CONVENT OF JESUS AND MARY, New Delhi
Class 11 Physics
Chapter 3: Motion in a Straight Line
Notes and Assignment (Part 1)
Motion is change in position of an object with time.
The concept of motion is relative.
A body that may be in motion relative to one reference system may be at rest relative to another.
Rectilinear Motion is motion of objects along a straight line.
Point Object:
If the lengths covered by the objects are very large in comparison to the size of the objects, the
objects are considered point objects.
Reference Systems:
A rectangular coordinate system consists of three mutually perpendicular axes, labelled X-, Y-, and Z-
axes.
The point of intersection of these three axes is called origin (O) and serves as the reference point.
The coordinates (x, y, z) of an object describe the position of the object with respect to this
coordinate system.
To measure time, we position a clock in this system. This coordinate system along with a clock
constitutes a frame of reference.
If one or more coordinates of an object change with time, we say that the object is in motion.
Otherwise, the object is said to be at rest with respect to this frame of reference.
Types of Motion
In order to completely describe the motion of an object, we need to specify its position. For this, we
need to know the position coordinates. In some cases, three position coordinates are required, while
in some cases two or one position coordinate is required.
Based on these, motion can be classified as:
One dimensional motion
A particle moving along a straight-line or a path is said to undergo one-dimensional motion. For
example, the motion of a train along a straight line, freely falling body under gravity etc.
Two-dimensional motion
A particle moving in a plane is said to undergo two-dimensional motion. For example, the motion of
a shell fired by a gun, carom board coins etc.
Three-dimensional motion
A particle moving in space is said to undergo three-dimensional motion. For example, the motion of
a kite in the sky, the motion of aeroplane etc.
A scalar quantity has only magnitude and no direction.
A vector quantity has both magnitude and direction.
Total Path Length (Distance):
For a particle in motion, the total length of the actual path traversed between initial and final
positions of the particle is known as the ‘total path length’ or distance covered by it.
Displacement
Displacement of a particle in a given time is defined as the change in the position of a particle in a
particular direction during that time. It is given by a vector drawn from its initial position to its final
position.
The magnitude of displacement may or may not be equal to the path length traversed by an object.
Displacement is the change in position of an object.
Let and be the positions of object at time and .
Then its displacement, denoted by in time is given by:
In this chapter, we discuss one dimensional motion, where there are only two directions(backward
and forward) in which an object can move and these two directions can easily be specified by + and
– signs. So vector notation is not necessary here.
Factors Distinguishing Displacement from Distance
Displacement has direction. Distance does not have direction.
Distance ≥ | Displacement |
Distance Displacement
Length of actual path covered between the initial and Length of the shortest path between initial
final position/point. and final point.
Scalar quantity Vector quantity
Can have only +ve value. Can have +ve, 0 and -ve value
Position Time Graph
For a motion along straight line, say X-Axis, only x coordinate varies with time and we can plot x-t
graph.
(a) For a stationary object positioned at x=40m
(b) For an object undergoing uniform Motion.
Uniform Motion along a straight line refers to traversing equal distances in equal intervals of
time.
(c) For an object undergoing non-uniform Motion.
Speed
The time rate of change of position of the object in any direction is called the speed of the object.
( )
( )
( )
Its unit is m/s. It is a scalar quantity.
Uniform Speed:
If an object covers equal distances in equal intervals of time, then its speed is called uniform speed.
Non-Uniform Speed or Variable Speed:
If an object covers unequal distances in equal intervals of time, then its speed is called non-uniform
or variable speed.
Average Speed:
The ratio of the total distance travelled by the object to the total time taken is called the average
speed of the object.
Velocity
The rate of change of displacement of an object in a particular direction is called its velocity.
Its unit is m/s.
It is a vector quantity, as it has both, the magnitude and direction. The velocity of an object can be
positive, zero and negative.
Uniform Velocity:
If an object undergoes equal displacements in equal intervals of time, then it is said to be moving
with a uniform velocity.
Non- Uniform or Variable Velocity:
If an object undergoes unequal displacements in equal intervals of time or its direction of motion
changes in time, then it is said to be moving with a non-uniform or variable velocity.
Average Velocity:
The ratio of the total displacement to the total time taken is called average velocity.
The average velocity can be positive or negative depending upon the sign of the displacement. It is
zero if the displacement is zero.
Slope of x-t curve, gives velocity.
Instantaneous velocity:
The average velocity tells us how fast an object has been moving over a given time interval but does
not tell us how fast it moves at different instants of time during that interval. For this, we define
instantaneous velocity or simply velocity v at an instant t.
The velocity at an instant is defined as the limit of the average velocity as the time interval Δt
becomes infinitesimally small. In other words,
Instantaneous Speed:
When an object is traveling at a variable speed, then its speed at a given instant of time is called its
instantaneous speed.
ASSIGNMENT:
1. Solve examples 3.1, 3.2 and 3.4.
2. Solve back exercise questions 3.1, 3.2, 3.3 and 3.4.
CONVENT OF JESUS AND MARY, New Delhi
Class 11 Physics
Chapter 3: Motion in a Straight Line
Notes and Assignment (Part 2)
Acceleration
The time rate of change of velocity is called acceleration.
( )
( )
( )
2
Its unit is m/s .
Its dimensional formula is [M0 L T-2].
It is a vector quantity.
Average Acceleration over a time interval is defined as the total change of velocity divided by the
total time interval.
Where are velocities at time instant .
Instantaneous Acceleration:
The acceleration at any instant is the slope of the tangent to the v-t curve at that instant.
Acceleration can be positive, zero or negative.
Positive acceleration means velocity is increasing with time.
Zero acceleration means velocity is uniform.
Negative acceleration (retardation) means velocity is decreasing with time.
Velocity–time graph for motions with constant acceleration:
In Fig.1 Graph (a) Motion in positive direction with positive acceleration,
Graph (b) Motion in positive direction with negative acceleration,
Graph (c) Motion in negative direction with negative acceleration,
Graph (d) Motion of an object with negative acceleration that changes direction at time t1.
Between times 0 to t1, its moves in positive x – direction and between t1 and t2 it moves in
the opposite direction.
Area under v-t curve gives the displacement of the object over a given time interval.
Kinematic Equations for uniformly accelerated motion using Graphical Method
Assume at t=0, position of particle is at x=0
v: final velocity after time t
v0: initial velocity at time=0
a: uniform acceleration of particle
t: time
x: displacement at time=t
We know acceleration a,
When we plot this relation, we get:
Area under v-t the curve= Area between time=0 and time=t
= Area of triangle ABC + Area of rectangle OACD
= ( )
Displacement= ( )
Using,
We get, ( )
Or ( )
From equation ( )
Also, from
Using this value:
Hence the kinematic equations of rectilinear motion for constant acceleration are:
( )
If at t=0, x=x0 then these equations can be modified:
( )
( )
Kinematic Equations of Motion for constant acceleration using method of Integration
We know that,
Integrating both sides we get,
∫ ∫
Since a is constant,
∫ ∫
[ ] [ ]
( )
( )
Further,
Integrating both sides,
∫ ∫
Substituting
We get,
∫ ∫( )
[ ] [ ]
Now, we can write:
Integrating both sides,
∫ ∫
[ ] [ ]
( )
( )
( )
Assignment: Solve back exercise questions 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14.
CONVENT OF JESUS AND MARY, New Delhi
Class 11 Physics
Chapter 3: Motion in a Straight Line
Notes and Assignment (Part 3)
Motion of object under free- fall
If an object is released from a height near the surface of earth, it is accelerated downwards with
acceleration equal to acceleration due to gravity.
The air resistance is usually neglected in free fall.
The value of g near the surface of earth is 9.8ms-2 and is a case of motion with uniform acceleration.
Case1:
If downward direction is taken as positive and object is released from rest.
u=0m/s
a=g=9.8ms-2
v=u+at
v=gt
Case2:
If downward direction is taken as negative and object is released from rest.
u=0m/s
a= - g = - 9.8ms-2
v=u+at
v=-gt
The graphs below show variation of acceleration, velocity and displacement with time for an object
in free fall.
If a body is thrown vertically upwards, the time of ascent is equal to the time of decent
Let u be the initial velocity of the body
t1 be the time taken for upward motion
t2 be the time taken for downward motion
For downward motion of the body
As we know that for complete journey the displacement is zero
So using third equation of motion
Therefore
Hence
Distance travelled by uniformly accelerated body in nth second
Initial velocity of an object is u and acceleration is a.
Let the distance travelled in n seconds from initial position be .
According to second equation of motion,
Distance travelled in t seconds,
So Distance travelled in n seconds,
Distance travelled in (n-1) seconds,
Hence,
Distance travelled in nth second,
Assignment:
1. Solve NCERT Examples 3.6, 3.7 and 3.8.
2. Solve back exercise questions 3.15, 3.16 and 3.17.
CONVENT OF JESUS AND MARY, New Delhi
Class 11 Physics
Chapter 3: Motion in a Straight Line
Notes and Assignment (Part 4)
Relative Velocity
Consider two objects A and B moving with average velocity and in one dimension.
If and are positions of objects A and B at time t=0.
Then positions at any time t are:
Displacement of object B w.r.t object A at time t is:
[ ] [ ]
[ ]
So velocity of Object B relative to Object A :
And hence relative velocity of B wrt A is:
Similarly, Relative velocity of Object A relative to Object B:
So,
Special Cases
a) If , Then
Also
b) If , then would be negative.
Slope of x-t curve for A would be steeper than B.
And there is a common point where they meet.
c) If are of the opposite signs.
ASSIGNMENT:
1. Solve NCERT example 3.9.
2. Solve back exercise questions 3.5, 3.8, 3.9 and
3.18.