1 Velocity and Acceleration

At the end of this module you should be able to:

a.

Solve problems using

s=
b.
c.
d.

1
(u + v )t
2

v = u + at

v 2 = u 2 + 2as

s = ut +

1 2
at
2

Explain what s, u, v, a and t represent.

Define angular velocity and angular acceleration, and solve problems.
Relate linear and angular acceleration and velocity, and solve problems.

Table of contents
1
1.1
1.2
1.2.1
1.2.2
1.2.3
1.2.4
1.3
1.3.1
1.3.2
1.4
1.4.1
1.4.2
1.4.3
1.5

Velocity and Acceleration ....................................................................................................................................1

Scalars and Vectors ..............................................................................................................................................2
Linear Motion.......................................................................................................................................................2
Linear displacement and distance ...............................................................................................................2
Linear velocity and speed ...........................................................................................................................2
Linear acceleration......................................................................................................................................3
Equations for linear uniformly accelerated motion.....................................................................................4
Angular Motion ..................................................................................................................................................10
Angular speed and velocity.......................................................................................................................10
Angular acceleration .................................................................................................................................10
Relationship between linear and angular motion................................................................................................11
Relationship between linear speed and angular speed ..............................................................................11
Relationship between angular speed and frequency of rotation ................................................................11
Relationship between linear acceleration and angular acceleration ..........................................................12
Uniform circular motion - (acceleration)............................................................................................................13

Page numbers on the same topic in , Applied Mechanics, 3rd Edition, Hannah & Hillier
Section in these notes
Section 1.1 - Section 1.2.4
Section 1.3 - Section 1.3.1
Section 1.3.2
Section 1.4 - 1.4.3
Section 1.5

Section in Hannah & Hillier

4.1 - 4.7
4.9
9.1 - 9.2
Not in the book
6.1

Fundamentals of Mechanics Kinetics: Section 1 Velocity and Acceleration

Page No. in Hanna & Hiller

64 - 6
73
154 - 156
Not in the book
102 - 104

1.1

Scalars and Vectors

A scalar quantity is one which can be completely specified by a number that expresses its magnitude in an appropriate
unit.
Some examples are:
Scalar quantity SI unit
Mass
kg
Length
m
Area
m2
A vector quantity requires a number (magnitude) and direction.
Some examples are:
Vector quantity SI unit
Velocity
m/s
Acceleration
m/s2
Force
N (or kg m/s2)

1.2

1.2.1

Linear Motion

Linear displacement and distance

The linear displacement is the length moved in a given direction - it is a vector quantity.
The magnitude of the displacement is the distance - a scalar quantity.

1.2.2

Linear velocity and speed

The linear velocity is the rate of change of displacement with time. As displacement is a vector so velocity is a vector.
The magnitude of the velocity is speed. It is the

of change of distance with time - hence it is a scalar.

If a body moves with uniform velocity then it must move in a fixed direction with constant speed.
The average speed of a body is the total distance moved divide by the total time taken.

Fundamentals of Mechanics Kinetics: Section 1 Velocity and Acceleration

Distance - time curve

A graph plotted for distance (s) against time (t), might look like that in Figure 1.1:

B
distance s
A

Figure 1.1: Distance-Time Curve

time t

As speed is rate of change of distance with time, the slope, gradient, of the s/t curve is the speed.
Over the linear section OA of the curve the speed must be uniform.
Between A and B the gradient is becoming less and less, hence the body is slowing down.
At B the body is stopped (distance is not increasing) and remains at rest between B and C.

1.2.3

Linear acceleration

The linear acceleration of a body is the rate of change of linear velocity with time. It is a vector.
If acceleration is uniform the speed must be increasing b

t in equal time intervals.

Worked example 1.1

A car is travelling along a straight road at 13 m/s. It accelerates uniformly for 15 s until it is moving at 25 m/s
Solution

change in velocity dv
=
time taken
dt
25 13
=
15
= 0 .8 m / s 2

Acceleration =

Fundamentals of Mechanics Kinetics: Section 1 Velocity and Acceleration

Speed - Time curve

A graph of speed (v) of a body plotted against time (t) might be as shown by the graph in figure 1.2:

D
speed v
C

B
A
t1
dt

t2

time t

Figure 1.2: Speed-Time Curve

As acceleration is rate of change of speed (v) with time (t), the slope, gradient, of the v/t curve is the speed.
In Figure 1.2 the gradient between A and B is increasing - hence acceleration - is increasing, between B and C it is
constant, between C and D it is decreasing.
If in the small time interval dt, the speed is v. The distance covered in the time dt is

ds = v dt
ds
v=
dt
The total distance s travelled in the time interval between t1and t2 is the integral of this i.e.

s = ds = v dt
t1

t2

This integral is the same as the area under the curve.

Thus the distance travelled in any time interval is the area under the v/t curve between the start and end time.

1.2.4

Equations for linear uniformly accelerated motio

If a body that is moving in a straight line and started with initial speed u undergoes a uniform acceleration a for a time t
until its velocity is v, then the speed time curve would look like that in Figure 1.3:

Fundamentals of Mechanics Kinetics: Section 1 Velocity and Acceleration