PHYS1101

Mechanics

Week 1 Mechanics
Aims of this lecture:
a) Calculate the position as function of
velocity and acceleration in 1 dimension
Prof G.G. Andersson
Office: 2111, Physical Sciences
Phone: 8201-2309
Email: gunther.andersson@flinders.edu.au
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‘I do not understand ...‘

➢ You will ...
• Just continue and not ask,
• Complain at the end of semester that the
lecture was too difficult,
• Run into the lecturers office one day before
the exam,
• Discuss the question with your fellows,
• Put the question on FLO,
• Ask during the tutorial or after the lecture
 PHYS1101

‘I do not understand ...‘

➢ You will ...
• Just continue and not ask,
• Complain at the end of semester that the
lecture was too difficult,
• Run into the lecturers office one day before
the exam,
• Discuss the question with your fellows,
• Put the question on FLO,
• Ask during the tutorial or after the
lecture
 PHYS1101

Studying the lecture material

➢ You will ...
• Study the material just before the exam,
• Study what you need to solve the problems,
• Study the lecture material after each lecture
until you understand it without asking
anybody to help you claryfing,
• Study for a reasonable time and ask what
you do not understand.
 PHYS1101

Studying the lecture material

➢ You will ...
• Study the material just before the exam,
• Study what you need to solve the problems,
• Study the lecture material after each lecture
until you understand it without asking
anybody to help you claryfing,
• Study for a reasonable time and ask
what you do not understand.
 PHYS1101

Reference frames

➢ Reference frames
• Coordinate axes
• Direction coordinate axis
• Zero position: origin

➢ No privileged reference frames

• No one is any better than the other. Physics is the same in all.
• It may be mathematically more convenient to use one over another.
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Vector and scalar quantities

➢ Vectors
• Describe magnitude AND direction
➢ Scalars
• Describe magnitude only

Scalar Vector
Quantities Quantities
How far Distance Displacement

How fast Speed Velocity

How fast velocity No scalar term Acceleration

changes
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Displacement and Distance

➢ Displacement, a vector, has a
direction associated with it.

Δx  x 2  x1  30 m  10 m  20 m
In this case: In the positive x
direction Distance to origin (m)
 PHYS1101

Displacement and Distance

➢ Displacement, a vector, has a
direction associated with it.

Δx  x 2  x1  30 m  10 m  20 m
In this case: In the positive x
direction. Distance to origin (m)

➢ Displacement can be shorter than Δx A

the total distance travelled

Δx  Δx A  Δx B  70 m  30 m  40 m
Δx B
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Velocity
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Average speedaverage
velocityinstantaneous velocity
➢ Average speed: The total distance travelled
along the path divided by the time it took
to travel the distance.
distance traveled
average speed 
time elapsed
➢ Average velocity: The displacement of the
whole journey divided by the time it took to
travel.
displaceme nt
average velocity 
time elapsed
x  x1 x
v 2 
t 2  t1 t
 PHYS1101

Average speedaverage
velocityinstantaneous velocity
➢ Average speed: The total distance travelled
along the path divided by the time it took
to travel the distance.
distance traveled
average speed 
time elapsed
➢ Average velocity: The displacement of the
whole journey divided by the time it took to
travel.
displaceme nt
average velocity 
time elapsed
x  x1 x
v 2 
t 2  t1 t
• Displacement “as the crow flies”  distance
travelled.
• Velocity at any point in time is not necessarily
equal to average velocity.
 PHYS1101

Average speedaverage
velocityinstantaneous velocity
➢ Average speed: The total distance travelled The lecturer
along the path divided by the time it took (during the lecture)
to travel the distance.
distance traveled
average speed  Average speed:
time elapsed
➢ Average velocity: The displacement of the
whole journey divided by the time it took to
travel.
displaceme nt
average velocity  Average velocity:
time elapsed
x  x1 x
v 2 
t 2  t1 t
• Displacement “as the crow flies”  distance
travelled.
• Velocity at any point in time is not necessarily
equal to average velocity.
 PHYS1101

Average speedaverage
velocityinstantaneous velocity
➢ Average speed: The total distance travelled The lecturer
along the path divided by the time it took (during the lecture)
to travel the distance.
distance traveled
average speed  Average speed: ~2km/h
time elapsed
➢ Average velocity: The displacement of the
whole journey divided by the time it took to
travel.
displaceme nt
average velocity  Average velocity: 0km/h
time elapsed
x  x1 x
v 2 
t 2  t1 t
• Displacement “as the crow flies”  distance
travelled.
• Velocity at any point in time is not necessarily
equal to average velocity.
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Instantaneous velocity
➢ The instantaneous velocity is the average velocity over an infinitesimally
short time interval, ultimately the slope of the displacement vs. time
curve.
x dx This is called the derivative d(A  t n )
v  lim it  of x with respect to t.
NB.  A  n  t n1
t 0 t dt dt
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Example
➢ The jet engine has a relationship between
position and time given by: x  At 2  B
where: A = 2.10m/s2 and B=2.80m.
 PHYS1101

Example
➢ The jet engine has a relationship between
position and time given by: x  At 2  B
where: A = 2.10m/s2 and B=2.80m.
➢ Determine
• the displacement of the engine between t1=3.00s
and t2=5.00s.
• the average velocity between t1=3.00s and
t2=5.00s.
• the instantaneous velocity at 5.00 sec.
 PHYS1101

Example
➢ The jet engine has a relationship between
position and time given by: x  At 2  B
where: A = 2.10m/s2 and B=2.80m.
➢ Determine
• the displacement of the engine between t1=3.00s
and t2=5.00s.

x 2  2.10 m/s 2  5s   2.80 m  55.3m

2

x1  2.10 m/s 2  3s   2.80 m  21.7m

2

x  x 2  x1  33.6m
 PHYS1101

Example
➢ The jet engine has a relationship between
position and time given by: x  At 2  B
where: A = 2.10m/s2 and B=2.80m.
➢ Determine
• the displacement of the engine between t1=3.00s
and t2=5.00s.
• the average velocity between t1=3.00s and
t2=5.00s.

x 2  2.10 m/s 2  5s   2.80 m  55.3m

2

x1  2.10 m/s 2  3s   2.80 m  21.7m

2

x  x 2  x1  33.6m
x x 2  x1 33.6m
v    16.8m / s
t t 2  t1 5.00s  3.00s
 PHYS1101

Example
➢ The jet engine has a relationship between
position and time given by: x  At 2  B
where: A = 2.10m/s2 and B=2.80m.
➢ Determine
• the displacement of the engine between t1=3.00s
and t2=5.00s.
• the average velocity between t1=3.00s and
t2=5.00s.
• the instantaneous velocity at 5.00 sec.
x 2  2.10 m/s 2  5s   2.80 m  55.3m
2

x1  2.10 m/s 2  3s   2.80 m  21.7m

2

x  x 2  x1  33.6m
x x 2  x1 33.6m
v    16.8m / s
t t 2  t1 5.00s  3.00s
dx d(At 2  B)
v   2At  2  2.10 m / s 2  5.00s  21 .0m / s
dt dt
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Acceleration
➢ Acceleration: How quickly the velocity
changes.
➢ The average acceleration is defined as:
v 2  v1 v
a 
t 2  t1 t
➢ The instantaneous acceleration is
defined as:
v dv
a  lim it 
t 0 t dt
• Similarly it is the slope of the velocity
vs. time curve

 The average acceleration of the car is:

75 km h  0 km h km h m
a  15  4.2 2
5 sec s s
 PHYS1101

A ball is thrown toward a wall, bounces, and returns to the thrower with the same
speed as it had before it bounced. Which one of the following statements
correctly describes this situation?

a) The ball was not accelerated during its contact with the wall because its speed
remained constant.

b) The instantaneous velocity of the ball from the time it left the thrower’s hand was
constant.

c) The only time that the ball had acceleration was when the ball started from rest
and left the hand of the thrower and again when the ball returned to the hand
and was stopped.

d) During this situation, the ball was never accelerated.

e) The ball was accelerated during its contact with the wall because its direction
changed.
 PHYS1101

A ball is thrown toward a wall, bounces, and returns to the thrower with the same
speed as it had before it bounced. Which one of the following statements
correctly describes this situation?

a) The ball was not accelerated during its contact with the wall because its speed
remained constant.

b) The instantaneous velocity of the ball from the time it left the thrower’s hand was
constant.

c) The only time that the ball had acceleration was when the ball started from rest
and left the hand of the thrower and again when the ball returned to the hand
and was stopped.

d) During this situation, the ball was never accelerated.

e) The ball was accelerated during its contact with the wall because its direction
changed.
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Velocity not parallel to acceleration

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Velocity not parallel to acceleration

➢ Velocity and acceleration are two different
beasts.
• Velocity is a vector representing how fast
motion is in a particular direction.
• Acceleration is a vector representing how fast
motion in a particular direction changes.
➢ The velocity and acceleration vectors usually
point in different directions.
➢ When the acceleration vector has a negative
value we often refer to it as a deceleration.
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Motion at constant acceleration

➢ Derive a set of formulae that will assist in solving kinematic problems for
constant acceleration.
➢ Start at time t1=0 at a position x0
v 2  v1 v  v0 v  v0
a a  v  v 0  at t
t 2  t1 t a

x 2  x1 x  x0 x  x 0  vt
v v
t 2  t1 t
 v  v0 
x  x0   t
➢ Note the definition  2 
of an average x  x 0  v 0 t  12 at 2
v  v0  v  v0 
v x  x0   t
2  2 
 v  v 0  v  v 0  v 2  v 02
x  x0      x0 
 2  a  2a
v 2  v 02  2a x  x 0 
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Motion at constant acceleration

using calculus

x  x 0  v 0  t  12  a  t 2

v
dx d

dt dt

x 0  v 0  t  21  a  t 2 
 v 0  21  2  a  t  v 0  a  t

 v0  a  t   a
dv d
a
dt dt
 PHYS1101

A race car, traveling at constant speed, makes one lap around a circular track
of radius r in a time t. The circumference of a circle is given by C = 2r.
Which one of the following statements concerning this car is true?

a) The displacement of the car does not change with time.

b) The instantaneous velocity of the car is constant.

c) The average speed of the car is the same over any time interval.

d) The average velocity of the car is the same over any time interval.

e) The average speed of the car over any time interval is equal to the
magnitude of the average velocity over the same time interval.
 PHYS1101

A race car, traveling at constant speed, makes one lap around a circular track
of radius r in a time t. The circumference of a circle is given by C = 2r.
Which one of the following statements concerning this car is true?

a) The displacement of the car does not change with time.

b) The instantaneous velocity of the car is constant.

c) The average speed of the car is the same over any time interval.

d) The average velocity of the car is the same over any time interval.

e) The average speed of the car over any time interval is equal to the
magnitude of the average velocity over the same time interval.
 PHYS1101

A dog is initially walking due east. He stops, noticing a cat behind him. He runs
due west and stops when the cat disappears into some bushes. He starts walking
due east again. Then, a motorcycle passes him and he runs due east after it. The
dog gets tired and stops running. Which of the following graphs correctly
represent the position versus time of the dog?
 PHYS1101

A dog is initially walking due east. He stops, noticing a cat behind him. He runs
due west and stops when the cat disappears into some bushes. He starts walking
due east again. Then, a motorcycle passes him and he runs due east after it. The
dog gets tired and stops running. Which of the following graphs correctly
represent the position versus time of the dog?