rest?

Example 8
7
A bullet is fired upwards from a rifle at 280 m/s. What is the maximum height that it
will reach?

Example 9
Mark throws the ball upwards at the speed of 23 m/s. How long does the ball take to
return to his hand?

6. Graphing Motion

8
Position (displacement) vs. Time (p vs. t) graphs

The slope of a position vs. time graph is equal to the velocity.

When the line on the p vs t graph it's a straight line (joining points) the slope is equal
to the average velocity.

Example 10
9
Calculate the velocity for each part of the graph below and then fill in the velocity
time graph.

A curve on a Position vs. Time graph describes the velocity.

10
For a Position vs. Time graph provide as a curve, estimate the velocity by the slope
of the tangent line. The slope of the tangent line is the instanteneous velocity.

Think as what happens with a roller coaster:

 In II, the roller coaster is coming to the top and slowing down.
 In III, the roller coaster is going down and speeding up.
Think as what happens along a slide:
 In I, you are rolling up a slide without friction or gravity.
 In IV, you are sliding down a slide with friction.

Example 11
11
Estimate the instantaneous velocity at t = 5.0 s and the average velocity from 0 s to
10.0 s

Velocity vs. Time (v vs. t) graphs

12
IMPORTANT
 The slope of velocity vs. time (v vs. t) graph is the acceleration of the object.

 The total area under the graph velocity vs. time equals the displacement (or
change in position), and the total area considering the absolute value (positive)
for the portion below the horizontal axis is the distance traveled.

Example 12
13
Use the graph below to calculate the following:
a) The acceleration at t = 2.0 s a= -2.5 m/s2
b) The acceleration at t = 4.0 s a= -1.5 m/s2
c) The average acceleration from 0 s to 16 s (-0.56)
d) The total displacement d = - 55.5m
e) The total distance traveled d = 88.5
f) The average velocity from 0 s to 16.0 s vave = - 3.47 m/s
g) The average speed from 0 s to 16.0 s ave speed = 5.53 m/s
h) Complete the acceleration vs. time graph below

14