Physics 5054
Week 6-8
1.2 Motion
Kinematics
Learning Objectives
Define speed and velocity as change in displacement per unit time
1. Recall and use the equation
speed = distance / time
v=s
t
1. Recall and use the equation
average speed = total distance travelled / total time
taken
1. Define acceleration as change in velocity per unit time; recall and use the equation
acceleration = change in velocity/ time taken
State what is meant by, and describe examples of, uniform and non- uniform acceleration
Learning Objectives
5 Know that a deceleration is a negative acceleration and use this in calculations
6 Sketch, plot and interpret distance–time and speed–time graphs
7 Determine from the shape of a distance–time graph when an object is:
(a) at rest
a. moving with constant speed
b. accelerating
c. decelerating
8 Determine from the shape of a speed–time graph when an object is:
(a) at rest
(b) moving with constant speed
(c) moving with constant acceleration
(d) moving with changing acceleration
Speed
Speed of a body is defined as the distance it travels per unit time.
Where s = distance travelled in metres ,m
t = time taken in seconds,s
v = speed in metres per second, m/s
Formula
Speed = distance travelled /time taken
Average speed = total distance travelled/total time
taken
Velocity
The velocity of a body is defined as the distance it travels per
unit time in a particular/specific direction.
Or
Rate of change of displacement .
Formula
Velocity = displacement /time
Velocity is a vector quantity.
Acceleration
Rate of change of velocity.
or
It is change in velocity per unit time.
Formula
Acceleration = change in velocity/ time
a= v-u/t
Where,
u is the initial velocity
v is the final velocity
Unit of acceleration is m/s2
It is a vector quantity.
Acceleration of freefall
When air resistance is absent, all objects fall under gravity with constant acceleration, g, the
acceleration of free fall (about 10 m s-2)
When air resistance is present, all objects falling under gravity experience decreasing
acceleration until terminal velocity is reached. (At this point, air resistance equals the weight
of the object.)
Graph
1. Graph gives us the information about the quantities given
along the axis.
(x-axis, y-axis)
2. It gives us the trend/relation between the quantities.
3. Slope/gradient gives us the information about the quantity
which is equal to the ratio of the axis.
For example = distance / time ‘= speed
4. Area under the curve gives us the information about the
quantity which is equal to the product of the axis.
Area under the curve= distance travelled
Distance –time graph
Object moving with constant speed
Object increasing speed non - uniformly (accelerating)
Object decreasing speed constantly
Object decreasing speed non - uniformly (decelerating non - uniformly)
Note:
The gradient of the distance-time graph represents
the speed of the object
Note:
The gradient of the distance-time graph represents the speed of the object
Speed –time graphs
Object at rest (stationary object)
Object moving with constant speed
Object moving with uniform acceleration
Object moving with non - uniformly acceleration
Object decelerating non - uniformly
Note:
the gradient of the speed-time graph is equal to the acceleration of the object.
The area under the speed-time graph represents the distance travelled by
the object.
Question
The graph shown below represents the distance traveled by a car plotted against
time.
(a) Describe the motion of the car between point A and E.
Between A and B the speed of the car increasing, then between B and C car moves with constant
speed, after that between C and D the speed of the car decreasing and between D and E car is at
rest.
(a) How far has the car travelled at the end of 30seconds?
60m
Example question:
The speed – time graph below shows the motion of a lorry.
a) Describe the motion of the lorry.
First the lorry accelerates non –uniformly, then it moves
with uniform acceleration. After some time speed of lorry
decreases and moves with constant speed, finally the lorry
decelerates uniformly to the rest.
Free fall
When an object is released near to the surface of the Earth, it falls under the influence of gravity.
This is known as free fall.
The acceleration of free fall or acceleration due to gravity is denoted by g.
The acceleration due to gravity is 10 m/s2.
This is true in the absence of air resistance.
The experiment below shows, all the air has been removed from the tube. Both feather and
lead ball dropped from same height and reaches bottom of the tube at the same time. This is
because all the objects in the absence of air resistance, accelerates towards the earth at same
rate that is10m/s2.
Terminal Velocity
When any object falls through air, due to the
gravitational force or weight the object will exerts a
resistive force. This resistive force increases as the
object moves faster. Resistive force acts in the opposite
direction to which the object is moving. And after some
time the resistive force and weight of the object
becomes equals, so the object moves with constant
speed, this is known as terminal velocity.
Consider a parachutist jumping from
aircraft.
When the parachutist jumps from the aircraft, his speed
increase downward due to weight of his body or
gravitational force
As his speed increases his air resistance will also increases in the opposite
direction of fall
After sometime air resistance will be big enough to
balance the parachutist’s weight. At this point the
forces are balanced so his speed becomes uniform
this is called terminal velocity.