Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc.

Publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley

VECTOR-VALUED
FUNCTIONS AND
MOTION IN SPACE
Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc.
Publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley

2.1CURVES IN
SPACE AND THEIR
TANGENTS
 We can tract particle movement
in space in each axis by the
functions
𝑥 = 𝑓(𝑡)

𝑦 = 𝑔(𝑡)

𝑧 = ℎ(𝑡)

The position vector

EXAMPLE 1
Graph the vector function
𝒓 𝑡 = cos 𝑡 𝒊 + sin 𝑡 𝒋 + 𝑡𝒌

Form a circle
Increase with t
Derivatives and motion
 SMOOTHNESS

2D function is smooth if it is always differentiable

i.e. no cusps, jumps, holes etc.

3D curve is smooth if

• Differentiable

𝑑 𝑟റ
• ≠ 0 (zero vector ; 0i + 0j + 0k) all component is zero at the same time
𝑑𝑡
EXAMPLE 4
Find the velocity, speed and acceleration of a particle whose motion in space is given
by the position vector 𝒓 𝑡 = 2 cos 𝑡 𝒊 + 2 sin 𝑡 𝒋 + 5𝑐𝑜𝑠 2 𝑡 𝒌. Sketch the velocity
7π
vector 𝐯 .
4

SOLUTION
The velocity and acceleration vectors at time t are
𝒗 𝑡 = 𝒓′ 𝑡 = −2 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝑡 𝒊 + 2 𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝑡 𝒋 − 10 cos 𝑡 sin 𝑡 𝒌.
= −2 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝑡 𝒊 + 2 𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝑡 𝒋 − 5 sin 2𝑡 𝒌.
𝒂 𝑡 = 𝒓′′ 𝑡 = −2 𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝑡 𝒊 − 2 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝑡 𝒋 − 10 cos 2𝑡 𝒌.
SOLUTION (cont.)
And the speed is

𝐯(𝑡) = −2 sin 𝑡 2 + 2 cos 𝑡 2 + −5 sin 𝑡 2

= 4 + 25 𝑠𝑖𝑛2 2𝑡
7π
When t = , we have
4

7π
𝐯 = 2 𝒊 + 2 𝑗 + 5 𝑘,
4

7π
𝒂 = − 2 𝑖 + 2 𝑗,
4
7π
𝐯 = 29
4
 2.2 INTEGRALS OF
VECTOR
FUNCTIONS;
PROJECTILE
MOTION

Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley

Integrals of vector function
EXAMPLE 3
Suppose we do not know the path of a hang glider, but only its acceleration
vector 𝒂 𝑡 = −(3 cos 𝑡) 𝒊 − (3 sin 𝑡) 𝒋 + 2 𝒌. We also know that the initial (at time
t = 0) the glider departed from the point (3,0,0) with velocity v(0) = 3j. Find the
glider’s position as a function of t.
SOLUTION
Our goal is to find r(t) with the information
Acceleration of glider :.
Initial condition : v(0) = 3j r(0) = 3i + 0j + 0k

𝒂 𝑡 = 𝒓′′ 𝑡 = −(3 cos 𝑡) 𝒊 − (3 sin 𝑡) 𝒋 + 2 𝒌

V=𝒓′ 𝑡 = −(3 sin 𝑡) 𝒊 + (3 𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝑡) 𝒋 + 2𝑡 𝒌 + 𝑪𝟏
We use v(0) = 3j to find C1

𝐯 0 = 3𝒋 = −(3 sin 0) 𝒊 + (3 𝑐𝑜𝑠 0) 𝒋 + 2(0) 𝒌 + 𝑪𝟏

3𝒋 = 3𝒋 + 𝑪𝟏
𝑪𝟏 = 0

The glider’s velocity as a function of time is

𝑑𝒓
= 𝐯 𝑡 = − 3 sin 𝑡 𝒊 + 3 cos 𝑡 𝒋 + 2𝑡𝒌
𝑑𝑡

We integrate again to get the position vector

𝒓 𝑡 = (3 cos 𝑡) 𝒊 + (3 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝑡) 𝒋 + 𝑡 2 𝒌 + 𝑪𝟐

We use the initial condition r(0) = 3i + 0j + 0k

𝒓 0 = 3i + 0j + 0k = (3 cos 0) 𝒊 + (3 𝑠𝑖𝑛 0) 𝒋 + 02 𝒌 + 𝑪𝟐

= 3i + 0j + 0k = 3i + 0j + 0k + 𝑪𝟐
𝑪𝟐 = 𝟎

Therefore the position vector 𝒓 𝑡 = (3 cos 𝑡) 𝒊 + (3 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝑡) 𝒋 + 𝑡 2 𝒌

 Projectile Motion

v0 = (v0 cos 𝛼)𝒊 + (v0 sin 𝛼)𝒋

In classic example of projectile motion,

We ignore,

• Frictional drag of the object

• Gravity changes on the object (which varies with height)

• Long distance effect of earth turning beneath the projectile

We assume,

• Projectile behave like a particle moving in a vertical coordinate

• The only force acting is constant force of gravity

Newton’s 2nd law of motion

Force acting on the projectile is equal to the projectile’s mass m

𝑑2 𝒓
times its acceleration ( 2 ).
𝑑𝑡

If the force solely gravitational force –mgj;

𝑑2 𝒓 𝑑2 𝒓
𝑚 2 = −𝑚g𝒋 and = −𝑔𝒋
𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡 2
 𝑑2 𝒓
Acceleration 2
= −𝑔𝒋
𝑑𝑡
𝑑𝒓
Initial condition 𝒓 = 𝒓0 and = 𝐯0
𝑑𝑡

1st integration give velocity 𝑑𝒓

= −(𝑔𝒕)𝒋 + 𝐯0
𝑑𝑡

1 𝟐
2nd integration give r 𝒓 = − 𝑔𝒕 𝒋 + 𝐯0 𝑡 + 𝒓0
2

Substituting equation v0 earlier

1 𝟐
𝒓 = − 𝑔𝒕 𝒋 + (v0 cos 𝛼)𝒊 + (v0 sin 𝛼)𝒋 𝑡 + 0
2
If we fire from point (x0,y0) instead of the origin , the position
vector for the motion is

1
𝒓 = 𝑥0 + v0 cos 𝛼 𝑡 𝒊 + 𝑦0 + (v0 sin 𝛼)𝒋 𝑡 − 𝑔𝑡 2 𝒋
2
Projectile Motion with Wind Gusts
g = 32 ft/s2