M.T.

Faculty of Engineering

Physics 101

Week 2: Kinematics
Motion in One Dimension (1D)

Dr. Mustafa Tokaç To understand motion is to understand nature

Leonardo Da Vinci
 M.T.
Outline

➢ Position, Velocity, and Speed

➢ Instantaneous Velocity and Speed

➢ Acceleration

➢ Instantaneous Acceleration

➢ Particle Under Constant Velocity

➢ Particle Under Constant Acceleration

➢ Freely Falling Objects

 M.T.
Introduction
As a first step in studying mechanics, we describe the motion of an object while ignoring the
interactions with external agents that might be affecting or modifying that motion. This portion of
mechanics is called kinematics, which is defined as the study of motion without considering its
causes. It is important for the kinematics that which the path object follows. It can answer the
questions below;
Where the motion started? (Initial position)
Where the motion stopped? (Final position)
What time has taken for the complete of motion?
What the velocity body had?

In this section, we examine the simplest type of motion—namely, motion along a straight line, or one-
dimensional (1D) motion. We will introduce some definitions such as;

Displacement [∆X]
Velocity [V]
Acceleration [a]
 Scalar Quantities & Vector Quantities

• Scalar quantities have only

magnitude

Speed 15 m/s

• Vector quantities have both

magnitude and direction

Velocity 15 m/s North

 M.T.
Displacement [∆X]

In order to describe the motion of an object, you It is specified by a magnitude and a direction
must first be able to describe its position. (Vector quantity)

An object’s position is the location of the object with

Displacement is independent of the path
respect to a chosen reference point that we can
traveled by an object.
consider to be the origin of a coordinate system.

The displacement represents the distance traveled,

which is

the difference between final and initial positions

 M.T.
Displacement [∆X]

Let’s consider the professor that walks relative to

the whiteboard. She paces left and right while
lecturing. The + 2 𝑚 displacement of the
professor relative to the whiteboard is represented
by an arrow pointing to the right. The professor’s
initial position is 𝑋𝑖 = 1.5 𝑚 and her final position
is 𝑋𝑓 = 3.5 𝑚. Thus, her displacement (∆𝑿) can be
found as;

∆𝑿 = 𝑿𝒇 − 𝑿𝒊 = 𝟑. 𝟓 𝒎 − 𝟏. 𝟓 𝒎 = + 𝟐 𝒎.

In this coordinate system,

motion to the right is positive,
whereas
motion to the left is negative.
 M.T.
Distance vs Displacement
N
• If you start in a particular spot and then move north 10
meters from where you started,

• your displacement is 10 m north.

• If you then turn around and go back, with a

displacement of 10 meters south,

• you would have traveled a total distance of 20 m,

S

• BUT your net displacement is zero, because you're

back where you started.

Distance: Total amount the object has moved. This depends on

the whole path traveled, not just the starting and ending points.

Displacement: Change in position of an object.

 Determining Displacement

In these examples, position is determined with respect to the origin,

displacement wrt x1
 M.T.
Check your Understanding

A cyclist rides 3 km WEST and then turns around and rides 2 km EAST.

(a) What is her displacement?

(b) What distance does she ride?
(c) What is the magnitude of her displacement?
 M.T.
Check your Understanding

A cyclist rides 3 km WEST and then turns around and rides 2 km EAST.

(a) What is her displacement?

(b) What distance does she ride?
(c) What is the magnitude of her displacement?

SOLUTION:

(a) The rider’s displacement is ∆𝑿 = 𝑿𝒇 − 𝑿𝒊 = 𝟐 𝒌𝒎 − 𝟑 𝒌𝒎 = −𝟏 𝒌𝒎.

(The displacement is negative because we take east to be positive and west to be negative.)

(b) The distance traveled is 𝟑 𝒌𝒎 + 𝟐 𝒌𝒎 = 𝟓 𝒌𝒎

(c) The magnitude of the displacement is 𝟏 𝒌𝒎

 M.T.
Velocity [υ]
The Velocity of an object is the rate of motion in a 𝑇𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝐷𝑖𝑠𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡
particular direction. 𝐴𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝑉𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦 =
𝑇𝑟𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑙 𝑇𝑖𝑚𝑒
Velocity is a vector that not only represents the
speed, but also indicates the direction of motion.
x x f − xi
The average velocity of a particle moving in one
v= =
dimension can be positive or negative, depending on t t
the sign of the displacement.
 M.T.
Instantaneous Velocity [υ]

In order to describe the motion in detail, we need to define the velocity of an object at a particular instant
in time, rather than the average velocity over a finite time interval. Such a velocity is called as the
instantaneous velocity.

For example, even though you might want to calculate your average velocity during
a long automobile trip, you would be especially interested in knowing your velocity
at the instant you noticed the police car parked alongside the road ahead of you.

This limit is called the derivative of x with respect to t

 M.T.
Speed vs Velocity

Most people use the terms “speed” and “velocity”

interchangeably. In physics, however, they do not
have the same meaning and they are distinct
concepts.

Speed is used to denote the distance travelled

divided by time. It gives an indication of how fast an
object moving. Speed is a scalar, so it has no
direction

Velocity is used to describe how fast and in what

direction an object is moving. Velocity is a vector
quantitiy. It has a direction and can be zero,
negative, or positive.
 M.T.
Acceleration [a]
Acceleration is the rate of change of velocity.
It is a vector quantity.

When the velocity of an object changes with

time, the object is said to be accelerating. For
example, the magnitude of a car’s velocity
increases when you step on the gas and
decreases when you apply the brakes.

The SI unit for acceleration is m/s2.

 M.T.
Acceleration [a]

Suppose an object that can be modeled as a particle moving along the x axis has an initial velocity
𝑣𝑥𝑖 at initial time 𝑡𝑖 at position A and a final velocity 𝑣𝑥𝑓 at final time 𝑡𝑓 at position B as given
below. The average acceleration 𝑎𝑥,𝑎𝑣𝑔 of the object is defined as the change in velocity divided by
the time interval during which that change occurs:
 M.T.
Sign of Acceleration [a]
Acceleration can be positive or negative. A subway train decelerates
as it comes into a station. It
The sign of acceleration indicates the
direction of motion. is accelerating in a direction
opposite to its direction of
• If the sign of the velocity and the sign of motion.
the acceleration are the same, the object
speeds up.

• If the sign of the velocity and the sign of

the acceleration are different, the object
slows down.
Keep in mind that although acceleration is in the direction of
the change in velocity, it is not always in the direction of
motion. When an object slows down, its acceleration is
opposite to the direction of its motion. Although this is
commonly referred to as deceleration, we say the train is
accelerating in a direction opposite to its direction of motion.
 M.T.
Instantaneous Acceleration

The instantaneous acceleration of a body is the acceleration the body has at a particular time, at a specific
point of its trajectory.

To define the concept of instantaneous acceleration with precision we must begin with the average
acceleration in an interval and make it infinitely small (Δt→0 ). It is also defined in a similar manner as
the derivative of velocity with respect to time. It is given by the expression:
 M.T.
Example
 M.T.
Example
 M.T.
Example
 M.T.
Particle Under Constant Acceleration

This is the simplest accelerated motion, which is observed quite often in nature. If the acceleration
of a particle varies in time, its motion can be complex and difficult to analyze. A very common
and simple type of one-dimensional motion, however, is that in which the acceleration is
constant. Here, constant acceleration means velocity increases or decreases at the same rate
throughout the motion.

If we take 𝑡𝑖 = 0 and 𝑡𝑓 to be any later time t, we find that

1
 M.T.
Particle Under Constant Acceleration

Because velocity at constant acceleration varies linearly in time, we can express the average velocity in
any time interval as the arithmetic mean of the initial velocity 𝜗𝑥𝑖 and the final velocity 𝜗𝑥𝑓

Notice that this expression for average

2 velocity applies only in situations in
which the acceleration is constant.
 M.T.
Particle Under Constant Acceleration

Recall previous equations

We can now use these equations
to obtain the position of an object
as a function of time.

3
 M.T.
Particle Under Constant Acceleration

We can obtain another useful expression

for the position of a particle under
constant acceleration by substituting

4
 M.T.
Particle Under Constant Acceleration

Finally, we can obtain an expression for

the final velocity that does not contain time
as a variable by substituting the value of t

5
 M.T.
Particle Under Constant Acceleration

Equations 1 through 5 are kinematic equations

that may be used to solve any problem involving
a particle under constant acceleration in one
dimension.

The choice of which equation you use in a given

situation depends on what you know
beforehand. Sometimes it is necessary to use two
of these equations to solve for two unknowns.
 M.T.
Example
 M.T.
Example
 M.T.
Example
 M.T.
Freely Falling Objects
It is well known that, in the absence of air resistance, all objects dropped
near the Earth’s surface fall toward the Earth with the same constant
acceleration under the influence of the Earth’s gravity. Here, gravity
accelerates the object toward the Earth

Galileo Galilei originated our present-day ideas concerning falling objects.

There is a legend that he demonstrated the behavior of falling objects by
observing that two different weights dropped simultaneously from the
Leaning Tower of Pisa hit the ground at approximately the same time.

A freely falling object is any object moving

freely under the influence of gravity alone,
regardless of its initial motion. Objects
thrown upward or downward and those
released from rest are all falling freely
once they are released. Any freely falling
object experiences an acceleration directed
downward, regardless of its initial motion.
 M.T.
Freely Falling Objects

In 1971, astronaut David Scott dropped a

feather (in his left hand) and a hammer (in
his right hand) on the airless Moon, and he
observed that they reached the surface at
about the same time. To watch the video,
click here

You might want to try the following experiment.

Simultaneously drop a coin and a crumpled-up piece of paper
from the same height. If the effects of air resistance are
negligible, both will have the same motion and will hit the floor
at the same time. In the idealized case, in which air resistance is
absent, such motion is referred to as free-fall. If this same
experiment could be conducted in a vacuum, in which air
resistance is truly negligible, the paper and coin would fall with
the same acceleration even when the paper is not crumpled.
Here is the perfect example, brought to us by Professor Brian
Cox. To watch the video, click here.
 M.T.
Freely Falling Objects
• In the absence of air resistance, all objects fall to earth with a constant
acceleration
• The rate of fall is independent of mass
• In a vacuum, heavy objects and light objects fall at the same rate.
• The acceleration of a free-falling object is the acceleration due to gravity, g

g = 9.81 m/s2 (all points in the object’s motion)

• Consider a ball thrown up into the air.

(A to B) Moving upward: the ball slows down, acceleration is –9.81 m/s2

(B) Top of path: velocity is zero, acceleration is –9.81 m/s2
(B to C) Moving downward: the ball speeds up, acceleration is –9.81 m/s2
 M.T.
THE MOVING MAN
Learn about position, velocity, and acceleration graphs. Move the little man back and forth with the mouse
and plot his motion. Set the position, velocity, or acceleration and let the simulation move the man for you.
To run the PhET simulation, click here
 M.T.
Example

A player hits a volleyball so that it moves with an initial velocity of 6.0

m/s straight upward. If the volleyball starts from 2.0 m above the floor,
how long will it be in the air before it strikes the floor?
 M.T.
Example

A player hits a volleyball so that it moves with an initial velocity of 6.0

m/s straight upward. If the volleyball starts from 2.0 m above the floor,
how long will it be in the air before it strikes the floor?

Step – 1: Define your question !!!

Given: Unknown:

vi = +6.0 m/s Δt = ?
a = –g = –9.81 m/s2
Δy = –2.0 m
Diagram:
Place the origin at the
Starting point of the ball
(yi = 0 at ti = 0).
 M.T.
Example

A player hits a volleyball so that it moves with an initial velocity of 6.0

m/s straight upward. If the volleyball starts from 2.0 m above the floor,
how long will it be in the air before it strikes the floor?

Step – 2: Choose an appropriate equation !!!

Both ∆t and vf are unknown.

We can determine ∆t if we know vf.

Solve for vf then substitute & solve for ∆t
 M.T.
Example

A player hits a volleyball so that it moves with an initial velocity of 6.0

m/s straight upward. If the volleyball starts from 2.0 m above the floor,
how long will it be in the air before it strikes the floor?

Step – 3: Calculate !!!

Rearrange the equation to isolate the unknowns:
v f − vi
v f =  vi + 2ay
2
t =
a
vf = - 8.7 m/s Δt = 1.50 s
 M.T.
Example

If the air resistance is negligible, how long would it take an object to hit the ground if it is dropped from
a 25-meter building?
 M.T.
Example

If the air resistance is negligible, how long would it take an object to hit the ground if it is dropped from
a 25-meter building?

Δy = - 25 m 𝑡𝑓𝑎𝑙𝑙 = ?

g = - 9.81 m/s2
 M.T.
Example

If the air resistance is negligible, how long would it take an object to hit the ground if it is dropped from
a 25-meter building?

Δy = - 25 m 𝑡𝑓𝑎𝑙𝑙 = ?

g = - 9.81 m/s2
 M.T.
Example

If the air resistance is negligible, how long would it take an object to hit the ground if it is dropped from
a 25-meter building?

Δy = - 25 m 𝑡𝑓𝑎𝑙𝑙 = ?

g = - 9.81 m/s2
 M.T.
Example

If the air resistance is negligible, how long would it take an object to hit the ground if it is dropped from
a 25-meter building?

Δy = - 25 m 𝑡𝑓𝑎𝑙𝑙 = ?

g = - 9.81 m/s2

𝑣𝑥𝑖 = 0
 M.T.
Example

If the air resistance is negligible, how long would it take an object to hit the ground if it is dropped from
a 25-meter building?

Δy = - 25 m 𝑡𝑓𝑎𝑙𝑙 = ?
2. Δy 2. (- 25)
𝑡𝑓𝑎𝑙𝑙 = = 𝑡𝑓𝑎𝑙𝑙 = 2.3 𝑠𝑒𝑐.
g = - 9.81 m/s2 𝑔 −9.81

𝑣𝑥𝑖 = 0