An Overview of Mechanics

Mechanics: the study of how bodies

react to forces acting on them

Statics: the study Dynamics:

of bodies in 1. Kinematics – concerned
equilibrium with the geometric aspects of
motion
2. Kinetics - concerned with
the forces causing the motion
 Dynamics
• Dynamics includes:
- Kinematics: study of the geometry of motion. Kinematics is used to
relate displacement, velocity, acceleration, and time without reference to
the cause of motion.
-Geometry of motion or Calculus of motion
- Kinetics: study of the relations existing between the forces acting on a
body, the mass of the body, and the motion of the body. Kinetics is used
to predict the motion caused by given forces or to determine the forces
required to produce a given motion.
-Newtons Second Law
-Energy Methods
-Impulse-Momentum
Particle:
•A body without size or shape that will be assumed to occupy a
single point in space.
•This greatly simplifies mechanics problems and when
considered appropriately, gives reasonable first results.
•Assumption: NO ROTATION
•Caution: Can be a bit unrealistic
•Later on we will look at Rigid Body Motion
•Kinematics-geometry of motion
•Kinetics-Newtons Second Law (+ some Kinematics)
• Types of Motion
•Rectilinear motion: position, velocity, and acceleration of a particle as it
moves along a straight line.
•Curvilinear motion: position, velocity, and acceleration of a particle as it
moves along a curved line in two or three dimensions.
 POSITION AND DISPLACEMENT

A particle travels along a straight-line path

defined by the coordinate axis s.
The position of the particle at any instant,
relative to the origin, O, is defined by the
position vector r, or the scalar s. Scalar s
can be positive or negative. Typical units
for r and s are meters (m) or feet (ft).
The displacement of the particle is
defined as its change in position.
Vector form: r = r’ - r Scalar form: s = s’ - s
The total distance traveled by the particle, sT, is a positive scalar
that represents the total length of the path over which the particle
travels.
 VELOCITY
Velocity is a measure of the rate of change in the position of a particle.
It is a vector quantity (it has both magnitude and direction). The
magnitude of the velocity is called speed, with units of m/s or ft/s.

The average velocity of a particle during a

time interval t is
vavg = r/ t = r/ t i
The instantaneous velocity is the time-derivative of position.
v = dr/dt

Speed is the magnitude of velocity: v = ds/dt

Average speed is the total distance traveled divided by elapsed time:

(vsp)avg = sT/ t
Rectilinear Motion: Position, Velocity &
Acceleration
• Particle moving along a straight line is said
to be in rectilinear motion.
• Position coordinate of a particle is defined by
positive or negative distance of particle from
a fixed origin on the line.
• The motion of a particle is known if the
position coordinate for particle is known for
every value of time t. Motion of the particle
may be expressed in the form of a function,
e.g.,
x  6t 2  t 3
or in the form of a graph x vs. t.
• Consider particle which occupies position P
at time t and P’ at t + t,
x
Average velocity 
t
x
Instantaneous velocity  v  lim
t 0 t
• Instantaneous velocity may be positive or
negative. Magnitude of velocity is referred
to as particle speed.
• From the definition of a derivative,
x dx
v  lim 
t 0 t dt
e.g., x  6t 2  t 3
dx
v  12t  3t 2
dt
 ACCELERATION

Acceleration is the rate of change in the velocity of a particle. It is a

vector quantity. Typical units are m/s2 or ft/s2.

The instantaneous acceleration is the time

derivative of velocity.

Vector form: a = dv/dt

Scalar form: a = dv/dt = d2s/dt2

Acceleration can be positive (speed

increasing) or negative (speed decreasing).

As the book indicates, the derivative equations for velocity and

acceleration can be manipulated to get
a ds = v dv
• Consider particle with velocity v at time t and
v’ at t+ t,
v
Instantaneous acceleration  a  lim
t 0 t

• Instantaneous acceleration may be:

- positive: increasing positive velocity
or decreasing negative velocity
- negative: decreasing positive velocity
or increasing negative velocity.
• From the definition of a derivative,
v dv d 2 x
a  lim   2
t 0 t dt dt
e.g. v  12t  3t 2
dv
a  12  6t
dt
• Consider particle with motion given by
x  6t 2  t 3
dx
v  12t  3t 2
dt

dv d 2 x
a   12  6t
dt dt 2

• at t = 0, x = 0, v = 0, a = 12 m/s2

• at t = 2 s, x = 16 m, v = vmax = 12 m/s, a = 0

• at t = 4 s, x = xmax = 32 m, v = 0, a = -12 m/s2

• at t = 6 s, x = 0, v = -36 m/s, a = 24 m/s2

• Recall, motion of a particle is known if position is known for all time t.
• Typically, conditions of motion are specified by the type of acceleration
experienced by the particle. Determination of velocity and position requires
two successive integrations.
• Three classes of motion may be defined for:
- acceleration given as a function of time, a = f(t)
- acceleration given as a function of position, a = f(x)
- acceleration given as a function of velocity, a = f(v)
 SUMMARY OF KINEMATIC RELATIONS:
RECTILINEAR MOTION

• Differentiate position to get velocity and acceleration.

v = ds/dt ; a = dv/dt or a = v dv/ds

• Integrate acceleration for velocity and position.

Velocity: Position:
v t v s s t

 dv   a dt or  v dv   a ds  ds   v dt
vo o vo so so o

• Note that so and vo represent the initial position and

velocity of the particle at t = 0.
 CONSTANT ACCELERATION
The three kinematic equations can be integrated for the special case
when acceleration is constant (a = ac) to obtain very useful equations.
A common example of constant acceleration is gravity; i.e., a body
freely falling toward earth. In this case, ac = g = 9.81 m/s2 = 32.2
ft/s2 downward. These equations are:
v t

 dv   a dt c yields v  vo + act
v0 0

s t

 ds   v(t)dt yields s  s o + v ot + (1/2)a ct 2

 s0 0

v2  (vo )2 + 2ac(s - so)

v s
yields
  vdv   a ds
v0 s0
c
• Acceleration given as a function of time, a = f(t):
v t  t t
dv
 a  f t  dv  f t  dt  dv   f t  dt vt   v0   f t  dt
dt v 0 0
0
x t  t t
dx
 vt  dx  vt  dt  dx   vt  dt xt   x0   vt  dt
dt x0 0 0

• Acceleration given as a function of position, a = f(x):

dx dx dv dv
v or dt  a or a  v  f  x 
dt v dt dx
v x  x x
v dv  f  x dx  v dv   f  x dx 1 v x 
2
2
 12 v02   f  x dx
v0 x0 x0
• Acceleration given as a function of velocity, a = f(v):
v t  t
dv dv dv
 a  f v   dt    dt
dt f v  v0 f v  0
v t 
dv
 t
v0 f v 
x t  v t 
dv v dv v dv
v  a  f v  dx   dx  
dx f v  x0 v0 f v 
v t 
v dv
xt   x0  
v0 f v 
 EXAMPLE

Given: A motorcyclist travels along a straight road at a speed

of 27 m/s. When the brakes are applied, the
motorcycle decelerates at a rate of -6t m/s2.

Find: The distance the motorcycle travels before it stops.

Plan: Establish the positive coordinate s in the direction the

motorcycle is traveling. Since the acceleration is given
as a function of time, integrate it once to calculate the
velocity and again to calculate the position.
 EXAMPLE (continued)
Solution:
1) Integrate acceleration to determine the vvelocity.
t

a = dv / dt => dv = a dt =>  dv   (6t )dt

vo o

=> v – vo = -3t2 => v = -3t2 + vo

2) We can now determine the amount of time required for
the motorcycle to stop (v = 0). Use vo = 27 m/s.
0 = -3t2 + 27 => t = 3 s

3) Now calculate the distance traveled in 3s by integrating the

velocity using so = 0: s t

v = ds / dt => ds = v dt =>  ds   (3t 2 + vo)dt

=> s – so = -t3 + vot so o

=> s – 0 = (3)3 + (27)(3) => s = 54 m

 GROUP PROBLEM SOLVING
Given: Ball A is released from rest
at a height of 40 ft at the
same time that ball B is
thrown upward, 5 ft from the
ground. The balls pass one
another at a height of 20 ft.
Find: The speed at which ball B was
thrown upward.

Plan: Both balls experience a constant downward acceleration

of 32.2 ft/s2. Apply the formulas for constant
acceleration, with ac = -32.2 ft/s2.
 GROUP PROBLEM SOLVING (continued)
Solution:
1) First consider ball A. With the origin defined at the ground,
ball A is released from rest ((vA)o = 0) at a height of 40 ft
((sA )o = 40 ft). Calculate the time required for ball A to drop to
20 ft (sA = 20 ft) using a position equation.
sA = (sA )o + (vA)ot + (1/2)act2
20 ft = 40 ft + (0)(t) + (1/2)(-32.2)(t2) => t = 1.115 s
2) Now consider ball B. It is throw upward from a height of 5 ft
((sB)o = 5 ft). It must reach a height of 20 ft (sB = 20 ft) at the
same time ball A reaches this height (t = 1.115 s). Apply the
position equation again to ball B using t = 1.115s.
sB = (sB)o + (vB)ot + (1/2) ac t2

20 ft = 5 + (vB)o(1.115) + (1/2)(-32.2)(1.115)2
=> (vB)o = 31.4 ft/s