Mechanics Cheat Sheet

Uniform rectilinear motion

x:
x0 :
s:
t:

position [m]
initial position [m]
displacement [m]
time [s]

Position/Displacement
x(t) = x0 + v t
s = vt

v:
a:
Fi :

velocity [m/s]
acceleration [m/s2 ]
forces acting upon the body [N]

Velocity
v=

Acceleration

s
= const.
t

Time

a=0

t=

s
v

Force
P

Fi = 0

Uniformly accelerating rectilinear motion

x:
x0 :
s:
t:

position [m]
initial position [m]
displacement [m]
time [s]

v:
v0 :
a:
Fi :

Position/Displacement

Velocity

a
x(t) = x0 + v0 t + t2
2
a 2 v0 + v
t
s = v0 t + t =
2
2

v = v0 + at
q
= v02 + 2as

speed [m/s]
initial velocity [m/s]
acceleration [m/s2 ]
forces acting upon the body [N]
Acceleration
v v0
t
v 2 v02
=
= const.
2s

a=

Time
p
v0 + v02 + 2as
t=
a
2s
=
v + v0

Force
P

Fi = const.

Uniform circular motion

:
s:
r:
t:
T:

angular displacement [rad]

arc length [m]
circle radius [m]
time [s]
period [s]

:
f:
atan , arad :
Fi,tan , Fi,rad :
m:

angular velocity [rad/s]

frequency [Hz]
tangential & radial comp. of the accel. [m/s2 ]
tangential & radial comp. of the external forces [N]
mass [kg]

Position/Displacement

Speed

Acceleration

Time

2
t = 2f t
= t =
T
s=r

= 2f
= =
t
T
s
v = = r
t

atan = 0
v2
arad =
= 2r
r 2
2
r = 4 2 f 2 r
=
T

1
T =
f
s

t= =
v

Force
X

i
X

Fi,tan = 0
Fi,rad = m 2 r

Simple harmonic motion

x:
A:
xc :
vmax , amax :

position [m]
amplitude [m]
center [m]
maximal vel., accel.

:
f:
0 , x0 , v0 , a0 :
Fi :

Position

Velocity

x = xc + A sin (t + 0 )
x0 = xc + A sin 0

vmax = A
v = vmax cos (t + 0 )
v0 = A cos 0

angular frequency [rad/s]

frequency [Hz]
initial phase, pos., vel., accel.
external forces [N]

Acceleration
amax =A 2
a = amax sin (t + 0 ) =
2 (x xc )
a0 = A 2 sin 0

k:

Time
r

positive constant [N/m]

k
m
2
1
=
=

T = 2

Force
X

Fi = k (x xc )

= m 2 (x xc )