Kinematics

Displacement, Velocity and Acceleration

We can apply differentiation to help us solve problems involving variable

motion i.e. motion that is dependent on a variable, usually time, t.

𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 = 𝑠(𝑡)

𝑑𝑠
𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦 = 𝑣 (𝑡) =
𝑑𝑡
𝑑𝑣
𝑎𝑐𝑐𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 = 𝑎(𝑡) =
𝑑𝑡

Displacement is the position of an object relative to an origin.

Velocity is the rate of change of displacement with respect to time. It

determines how quickly the object is moving and the direction in which it is
moving.

Acceleration is the rate of change of velocity with respect to time.

If the motion is in one direction (𝑥-axis, say) then:

• A positive displacement means that the object is to the right of the

origin and a negative displacement means that the object is to the left
of the origin.
• A positive velocity means that the object is moving to the right and a
negative velocity means that the object is moving to the left.
• A positive acceleration means that the object is increasing in speed
and a negative acceleration means that the object is decreasing in
speed (decelerating).

If the velocity is equal to zero then the object is said to be (instantaneously) at

rest.

𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑑
𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑒𝑑 =
𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝑡𝑎𝑘𝑒𝑛
 Examples
1.

2.

3.
4. [non-calc]
A particle moves along a straight line. When it is a distance 𝑠 from a fixed point,
where 𝑠 > 1, the velocity 𝑣 is given by

3𝑠 + 2
𝑣=
2𝑠 − 1

Find the acceleration when 𝑠 = 2.