Chapter 3.

Motion in two or
three dimensions
Lecture 6. Position, Velocity, and Acceleration Vectors

A position vector describes the position of a particle in. An object at point

P(x, y, z) has the position vector r = x^i + y^j + zk^
A displacement vector describes the curved path a particle makes from
P1 to P2 over a time interval. It is given by the vector Δ r = (x2 −
x1 )^i + (y2 − y1 )^j + (z2 − z1 )k^

The average velocity vector is the net displacement per unit time, given by
r2 − r1 Δr
the equation, va = =
t2 − t1 Δt

Chapter 3. Motion in two or three dimensions 1

 Instantaneous velocity in two dimension is given by v = vx ^i + vy ^j . The
instantaneous velocity vector is always tangent to the path of the particle

The magnitude of the velocity vector is: ∣ v ∣ =v= vx2 + vy2 and the
vy
direction angle is tan α =
vx
The average acceleration vector is the rate of change in the velocity over
v2 − v1 Δv
a time interval, aa = = . As a particle accelerates, its
t2 − t1 Δt
instantaneous velocity changes in both magnitude and direction. The
average acceleration has the same direction as the change in velocity, Δ v

Instantaneous acceleration vector is the instantaneous rate of change of

Δv
velocity with time, a = lim as Δt → 0
Δt
The x, y, z components of the vector can be derived from the
Δvx Δvy Δvz
equations, ax = lim , ay = lim , and az = lim .
Δt Δt Δt
Simplifying these in an equation gives us, a = ax^ i + ay ^j + az k^

Chapter 3. Motion in two or three dimensions 2

 Its magnitude is given in the equation: ∣ a ∣ =a= a2x + a2y + a2z

🔬 If acceleration is parallel to the velocity, it acts to change the

magnitude of the velocity. If it is perpendicular, it would change
the direction of the velocity

The components of the vector may be changed to a∥ if tangent to path at

point P or a⊥ if normal to path at P

Lecture 7. Projectile Motion

A projectile is any body given an initial velocity which follows a path

determined entirely by the effects of gravitational acceleration. The path
followed by a projectile is called a trajectory

Examples:

 Parabolic shape of water flowing upward

 Package dropped from an airplane

 Bullet shot from a rifle

Assumptions in an Idealized Projectile Motion

 Air resistance is neglected

 Ignore the curvature and rotation of the earth

Chapter 3. Motion in two or three dimensions 3

 A projectile moves in a vertical plane that contains the initial velocity
vector v0
Solving Problems in Projectile Motion

 Projectile motion is two-dimensional

 Treat the x and y components separately

 In the x component, acceleration is zero

 In the y-component, the acceleration is constant and equal to gravity,

m^
−9.8 j
s2
 Use the four kinematics equation

Shape of Trajectory

At the top pf the trajectory, the projectile has zero vertical velocity, vy =
0, but its acceleration is still −g
Horizontally, the projectile is in constant velocity motion. Its horizontal
acceleration is zero. Thus, it moves in equal x-distance in equal time
intervals

Vertically, the projectile is in constant acceleration motion because of

earth's gravitational pull. Thus, its vertical velocity changes in equal
amounts during equal time intervals

Examples

Chapter 3. Motion in two or three dimensions 4

 Practice

Chapter 3. Motion in two or three dimensions 5

Chapter 3. Motion in two or three dimensions 6
 Quantities of Interest

 Maximum Height

The initial angle which gives the greatest maximum height is at α0 =

2
90° when sin α0 = 1
 Time of Flight

The time interval from the moment of launch to the moment it lands.
The greatest time of flight is at α0 = 90° when sin α0 = 1

 Range

The range is the horizontal displacement at the time of flight T. The

greatest range occurs at 2α0 = 90° at sin 2α0 = 1

Think!

 C

 C

 A

 B

 A

Chapter 3. Motion in two or three dimensions 7