MMB241

Dynamics of Particles

Lecture 02
Graphical Analysis of Motion
AKANO, Theddeus T. (PhD)
E-mail: akanott@ub.ac.bw
Phone No: 3354364
Office: Block 248/140
Graphical Analysis of Motion

▪ Given the x-t curve, the v-t curve is equal to the x-t curve slope.

▪ Given the v-t curve, the a-t curve is equal to the v-t curve slope.

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Graphical Analysis of Motion contd.

▪ Given the a-t curve, the change in velocity between t1 and t2 is equal to
the area under the a-t curve between t1 and t2.

▪ Given the v-t curve, the change in position between t1 and t2 is equal to
the area under the v-t curve between t1 and t2.
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Graphical Analysis of Motion

❑ There are three methods of graphical analysis:

▪ Inspection
▪ Slope
▪ Area under the curve

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Graphical Analysis by Inspection
▪ Given the s-t graph, describe the For 0  t  5
object’s 5 kinds of motion. The object moved with uniform
motion away from the origin.
For 5  t  10
2 The object was at rest at s = +30 m.
Position s (m)

3 For 10  t  20
The object moved toward the origin
with uniform motion.
5
1 For 20  t  25
4 The object was at rest at s = +10 m.
For 25  t  30
The object moved away from the
origin at constant speed.
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Graphical Analysis by Inspection contd.

Example
• What was the object’s position at
t = 15 s?
Answer: s = +20 m +25

Position s (m)
• When was the object at s = +25 m?
Answer t = 4 s and t = 12.5 s

4s 12.5 s

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Graphical Analysis by Inspection contd.

Now consider an object moving in a

straight line on the y-axis in such a way
that its velocity v as a function of time is
given on the following v-t graph:

What does the graph tell us?

At time t = 0, v = 0.
From t = 0 – 2 s, velocity increased steadily to +2 m/s.
From t = 2 – 8 s, a constant speed of +2 m/s is maintained.
From t = 8 – 10 s, the object slowed steadily to a stop.
From 10 – 14 s, the object is at rest.
From 14 – 16 s, the speed steaadily inceases in the negative direction.
From 16 – 18 s, a constant speed (uniform motion) of -2 m/s is maintained.
From 18 – 20 s, the object steadily decreased speed and came to a halt. 7
 Graphical Analysis by Slope
• Velocity of the object can be determined
from the graph’s data using slope:

Position s (m)
What is the velocity from t = 0 - 5 s?

s (+ 30 − 0)m
v= = = +6 m s
t (5 - 0) s
What is the velocity from t = 5 - 10 s?
s (+ 30 − +30)m
v= = = 0m s
t (10 - 5) s What is the velocity from t = 0 - 30 s?

s ( +20 − 0 ) m
What is the velocity from t = 10 - 15 s?
v= = = +0.67 m s
s (+ 20 − +30)m t ( )
30-0 s
v= = = −2 m s
t (15 -10) s 8
Graphical Analysis by slope contd.

What can we ask about this motion?

• First, the fact that the velocity changed from t = 0
to t = 2 s tells us that the object accelerated.
• The acceleration for this time was:
Δv (+2 – 0) m/s
a = ---- = ---------------- = +1 m/s2
Δt (2 – 0) s
• What was the acceleration from time t = 2 s to t = 8 s?
Δv (+2 – +2) m/s
a = ---- = ---------------- = 0 m/s2 Therefore, the slope of a
Δt (8 – 2) s velocity time graph gives
• What was the acceleration from time t = 8 s to t = 10 s? the acceleration.

Δv (0 – +2) m/s
a = ---- = ---------------- = -1 m/s2
Δt (10 – 8) s 9
Graphical Analysis using Area under the curve
How can the change in position between two times be found from a
velocity vs. time graph?
On a velocity vs. time graph, the area between the graph and the
horizontal axis gives the change in position of an object.
v (m/s)
5 This area (of 12) means the object went 12 m in
4 these 5 sec.
3
2
1
0 t (m/s)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
–1
This area of –6 means the object went 6 m to the left
–2
in these 3 seconds.
–3
–4
–5 10
 Graphical Analysis using Area under the curve contd.

Consider the following v vs. t graph.

v (m/s)

Area = 24
0 t (sec)
10 20

Area = –16

–5

How far, and in which direction, did the object travel:

from t = 4 to t = 11 s? 24 m right
from t = 13 to t = 18 s? 16 m left 11
 Graphical Analysis using Area under the curve contd.

Consider the following v vs. t graph.

v (m/s)

Area = –12

Area = –4 Area = –4
0 t (sec)
Area = 8 Area = 20 Area10
=4 20

Net Area = 12

–5

If the object is at s = –5 m at t = 0 s, where is the object at t = 20 s?

+7 m
__________
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Answer the Following Questions

Q1: How can acceleration at a certain time be found by looking at a

velocity vs. time graph?
Ans: Acceleration is the slope of a velocity vs. time graph.

Q2: How can the change in velocity between two times be found from an
acceleration vs. time graph?
Ans: On an acceleration vs. time graph, the area between the
graph and the horizontal axis gives the change in velocity of an
object.

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 Example 1
Consider the following S vs. t graph.
S (m)

5 Estimate the velocity at:

t = 4s –2 m/s

0
10 20
t (sec) t=0 0 m/s

t = 12s 1 m/s
–5

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 Example 2
Consider the following S vs. t graph.
S (m)
5
During what time intervals
is the velocity

0 t (sec) positive? 10 to 21 sec

10 20

negative? 0 to 8 sec
–5
zero? 8 to 10 sec

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Example 3

Plot the a – t graph from

the given v – t graph.

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Example 4

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Example 5
Given: The v-t graph for a dragster moving
along a straight road.
Find: The a-t graph and s-t graph over the
time interval shown.

Solution:
The a-t graph can be constructed by finding the
slope of the v-t graph at key points. What are a(m/s2)
those?

when 0 < t < 5 s; 30

5 15 t(s)
v0-5 = ds/dt = d(30t)/dt = 30 m/s2 -15
when 5 < t < 15 s;
v5-15 = ds/dt = d(-15t+225)/dt = -15 m/s2 a-t graph 19
Now integrate the v - t graph to build the s – t graph.

when 0 < t < 5 s; s =  v dt = [15 t2 ] t = 15 t2 m

0

when 5< t < t s; s − 15 (52) =  v dt = [(-15) (1/2) t 2 + 225 t]

t
5
s = - 7.5 t 2 + 225 t − 562.5 m

s(m)
1125

-7.5 t2 + 225 t − 562.5

375
15t2 t(s)
5 15
s-t graph 20
 Miscellaneous Examples
ME 1: Consider the following v vs. t graph.
v (m/s)

0 t (sec)
10 20

–5

During what time intervals is the object

speeding up? 0 to 4, 11 to 13 seconds
slowing down? 9 to 11, 16 to 18 seconds 21
 Miscellaneous Examples contd.

ME 2: Consider the following S vs. t graph.

s (m) What is the object’s
5 average velocity between 0
and 10 seconds?
Ans : –0.8 m/s
0
10 20
t (sec) What is the object’s
velocity between 0 and 4
seconds?

–5 Ans : –1 m/s

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Miscellaneous Examples contd.

ME 3:

Given: The v-t graph shown.

Find: The a-t graph, average speed,

and distance traveled for the
0 - 80 s interval.

Plan: Find slopes of the v-t curve and draw the a-t graph.
Find the area under the curve. It is the distance traveled.
Finally, calculate average speed (using basic definitions!).
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Miscellaneous Examples contd.

Solution: Find the a–t graph.

For 0 ≤ t ≤ 40 a = dv/dt = 0 m/s²

For 40 ≤ t ≤ 80 a = dv/dt = -10 / 40 = -0.25 m/s²

a-t graph
a(m/s²)

40 80
0
-0.25 t(s)

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Miscellaneous Examples contd.
Now find the distance traveled:

s0-40 =  v dt =  10 dt = 10 (40) = 400 m

s40-80 =  v dt
=  (20 − 0.25 t) dt
80
= [ 20 t -0.25 (1/2) t2 ]40 = 200 m

s0-90 = 400 + 200 = 600 m

v = 10
vavg(0-90) = total distance / time
= 600 / 80
= 7.5 m/s 25
Miscellaneous Examples contd.
ME 4:

Given: The v-t graph shown.

Find: The a-t graph and distance

traveled for the 0 - 15 s
interval.

Plan: Find slopes of the v-t curve and draw the a-t graph.
Find the area under the curve. It is the distance traveled.

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Miscellaneous Examples contd.
Solution: Find the a–t graph:
For 0 ≤ t ≤ 4 a = dv/dt = 1.25 m/s²
For 4 ≤ t ≤ 10 a = dv/dt = 0 m/s²
For 10 ≤ t ≤ 15 a = dv/dt = -1 m/s²

a(m/s²) a-t graph

1.25
4 10 15 t(s)
-1

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Miscellaneous Examples contd.
Now find the distance traveled:

s0-4 =  v dt = [ (1.25) (1/2) t2]0 = 10 m

4

s4-10 =  v dt = [ 5 t ] 4 = 30 m
10

s10-15 =  v dt = [ - (1/2) t2 + 15 t]10 = 12.5 m

15

s0-15= 10 + 30 + 12.5 = 52.5 m

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