Chapter 4

Motion in Two and Three

Dimensions
Motion in Two and Three Dimensions

• Displacement, Velocity and Speed

• Relative Motion
• Projectile Motion
• Circular Motion

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 Particle Displacement

MFMcGraw - PHY 2425 Chap_04H - 2D & 3D - Revised 1/3/2012 3

 Vector Simulation

MFMcGraw - PHY 2425 Chap_04H - 2D & 3D - Revised 1/3/2012 4

 Relative Displacement
Relative
Displacement
Vector

Position Vector

Position Vector

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 Average Velocity




∆r ∆r
vavg = =
∆t t 2 - t1

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 Average Velocity

r2 - r1 (x2ˆi + y2 ˆj) - (x1ˆi + y1 ˆj)

∆r ∆r
vavg = = = =
∆t t 2 - t1 t 2 - t1 t 2 - t1

(x2 - x1 )iˆ + (y2 - y1 )jˆ
vavg =
t 2 - t1

MFMcGraw - PHY 2425 Chap_04H - 2D & 3D - Revised 1/3/2012 7

 Instantaneous Velocity Vector



∆r
v(t) = lim
∆t →0 ∆t

There is not enough

information presented here
to actually calculate the
instantaneous velocity. This
is meant only to
demonstrate the process.

MFMcGraw - PHY 2425 Chap_04H - 2D & 3D - Revised 1/3/2012 8

 Instantaneous Velocity Vector
Instantaneous velocity
dx ˆ dy ˆ
j = v xˆi + v y ˆj


v(t) = i+
dt dt
Magnitude of the velocity

v(t) = v(t) = v x 2 + v y 2

Direction of the velocity

-1
vy
Θ = tan ( )
vx

MFMcGraw - PHY 2425 Chap_04H - 2D & 3D - Revised 1/3/2012 9

 Sailboat Velocity
Ques:
Find the magnitude and
direction of the average
velocity if the time
interval is 120s?

MFMcGraw - PHY 2425 Chap_04H - 2D & 3D - Revised 1/3/2012 10

MFMcGraw - PHY 2425 Chap_04H - 2D & 3D - Revised 1/3/2012 11
 Inverse Tangent Problem
The principle branch
inverse tangent has a
range of -90o to +90o
Blindly using a
calculator to compute
a tan-1 will lead to
errors.

MFMcGraw - PHY 2425 Chap_04H - 2D & 3D - Revised 1/3/2012 12

 Relative Motion

MFMcGraw - PHY 2425 Chap_04H - 2D & 3D - Revised 1/3/2012 13

 Relative Motion
C

P




v p/G = v p/C + vC/G
p p C
= ×
G C G
MFMcGraw - PHY 2425 Chap_04H - 2D & 3D - Revised 1/3/2012 14
 Relative Motion

Assume the man throws a ball straight up in the air.

• What trajectory does he see?
• What trajectory does an observer on the ground see?

MFMcGraw - PHY 2425 Chap_04H - 2D & 3D - Revised 1/3/2012 15

 Acceleration Vectors



∆v
aavg = Average acceleration
∆t




∆v dv Instantaneous acceleration
a(t) = lim =
∆t →0 ∆t dt
Where:

v = v xˆi + v y ˆj + v z kˆ

a = a xˆi + a y ˆj + a z kˆ

MFMcGraw - PHY 2425 Chap_04H - 2D & 3D - Revised 1/3/2012 16

 Acceleration Vector
∆v v f - vi




aavg = =
∆t t f - ti



∆v v4 - v2
a3avg = =
∆t t4 - t 2

When the direction of a is

opposite of v, we refer to it
as a deceleration.

MFMcGraw - PHY 2425 Chap_04H - 2D & 3D - Revised 1/3/2012 17

 2-D Projectile Motion
The approach to 2-D
projectile problems is to
resolve the velocity vector
into horizontal and vertical
components.
The vertical component is
affected by gravity.
The horizontal component is
unchanged.

MFMcGraw - PHY 2425 Chap_04H - 2D & 3D - Revised 1/3/2012 18

 2-D Projectile Motion
The trajectory of a 2-D
projectile is a parabola.
The horizontal lines demonstrate
that the vertical motion of the
balls are identical in both cases.
The vertical spacing is
increasing due to the
acceleration of the vertical
velocity.
The horizontal spacing of the
yellow ball is constant.

MFMcGraw - PHY 2425 Chap_04H - 2D & 3D - Revised 1/3/2012 19

 2-D Projectile Motion Y vs X

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 2-D Projectile Motion Y vs T
Vo = 24.5 m/s @ 36.9o
Voy = 14.7m/s Vox = 19.6m/s
voy14.7
t 12 = = = 1.5s
g 9.8
T = 2t 21 = 2× 1.5 = 3.0s
Range = voxT = 19.6 × 3.0 = 58.8m

MFMcGraw - PHY 2425 Chap_04H - 2D & 3D - Revised 1/3/2012 21

 Launched from a Height
Origin at the beginning of
the motion. Positive
direction up.
Accel due to gravity pointed
down (-y direction).
Final vertical position lower
than starting position.

MFMcGraw - PHY 2425 Chap_04H - 2D & 3D - Revised 1/3/2012 22

 Tracing the Negative Solution

The mathematics describe a parabola. It extends backward

and forward in time. This problem starts at t = 0. The
negative solutions are not relavent to this problem.
MFMcGraw - PHY 2425 Chap_04H - 2D & 3D - Revised 1/3/2012 23
 Projectile Trajectories

voy 2
R= sin(2Θ0 )
g
Trajectories with angles that are complimentary (add to 90o)
have identical ranges.
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 Projectile Trajectories

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 Projectile Motion in Vector Form
This notation is problematic because
a x = 0;a y = -g it hides the minus sign in the notation.
Never do this.
a = a xˆi + a y ˆj


g is always a scalar and its value is
a = 0iˆ + (-g)jˆ 9.8 m/s2



ˆ
a = -gj = g

Associate the sign with the direction
and display it explicitly.

a = -gjˆ = g

a = -gjˆ


MFMcGraw - PHY 2425 Chap_04H - 2D & 3D - Revised 1/3/2012 26
 The Hunter-Monkey Problem


1 2ˆ
∆rd = vdo t - 2 gt j

1 2ˆ
∆rm = - 2 gt j







∆rd - ∆rm = (rd - rdo ) - (rm - rmo )






vdo t = (rd - rm ) - (rdo - rmo )



(rd - rm ) = 0 Collision condition




vdo t = -(rdo - rmo )



vdo t = rmo

MFMcGraw - PHY 2425 Chap_04H - 2D & 3D - Revised 1/3/2012 27

 The Pendulum

A simple pendulum is constructed by attaching a

mass to a thin rod or a light string. We will also
assume that the amplitude of the oscillations is
small.

MFMcGraw - PHY 2425 Chap_04H - 2D & 3D - Revised 1/3/2012 28

 Pendulum Motion

MFMcGraw - PHY 2425 Chap_04H - 2D & 3D - Revised 1/3/2012 29

 Pendulum Motion

This vector analysis shows that

the average acceleration is in
the same direction as ∆V.
In terms of understanding the
dynamics of the motion of the
pendulum this is not the most
productive pathway.

MFMcGraw - PHY 2425 Chap_04H - 2D & 3D - Revised 1/3/2012 30

 Pendulum Motion
Knowing the net acceleration
vector acting on the pendulum
is interesting. It describes the
motion of the pendulum but
this is not the path toward
solving the problem of
pendulum motion.

MFMcGraw - PHY 2425 Chap_04H - 2D & 3D - Revised 1/3/2012 31

The pendulum is best
described using polar
coordinates.
The origin is at the pivot
point. The coordinates are
(r, φ). The r-coordinate
points from the origin
along the rod. The φ-
coordinate is perpendicualr
to the rod and is positive in
the counterclock wise
direction.

MFMcGraw - PHY 2425 Chap_04H - 2D & 3D - Revised 1/3/2012 32

 Circular Motion



r(t) = r(t +∆t)



v(t) = v(t +∆t)

∆v points towards the

center of the circular
pathway.

Circular pathway

MFMcGraw - PHY 2425 Chap_04H - 2D & 3D - Revised 1/3/2012 33

 Satellite Motion

Satellite motion is an
example of circular
motion but it is actually
free fall

MFMcGraw - PHY 2425 Chap_04H - 2D & 3D - Revised 1/3/2012 34

 Tangential Acceleration
Tangential acceleration (at) is parallel to V
The acceleration perpendicular to V is the
centripetal acceleration (ac).
The tangential
acceleration can only
change the magnitude
of V.
The centripetal
acceleration can only
change the direction
of V.

MFMcGraw - PHY 2425 Chap_04H - 2D & 3D - Revised 1/3/2012 35

 Projectile Problem
Ques: Where does it land?

MFMcGraw - PHY 2425 Chap_04H - 2D & 3D - Revised 1/3/2012 36

 Projectile Problem
voy = vo sinΘ; vox = vo cosΘ
y = -200 = voy t - 21 gt 2
gt 2 - 2voy t - 400 = 0
2voy ± (2voy )2 - 4g(-400)
t=
2g
t = 5.30 ± 8.31
t + = 11.61s
Range = vox × t +
Range = 60cos(60 0 )× 11.61
Range = 349.8m

MFMcGraw - PHY 2425 Chap_04H - 2D & 3D - Revised 1/3/2012 37

 A 3-Dot Projectile Problem
Problem analysis: The horizontal velocity is reversed
when the ball strikes the wall. Forget the wall, solve the
problem and fold the solution back, at the wall, later.

Actual motion Unreflected motion

Ques:
(a.) Where does it hit the ground?
(b.) Time to hit wall?
(c.) Where does it hit wall?
(d.) Air time after hitting wall?

MFMcGraw - PHY 2425 Chap_04H - 2D & 3D - Revised 1/3/2012 38

 A 3-Dot Projectile Problem
voy 10
vo = 14.0 m s at Θ = 45 0 t12 = = = 1.0s
g 10
10
ymax = vavg t 1 2 = × 1.0 = 5.0m
2
4.0 4.0
∆t wall = = = 0.4s
vox 10

(b.) Time to hit the wall is

∆t wall = 0.4s

MFMcGraw - PHY 2425 Chap_04H - 2D & 3D - Revised 1/3/2012 39

 A 3-Dot Projectile Problem
(c.) Where does it hit the wall?
Ans: Y coordinate value at t = 0.4s
∆y(t) = voy t - 21 gt 2
yhit (t = 0.4) =∆y(t = 0.4) + 2.0
1 2
yhit = 10(0.4) - 10(0.4) + 2.02

yhit = 5.2m

MFMcGraw - PHY 2425 Chap_04H - 2D & 3D - Revised 1/3/2012 40

 A 3-Dot Projectile Problem
(d.) Airtime after hitting the wall?
Ans: Total time of unreflected path - 0.4s
y = yo + voy t - 21 gt 2
0 = 2 + 10t - 5t 2
5t 2 - 10t - 2 = 0
10 ± 10 2 - 4(5)(-2)
t=
10

t + = 2.18s Total air time

Airtime after wall = 2.18 - 0.4 = 1.78s

MFMcGraw - PHY 2425 Chap_04H - 2D & 3D - Revised 1/3/2012 41

 A 3-Dot Projectile Problem
(a.) Where does it hit the ground?
Ans: x = vox * (Air time after wall hit), measured from the wall
to the left.

x = 10× 1.78 = 17.8m

MFMcGraw - PHY 2425 Chap_04H - 2D & 3D - Revised 1/3/2012 42

 Extra Slides

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Apply Newton’s 2 nd ∑ Fφ = −mg sin φ = maφ
Law to the pendulum 2
v
bob. ∑ Fr = T − mg cos φ = m r = 0
If we assume that φ <<1 rad, then sin φ ≈ φ and cos φ ≈1, the angular
frequency of oscillations is then:
∑ Fφ = −mg sin φ = maφ = mLα
− mg sin φ = mLα
g
α = −( g / L) sin φ ω=
L
α = −( g / L)φ
2π L
The period of oscillations is T= = 2π
ω g
MFMcGraw - PHY 2425 Chap_04H - 2D & 3D - Revised 1/3/2012 44
Example (text problem 10.60): A clock has a pendulum that
performs one full swing every 1.0 sec. The object at the end of the
string weighs 10.0 N.
What is the length of the pendulum?

L
T = 2π
g

gT 2 (9.8 m/s 2 )(1.0 s )

2

Solving for L: L= 2
= 2
= 0.25 m
4π 4π

MFMcGraw - PHY 2425 Chap_04H - 2D & 3D - Revised 1/3/2012 45

The gravitational potential energy of a pendulum is
U = mgy.
Taking y = 0 at the lowest point of the swing, show that y = L(1-cosθ).

θ
Lcosθ
L L

y = L(1 − cos θ )
y=0

MFMcGraw - PHY 2425 Chap_04H - 2D & 3D - Revised 1/3/2012 46