Chapter 2
Motion Along a Straight Line
Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
2-1 Position, Displacement, and Average Velocity
Answer: pairs (b) and (c)
(b) -7 m – -3 m = -4 m (c) -3 m – 7 m = -10 m
© 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
2-1 Position, Displacement, and Average Velocity
On a graph of x vs. t, the average velocity is the slope
of the straight line that connects two points
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2-1 Position, Displacement, and Average Velocity
© 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
2-1 Position, Displacement, and Average Velocity
Average velocity is therefore a vector quantity
o
Positive slope means positive average velocity
o
Negative slope means negative average velocity
© 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
2-2 Instantaneous Velocity and Speed
Answers:
(a) Situations 1 and 4 (zero)
(b) Situations 2 and 3
© 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
2-2 Instantaneous Velocity and Speed
Example
The graph shows the
position and velocity of an
elevator cab over time.
The slope of x(t), and so
also the velocity v, is zero
from 0 to 1 s, and from 9s
on.
During the interval bc, the
slope is constant and
nonzero, so the cab moves
with constant velocity (4
m/s).
© 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
2-3 Acceleration
Answers: (a) + (b) - (c) - (d) +
© 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
2-3 Acceleration
Example The graph shows the velocity
and acceleration of an elevator
cab over time.
When acceleration is 0 (e.g.
interval bc) velocity is constant.
When acceleration is positive
(ab) upward velocity increases.
When acceleration is negative
(cd) upward velocity decreases.
Steeper slope of the velocity-
time graph indicates a larger
magnitude of acceleration: the
cab stops in half the time it
takes to get up to speed.
© 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
2-4 Constant Acceleration
In many cases
acceleration is constant,
or nearly so.
For these cases, 5
special equations can
be used.
Note that constant
acceleration means a
velocity with a constant
slope, and a position
with varying slope
(unless a = 0).
Figure 2-9
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2-4 Constant Acceleration
Answer: Situations 1 (a = 0) and 4.
© 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
2-4 Constant Acceleration
2-5 Free-Fall Acceleration
The equations of
motion in Table 2-1
apply to objects in
free-fall near Earth's
surface
o
In vertical flight
(along the y axis)
o
Where air
resistance can be
neglected
© 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
2-5 Free-Fall Acceleration
The free-fall acceleration is downward (-y direction,
positive y directed up)
o
Value -g in the constant acceleration equations
© 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
2-5 Free-Fall Acceleration
Answers:
(a) The sign is positive (the ball moves upward); (b) The sign is negative
(the ball moves downward); (c) The ball's acceleration is always -9.8
m/s2 at all points along its trajectory
© 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.