PHYSICS FOR ENGINEERS

Engr. Danielle Joy L. Alcantara

Engr. Julian Carl A. Barias, RMP
 VISION
Laguna University shall be a socially responsive educational
institution of choice providing holistically developed
individuals in the Asia-Pacific Region.

MISSION
Laguna University is committed to produce academically
prepared and technically skilled individuals who are socially
and morally upright citizens.

Department of Mechanical Engineering

MISSION
The Department of Mechanical Engineering of Laguna
University is committed to produce academically prepared
and technically skilled mechanical engineers who are socially
and morally upright citizens.
VISION
The Department of Mechanical Engineering of Laguna
University is envisioned to be the provincial college of choice
producing well-equipped mechanical engineers who
specializes on energy management.
 Table of Contents

Module 1: Introduction to Physics for Engineers

Introduction 1
Learning Objective 1
Lesson 1.Introduction to Physics 2
Lesson 2.Physicist and their Contributions 4
Lesson 3.Measurements in Physics 6
Assessment Task 1 12
Summary 13
References 13

Module 2: Dynamics
Introduction 15
Learning Objective 15
Lesson 1.Branches of Mechanics 16
Lesson 2.Scalar and Vector Quantities 17
Lesson 3.Kinematics 18
Lesson 4. Rectilinear Motion 22
Lesson 5. Free Falling Bodies 26
Assessment Task 2 29
Summary 29
References 30

Module 3: Projectile
Introduction 31
Learning Objectives 31
Lesson 1.Projectile 32
Lesson 2.Maximum Height and Range 36
Assessment Task 3 38
Summary 38
References 39
Course Code: Eng’g 306

Course Description:
Physics for engineers includes vectors, kinematics, dynamics, work,
energy and power, impulse and momentum, rotation, dynamics of rotation,
elasticity, and oscillation. Fluids; thermal expansion, thermal stress; heat
transfer; calorimetry; waves; electrostatics; electricity; magnetism; optics;
image formation by plane and curved mirrors; and image formation by thin
lenses.
Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILO):
At the end of the course, students should be able to:

1. Define and understand basic concepts and terminologies in Physics on

Engineers.

2. Apply and describe Newton's Law of Motion, Conservation of Energy,

characteristics of fluids at rest and in motion, properties of waves, and
modes of vibration, heat transfer, and optics in solving problems.

3. Solve Problems in Mechanics, Impulse and Momentum, Collisions, Stress

and Strain, Fluids, Heat Transfer, Modes of Vibration, Basic Electrical
Engineering and Optics.

Course Requirements:

Class Standing 60%

Decorum - 5%

Quizzes - 20%

Seatwork / Activities - 35%

Major Exam 40%

_________
Periodic Grade 100%
Computation of Grades:
PRELIM GRADE = 60% (Class Standing)+40% (Prelim exam)
MIDTERM GRADE = 30%(Prelim Grade) + 70 %[ 60% (Class Standing)+40% ( Midterm
exam)]
FINAL GRADE = 30%(Midterm Grade) + 70 %[60% (Class Standing) +40% (Final exam)]
 MODULE 1
INTRODUCTION TO PHYSICS FOR ENGINEERS

Introduction
Engineering physics is the study of the combined disciplines of engineering, physics,
and math in an effort to more readily understand concepts such as the dynamics of
electricity, magnetism, statics, material durability, thermodynamics, and fluid dynamics. In
addition, engineering physics also builds on the principle fundamentals of subjects such as
space science, superconductivity, optical materials, and nuclear engineering ( My Career
Tool, n.d).

Learning Outcomes

At the end of this module, students should be able to:

1. Have background in Physics for Engineers
2. Know different physicist and their Contributions
3. Convert Units to English and Metric Unit System

Lesson 1. Introduction to Physics

What is Physics?
Physics is the most fundamental branch of physical science which deals with the
study of matter and energy, and their relationship with each other. Simple physics definition
is, Physics is basically the study of how objects behave. Physics is an important and basic
part of physical science. It is an experimental science. Classical Physics and Modern
Physics are two Major Types of Physics (Physics About, 2020).

1
Main Branches of Physics

Classical Physics
Classical Physics believes in a single nature, only the particle nature of matter. It
provides the macroscopic vision of matter. It is based upon Newton’s laws of
mechanics and Maxwell’s laws of electromagnetism (Physics About, 2020)

Modern or Quantum Physics

Quantum Physics believes in the dual nature, both particle and wave nature of
matter. It provides a microscopic vision of matter. It is based upon Planck’s quantum theory
of light and De Broglie’s idea of matter-wave (Physics About, 2020).

Common Branches of Physics

Mechanics
Mechanics for physics is the branch of physics that deals with the study of the motion
of objects, its causes and effects. Basically there are three types and branches of
mechanics, classical mechanics, and quantum mechanics (Physics About, 2020).
.

Electricity and Magnetism

Electricity and magnetism can be defined as Electricity is the branch of physics that
deals with the study of charges at rest or motion and the relationship of electricity with
magnetism are called electricity & magnetism (Physics About, 2020).
Thermodynamics
Thermodynamics is a branch of Physics that deals with the relationships and
conversions between heat and other forms of energy (Physics About, 2020).
Optics
The optics is part of the physics responsible for the study of light and the phenomena
associated with it (Physics About, 2020).
Electronics
Electronics is the important branch of physics that deals with the study of the motion
and control of electrons and study of their behavior in vacuums, semiconductors, and
gasses and with devices using such types of electrons. This type of control of electrons is
done by devices that resist, carry, select, switch, store, manipulate, and exploit the electrons
(Physics About, 2020).

2
Nuclear Physics
Nuclear physics is the study of protons and neutrons at the center of an atom and
the interactions that holds them together in a space just a few femtometers (10-15 meters)
across. Example nuclear reactions include radioactive decay, fission, the break of a nucleus
and the fission, and immerging nuclei (Lorenz, 2020).

Lesson 2. Physicist and Their Contributions

Table1.1 Famous Physicist and Their Contributions from Physics About (2020)

Name of Physicists Inventions

Isaac Newton Law of Gravitation, Laws of Motion, Reflecting telescope
Galileo Galilei Law of Inertia
Archimedes Principle of Buoyancy, Principle of Lever
S.N.Bose Quantum Statistics
Niels Bohr Quantum model of Hydrogen atom
James Chadwick Neutron
Earnest Rutherford Nuclear model of Atom
Christian Huygens Wave theory of Light
Edvin Hubble Expanding Universe
Abdus Salam Unification of week and e/m interactions
R.A.Milikan Measurement of Electronic Charge
E.O.Lawrence Cyclotron
Wolfgong Pauli Quantum Exclusion principle
Louis de Broglie Wave nature of matter
J.J.Thomson Electron
Hideki Yukawa Theory of Nuclear Forces
James Clerk Maxwell Theory of Electromagnetism, Kinetic Theory of Gasses
Wilhelm E Weber Developed sensitive magnetometers, worked in
electrodynamics and the electrical structure of matter
Joseph Henry Performed extensive fundamental studies of electromagnetic
phenomena , devised first practical electric motor
Michael Faraday Discovered Electromagnetic induction and devised first
electrical transformer
Count Alessandro Volta Pioneer in study of electricity, invented Battery
Andre Marie Ampere Father of electrodynamics
Hans Christian Oersted Discovered that a current in a wire can produce magnetic
effects
Georg Ohm Discovered that current flow is proportional to potential
difference and inversely proportional to resistance (Ohms law)
Johan Balmer Developed empirical formula to describe hydrogen spectrum
Gustav Kirchhoff Developed three laws of spectral analysis and three rules of

3
 electric circuit analysis, also contributed to optics
Heinrich Hertz Worked on electromagnetic phenomena; also discovered radio
waves and the Photoelectric effect
Nikola Tesla Created alternating current
Lord Rayleigh Discovered argon, explained how light scattering is
responsible for the red color of sunset and blue color of the sky
Antoine Henry Becquerel Discovered natural radioactivity
Sir Joseph John Thomson Demonstrated existence of the electron
Max Planck Formulated the quantum theory, explain the wavelength
distribution of blackbody radiation
Pierre Cuire Studied Radioactivity with wife, Marie Curie; discovered
piezoelectricity
Wilhelm Wien Discovered laws governing the radiation of heat
Marie Curie Discovered radioactivity of thorium; co-discovered radium and
polonium
Charles Wilson Invented the cloud chamber
Albert Einstein Explained Brownian motion and photoelectric effect; theory of
atomic spectra, Formulated Theories of special and general
relativity
Otto Hahn Discovered the fission of heavy nuclei
Clinton Joseph Davison Co discovered electron diffraction
Niels Bohr Contributed to Quantum theory and theory of nuclear reactions
and nuclear fission
Arthur Compton Discovered the increase in wavelength of x rays when
scattered by an electron
Werner Heisenberg Contributed to the creation of quantum mechanics; introduced
the Uncertainty principle and concept of exchange forces
Wilhelm Rontgen Discovered and studied x rays

The Famous Physicists that contributes in study of physics is presented at the table
above. According to Merriam Webster (2021) “ Physicist”is a term used for a person skilled
in natural science or specialized in physics.

Lesson 3. Measurements in Physics

System of Units

According to More (2020) system of units is a collection of units in which certain units
chosen as fundamental and all others are derived from them. This system is also called an
absolute system of units. In the most of the system, the mass, the length, and the time are
considered to be fundamental quantities, and their units are called as fundamental units.
The following are some systems of units which are in common use.

 c.g.s system of units: The Unit of length centimeter (cm).The unit of mass gram
(g).The unit of time second (s)

 m.k.s system of units: The unit of length meter (m). The unit of mass (kg).The unit of
time second (s).

4
  f.p.s system of units: The unit of length is a foot (ft).The unit of mass is pound (lb).
The unit of time is second (s)

The Metric System

According to MathBits (n.d) the metric system is an internationally agreed decimal
system of measurement created in France in 1799. The International System of Units (SI),
the official system of measurement in almost every country in the world, is based upon the
metric system.

In the metric system, each basic type of measurement (length, weight, capacity) has
one basic unit of measure (meter, gram, and liter). Conversions are quickly made by
multiplying or dividing by factors of 10. It is as simple as moving the decimal point to the
right (for smaller prefixes) or to the left (for larger prefixes).

Figure 1.1 Conversions of Units by Arneson (2015)

The English System

According to MathBits (n.d) while the metric system was lawfully accepted for use in
the United States in 1866, the US has not adopted the metric system as its "official" system
of measurement. The US English System of measurement grew out of the manner in which
people secured measurements using body parts and familiar objects. For example, shorter
ground distances were measured with the human foot and longer distances were measured
by paces, with one mile being 1,000 paces. Capacities were measured with household items
such as cups, pails (formerly called gallons) and baskets.

Obviously this system allowed for discrepancies between measurements obtained by

different individuals. A standard was eventually set to ensure that all measurements
represented the same amount for everyone. Examples of English unit system are pounds,
feet, inches, btu, etc.

5
Conversion Ratio
According to MathBits (n.d) a conversion ratio (or unit factor) is a ratio equal to one.
This ratio carries the names of the units to be used in the conversion. It can be used for
conversions within the English and Metric Systems, as well as for conversions between the
systems. The conversion ratio is based upon the concept of equivalent values.

Conversion of Units and Constants

Conversion of Units from Petrov (2015)
Newton (N) – kg.m/s2 Joules (J) – N.m
Pascal (Pa) – N/m2 Watts (W) – J/s
Length

1 kilometer (km) = 1000 meters (m) 1 meter (m) = 100 centimeter (cm)= 3.28 ft
1 centimeter (cm) = 10-2m 1 millimeter (mm) = 10-3m
1 micron (μ) = 10-6m 1 millimicron (mμ) = 10-9m
1 angstrom (A) = 10-10m 1 inch (in.) = 2.54 cm
1 foot (ft) = 30.48 cm = 12in 1 mile (mi) = 1.609 km
1 mil = 10-3 in. 1 centimeter = 0.3937 in.
1 meter = 39.37 in. 1 kilometer = 0.6214 mile
1 yard = 3 feet 1 mile = 5280 ft

Area
1 square meter (m2) = 10.76 ft2 1 square mile (mi2) = 640 acres
1 square foot (ft2) = 929 cm2 1 acre = 43,560 ft2

Volume
1 liter (L) = 1000cm3 = 1.057 quart (qt) = 61.02 in3 = 0.03532 ft3
1 cubic meter (m3) = 1000 L = 35.32 ft3
1 cubic foot (ft3) = 7.481 U.S.gal = 0.02832 m3 = 28.32 L
1 U.S. gallon (gal) = 231 in3 = 3.785 L
1 British gallon = 1.201 U.S.gallon = 277.4 in3
Mass
1 kilogram (kg) = 2.205 pounds (lb) = 0.06852 slug;
1 lb = 453.6 gm = 0.03108 slug
1 slug = 32.174 lb = 14.59 kg
1 ton = 907.18 kgm = 2000lbm

Speed
1 km/h = 0.2778 m/sec = 0.6214 mi/h = 0.9113 ft/sec
1mi/h = 1.467 ft/sec = 1.609 km/h = 0.4470 m/sec

6
Density

1 gm/cm3 = 103 kg/m3 = 62.43 lb/ft3 = 1.940 slug/ft3

1 lb/ft3 = 0.01602 gm/cm3
1 slug/ft3 = 0.5154 gm/cm3

Force
1 Newton (N) = 105 dynes = 0.1020 kgf = 0.2248 lbf
1 pound weight (lbwt) = 4.448 N = 0.4536 kgf = 32.17 poundals
1 kilogram force (kgf) = 2.205 lbf = 9.807 N
1 U.S.short ton = 2000 lbf
1 long ton = 2240 lbf
1 metric ton = 1000 kg = 2200 lbf
1 Kip = 1000 lbf

Energy
1British Thermal Unit (Btu) = 1.055 Kilojoules (KJ) = 251.89 Calories (Cal) = 778 ft-lb
= 0.293 watt-h
1 KJ = 1 Newton – meter (N.m) = 101.92 kg – m
1 Joule (J) = 1 Watt-second (W.s) =107 Erg.
1 Kcal = 4.187 KJ
1 kilowatt hour (kw hr) = 3.60 × 106 joules = 860 kcal = 3413 Btu
1 electron volt (ev) = 1.602 × 10-19 joule

Power
1 Horse Power (Hp) = 42.4 Btu/min = 550 ft-lb/s = 33000 ft-lb/min = 2545 btu/hr
1 Kilowatts (KW) = 1 KJ/s = 56.87 Btu/min = 3600KJ/hr = 737.562 ft-lb/s = 3412.2
Btu/hr
1 watt = 1 joule/sec = 107 ergs/sec = 0.2389 cal/sec= 860 Cal/hr

Pressure
1 Atmospheric Pressure (atm) =1.01325 Bar = 1.0332 kg/cm2 = 14.7 psi = 29.92 in
hg (0⁰) = 33.934 dt H2O (60⁰F) = 101.325 KPa =406.79 in H2O (39.2⁰F) =760mm Hg
(0⁰) = 760 Torre = 2116.8 psf.

1 Pascal (Pa) = 1 N/m2

1 in H2O = 0.0361 psi
1 mmHg = 1 Torr

7
1 Torr = 133.3 N/m2

Acceleration due to gravity (g)

g = 9.81m/s2 = 32.2 ft/s2
Water

Specific Weight (ꝩ) 62.4 lb/ft3 9800 N/m3 980 dynes/cm3

Mass Density(ρ) 1.94 Slug/ft3 1000kg/m3 1gm/cm3

Time

The standard units of time are

1 hour = 60 minutes
1 minute = 60 seconds
1 hour = 60 minutes = 3600 seconds (60 × 60)
1 day = 24 hrs

Example of Conversions:
1. Covert 84 inches to feet
To be able to cancel the unit, put
From Conversion Table 1 ft = 12 inches the desired unit above and the
same unit below. Follow rules in
1 Foot
84 inches × 12 inches = 7 ft Algebra.

2. Convert 34 meters to inches

Conversions sometimes requires,
From Conversion Table
two conversion ratio
1 ft = 12 inches
1 m = 3.28 ft
3.28ft 12in
34meters × × = 1338.24 in.
1m 1ft

3. Convert 3ft2 to m2
From Conversion Table (Area):
1 square meter (m2) = 10.76 ft2
1m2
3ft 2 × 10.76ft2 = 0.28m2, or
In Conversion of Area you can
directly use conversion ratio for
Area or use conversion ratio for
length, since Area unit is (m 2),
you just have to square the value
and the unit
Same for Conversion of volumes, 8
you just have to cube the value
and the unit.
 Use Length Conversion
1m = 3.28ft

(1)2 m2
3ft2 × = 0.28m2
(3.28)2 ft 2

Assessment Task 1

Covert the following units, show your solution in Engineering lettering.

1. 50 kg to lb
2. 183 m to yd
3. 0.001 m3 to Liters (L)
4. 1341 hp to Kw
5. 145 Bar to psi
6. 20230 m2 to acre
7. 12 ft to in
8. 1 gal to L
9. 3600 m/s to km/hr
10. 101.6 cm to in

Summary

 Physics is the most fundamental branch of physical science which deals with the
study of matter and energy, and their relationship with each other. Simple physics
definition is, Physics is basically the study of how objects behave.
 Physics is an important and basic part of physical science. It is an experimental
science. Classical Physics and Modern Physics are two Major Types of Physics.
 According to More (2020) system of units is a collection of units in which certain units
chosen as fundamental and all others are derived from them. This system is also
called an absolute system of units. In the most of the system, the mass, the length,

9
 and the time are considered to be fundamental quantities, and their units are called
as fundamental units.

 References

Arneson (2015) Conversion of Unit Photo, Mrs.Arnesonblog.com

http://mrsarnesonmath.blogspot.com/2012_02_05_archive.html

Lorens M. (2020, December 9) Nuclear Physics, Nature research

https://www.nature.com/subjects/nuclear-physics

Meriam Webster (2020) Meaning of Physicist

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/physicist

More H. (2020, March 3) System of Units

https://thefactfactor.com/facts/pure_science/physics/system-of-
units/9316/#:~:text=A%20system%20of%20units%20is,an%20absolute%20system%
20of%20units.

My Career Tool (n.d ) “What is Physics for Engineers?”

https://mycareertools.com/what-does-a-physics-engineer-do/

Petrov Y.(2015) Conversion of Units, Math10.com

https://www.math10.com/author.html

Physics About (2020) “What is Physics?” and Famous Physicist and their Contributions
https://physicsabout.com/

Physics About (2020) Mechanics

https://physicsabout.com/category/mechanics/

Physics About (2020) Electricity and Magnetism

https://physicsabout.com/category/electricity-megnetism/

Physics About (2020) Thermodynamics

https://physicsabout.com/category/thermodynamics/

Physics About (2020) Optics

https://physicsabout.com/modern-physics/optics/

Physics About (2020) Electronics

https://physicsabout.com/modern-physics/electronics/

10
 MODULE 2
DYNAMICS

Introduction

Mechanics, science concerned with the motion of bodies under the action of forces,
including the special case in which a body remains at rest. Of first concern in the problem of
motion are the forces that bodies exert on one another. This leads to the study of such
topics as gravity, electricity, and magnetism, according to the nature of the forces involved.
Given the forces, one can seek the manner in which bodies move under the action of forces;
this is the subject matter of mechanics proper, branches of mechanics are statics, and
dynamics (Goodstein, 2020).

Learning Outcomes

At the end of this module, students should be able to:

1. Understand Mechanics and its branches
2. Understand Scalar, and Vector Quantities
3. Understand Kinematics
3. Compute Problems in Rectilinear Motion

Lesson.1 Branches of Mechanics

11
 Figure 2.1 Branches of Engineering Mechanics from Mishra (2016)

Statics
Statics studies objects that are either at rest, or in constant motion, that is a motion with
constant velocity as to its magnitude and direction (Introduction to Mechanics, n.d).

Dynamics
Dynamics studies objects with acceleration. Dynamics is divided into kinematics and kinetics
(Introduction to Mechanics, n.d).

Kinematics
Kinematics describes the motion of objects, while kinetics studies forces that cause changes
of motion (Introduction to Mechanics, n.d).

Kinetics
The study of forces acting on the bodies in motion and their effect in acceleration ( Capote
& Mandawe, 2007).

Lesson.2 Scalar and Vectors

Vector Quantities

Vector quantities are quantities whose measurement is specified by magnitude and

direction. The following examples of vector quantities: Weight, momentum, torque, velocity,
displacement, acceleration, electric field intensity (Tiong & Rojas, 2008).

12
Scalar Quantities

Scalar Quantities are those quantities which have only magnitudes. The following are
examples of scalar quantities: Speed, mass, volume, energy, length, temperature, pressure,
voltage, and time (Tiong & Rojas, 2008).

Classification of Vectors
According to Tiong & Rojas (2008) the classification of vectors are:

1. Free Vector – is the one whose action is not confined to or associated with a unique
line in space.
2. Sliding Vector – is one for which a unique line in space must be maintained along
which the quantity acts.
3. Fixed Vector – is one for which unique point of application is specified and therefore
the vector occupies a particular position in space.

Lesson.3 Kinematics

Kinematics, branch of physics and a subdivision of classical mechanics

concerned with the geometrically possible motion of a body or system of bodies without
consideration of the forces involved (i.e., causes and effects of the motions) (Rodriguez,
2017).
Speed

According to Tiong & Rojas (2008) speed is defined as the distance per unit time.
Speed is a scalar quantity.

distance meter (m)

Speed = =
Time Second (s)

Velocity
According to Tiong & Rojas (2008) velocity is defined as the displacement per unit
time. Velocity is vector quantity (with direction).

displacement meter (m)

Velocity = =
Time Second (s)

13
Average Velocity
Average velocity is defined to be the change in position divided by the time of travel (Khan
Academy, n.d)
Change in displacement meter (m)
Average Velocity = = Second (s)
Change in Time

According to Physics Classroom (n.d) difference between Average Speed and

Average Velocity:

 Average speed is defined as the total distance travelled by the time taken whereas
average velocity is defined as the displacement by the time taken.
 Since speed is a scalar quantity, the average speed is also considered as a scalar
quantity while velocity is a vector quantity. Therefore, the average velocity is a vector
quantity.

Distance

According to Tiong & Rojas (2008) distance is a length from one point to another
usually measured in a straight line. It is a Scalar quantity. Distance unit can be meter, feet,
inches, etc.

Displacement
According to Tiong & Rojas (2008) is the change in position, specified by a length
and a direction .Displacement is a vector quantity. Displacement unit can be meter, feet,
inches, etc.

Acceleration
According to Tiong & Rojas (2008) acceleration is the change of velocity per unit time.
𝐕𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐦/𝐬 𝐦
𝐀𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 = = = 𝟐
𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐬 𝐬

Instantaneous Acceleration
According to Tiong & Rojas (2008) acceleration is the time rate of change of velocity.

14
Uniformly Accelerated
According to Tiong & Rojas (2008) uniformly accelerated motion is defined as the motion in
a straight line in which the direction is always the same and the speed changes at constant
rate.

Example:

1. If the car travels 400m in 20s how fast is it going?

Solution:
𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝟒𝟎𝟎𝐦
𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐞𝐝 = = = 𝟐𝟎𝐦/𝐬
𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝟐𝟎𝐬

2. You need to get into class , 200 m away and you can only walk halfway 1.5 m/s ( If
you run faster you’ll be caught for running).How much time will it take to get on to the
class?

𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝟐𝟎𝟎𝐦
T𝐢𝐦𝐞 = = = 𝟏𝟑𝟑. 𝟑𝟑𝟑𝟑 𝐬
𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝟏. 𝟓𝐦/𝐬

3. If you shout out into the Grand Canyon, your voice travels 340m/s to the bottom of the
canyon and back, and you hear an echo. How deep is the Grand Canyon at a spot
where you can hear your echo 5.2s after you shout?

𝟑𝟒𝟎𝐦
𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 = 𝐕𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐲 (𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞) = [𝟓. 𝟐𝐬] = 𝟏𝟕𝟔𝟖𝐦
𝐬

4. John drove south 120 km at 60km/hr and then 150km at 50km/h. See figure 2.1
below.
Determine:
a) The average speed of the whole journey
b) The magnitude of the average velocity for the whole journey

15
 Figure 2.2 John drove south 120 km at 60km/hr and then 150km at 50km/h.

a.) The time t1 to cover 120km at a speed of 60 km/h is given by,

𝟏𝟐𝟎𝐤𝐦
𝐭𝟏 = = 𝟐 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬
𝟔𝟎𝐤𝐦/𝐡𝐫

The time t2 to cover 150km at a speed of 50 km/h is given by,

𝟏𝟓𝟎𝐤𝐦
𝐭𝟐 = = 𝟑 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬
𝟓𝟎𝐤𝐦/𝐡𝐫

Average Speed,

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝟏𝟓𝟎𝐤𝐦−𝟏𝟐𝟎𝐤𝐦

𝐀𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐞𝐝 = = = 𝟑𝟎 𝐤𝐦/𝐡𝐫
𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝟑𝐡𝐫𝐬−𝟐𝐧𝐡𝐫𝐬

b.) The magnitude of the displacement is the distance AC between the final point and the
starting point and is calculated using Pythagorean theorem as follows:
𝐀𝐂𝟐 = 𝟏𝟐𝟎𝟐 + 𝟏𝟓𝟎𝟐
𝐀𝐂 = √𝟏𝟐𝟎𝟐 + 𝟏𝟓𝟎𝟐
𝐀𝐂 = 𝟑𝟎√𝟒𝟏𝐤𝐦
Lesson4. Rectilinear Motion

Rectilinear motion is another name for straight-line motion. This type of motion describes the
movement of a particle or a body (Real World Physics, n.d).

16
 Figure 3.1 Rectilinear Motion

Formulas for Rectilinear Motion from Capote & Mandawe (2007)

Uniform Motion
S = Vt
Uniform Accelerated Motion
1
Vf 2 = Vo2 ± 2aS S = Vo(t) ± at 2
2

1
Vf = Vo ± at S = 2 ( Vf + Vo)(t)

Where:
Vf – the final velocity (m/s, mi/hr, ft/s, km/hr.)
Vo – Original Velocity or initial velocity (m/s, mi/hr, ft/s, km/hr.)
S – Distance traversed ( displacement) ( mi, ft,m, km,cm)
t – Time ( hr, min, s)
a – Acceleration (ft/s2, m/s2, cm/s2)

Use (+) When the body is accelerating ( Vf > 𝑉𝑜)

Use (-) When the body is decelerating (Vf < Vo)
Derivation of the Formula from Capote & Mandawe (2007)
Under Constant Acceleration
𝐕𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐦/𝐬
𝐀𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 = =
𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐬

Vf − Vo m/s
a= =
tf − ti s

17
at = Vf − Vo
−Vf = −Vo − at
−1 ( −Vf = −Vo − at)
𝐕𝐟 = 𝐕𝐨 + 𝐚𝐭 eq1
Velocity
displacement(S)
Velocity =
Time (t)
S = Vt
Average Velocity
Change in displacement meter (m)
Average Velocity = =
Change in Time Second (s)

Sf − So
Vave =
tf − to

Average Velocity can be also,

Sf − So
Vave =
t
(Vave) (t) = Sf − So
−Sf = −(Vave) (t) − So
−1 (−Sf = −(Vave) (t) − So )
𝐒𝐟 = 𝐒𝐨 + (𝐕𝐚𝐯𝐞) (𝐭) eq. 2

Also because velocity increases at a uniform rate, average velocity can be midway of initial
and final displacement so another formula for average velocity is:
𝐕𝐟 +𝐕𝐨
𝐕𝐚𝐯𝐞 = eq. 3
𝟐

Substitute the value of average velocity from equation 3 to equation 2.

We have,
Vf + Vo
Sf = S o + [ ] [t]
2

18
Then substitute the value of final velocity (Vf) from equation 1.
(Vo + at) + Vo
Sf = S o + [ ] [t]
2
(Vo + Vo + at)
Sf = S o + [ ] [t]
2
2Vo t at2
Sf = S o + +
2 2
1
Sf = So + Vo t + (at2 )
2
Say the body is not moving in its initial position (So = 0)
So,
𝟏
𝐒 = 𝐕𝐨 𝐭 + (𝐚𝐭 𝟐 )
𝟐

Example Problem:
1. An airplane accelerates down a runway at 3.20 m/s2 for 32.8 s until is finally lifts off
the ground. Determine the distance traveled before takeoff.

Given: Find:
a = 3.2 m/s2 S=?
t = 32.8s
Vo= 0 m/s

Solution:
1
S = Vo(t) ± at 2
2
0m 1 3.2m
S = ( ) (32.8s) + [ 2 ] (32.8s)2
s 2 s
S = 1720m

2. A race car accelerates uniformly from 18.5 m/s to 46.1 m/s in 2.47 seconds.
Determine the acceleration of the car and the distance traveled.

Vf − Vo 46.1m/s − 18.5m/s
a= = = 11.2m/s 2
tf − ti 2.47s

1
S = Vo(t) ± 2 at 2
19
 1
S = Vo(t) ± 2 at 2
18.5m 1
S = ( s ) (2.47s) + 2 (11.2m/s2 )(2.47s)2
S = 79.8m
3. A bike accelerates uniformly from rest to a speed of 7.10 m/s over a distance of 35.4
m. Determine the acceleration of the bike.

Vf 2 = Vo2 ± 2aS
7.10m 2 0m
( ) = ( )2 + 2a(35.4m)
s s
A = 0.712m/s2

Lesson5. Free Falling Bodies

According to Kinematics (n.d.) a free falling object is an object that is falling under the
sole influence of gravity. Any object that is being acted upon only by the force of gravity is
said to be in a state of free fall. There are two important motion characteristics that are true
of free-falling objects:

 Free-falling objects do not encounter air resistance.

 All free-falling objects (on Earth) accelerate downwards at a rate of 9.8 m/s/s (often
approximated as 10 m/s/s for back-of-the-envelope calculations)

Figure 2.1 Free Falling Bodies

According to Tiong & Rojas (2008) the following formulas will be used:

Vf 2 = Vo2 ± 2gh

Vf = Vo ± gt

20
 1
h = Vot ± gt 2
2
Where:
Vf – the final velocity (m/s, mi/hr, ft/s, km/hr.)
Vo – Original Velocity or initial velocity (m/s, mi/hr, ft/s, km/hr.)
h – height ( displacement) ( mi, ft,m, km,cm)
t – Time ( hr, min, s)
g– gravitational acceleration (ft/s2, m/s2, cm/s2)
Use (-) When going up (against the gravity)
Use (+) When going down

Example Problem:
1. Luke Autbeloe drops a pile of roof shingles from the top of a roof located 8.52 meters
above the ground. Determine the time required for the shingles to reach the ground.
Given:
h = 8.52m (The - sign indicates that the displacement is downward)
a = 9.8 m/s2

Diagram:

Figure 2.2 Example Problem 1

Solution:

1
h = Vot ± at 2
2
1 9.81m
8.52m = (0)t ± [ 2 ] t 2
2 s
t = 1.32s

21
 1. Rex Things throw his mother's crystal vase vertically upwards with an initial velocity
of 26.2 m/s. Determine the height to which the vase will rise above its initial height.

Given:
Vo = 26.2m/s
g = -9.81 m/s2

Diagram:

Figure 2.3 Example Problem 2

Solution:

Vf 2 = Vo2 ± 2ah
[0m/s]2 = [26.2m/s]2 + 2[−9.81m/s2 ]h
𝑚2 𝑚2
0 𝑠2 = 686.44 − 19.62 m/s2 h
𝑠2
h = 34.986m

22
 Assessment Task 2

Answer the following:

1. Bill and Amy want to ride their bikes from their neighbourhood to school which is
14.4 kilo meters away. It takes Amy 40 min to arrive at school. Bill arrives 20 min
after Amy. How much faster (in meter/second) is Amy’s Average Speed for the
entire trip.
2. If I can walk at an average speed of 5 km/h, how many miles I can walk in 2 hrs?
3. A train travels along straight line at a constant speed of 60 mi/h for a distance d and
then another distance equal to 2d in the same direction at a constant speed of
80mi/h. What is the average speed of the train for the whole journey?
4. A ball is dropped from a building 100m high. If the mass of the ball is 10gm after
what time will the ball strike the earth?
5. A ball is thrown vertically upward from the ground and a student gazing out of the
window sees it moving upward pass him at 5m/sec. The window is 10m above the
ground. How high does the ball go above the ground?
6. What is the acceleration of a body that increases in velocity from 20m/s to 40m/s in
3 seconds?
7. From a speed of 75kph a car decelerates at the rate of 500m/min2 along a straight
path. How far in meters will it travel in 45 seconds?

Summary

 According to Tiong & Rojas (2008) speed is defined as the distance per unit time.
Speed is a scalar quantity
 According to Tiong & Rojas (2008) velocity is defined as the displacement per unit
time. Velocity is vector quantity (with direction).
 Average speed is defined as the total distance travelled by the time taken whereas
average velocity is defined as the displacement by the time taken.
 Since speed is a scalar quantity, the average speed is also considered as a scalar
quantity while velocity is a vector quantity. Therefore, the average velocity is a vector
quantity.

23
  References

Capote R. & Mandawe J. (2007) Mathematics and Basic Engineering Sciences, Chapter 10
pg.17- 20, JAM Publisher , 4th floor, CMFFI Building, R.Papa St. Sampaloc, Manila

Rodriguez E. (2017, Jun 21) Kinematics Britannica Encyclopedia

https://www.britannica.com/science/kinematics

Tiong J. & Rojas R. (2008) Solved Problems in Engineering Mathematics 3 rd Edition,

p.g 441- 445, Excel Academic Council, 4th Floor, CMFFI Building, R.Papa Street,
Sampaloc, Manila.

Kinematics Lesson 6 - Describing Motion with Equations (n.d)Physics Class

Room https://www.physicsclassroom.com/Class/1DKin/U1L6c.cfm#g

Kinematics - Lesson 6 - Describing Motion with Equations (n.d) Physics Class Room
https://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/1DKin/Lesson- 6/Sample-Problems-and-
Solutions

MODULE 3
PROJECTILE MOTION

Introduction

Curvilinear translation (motion) is a motion along a curve path either on the vertical
plane or on horizontal plane. This type of motion includes a trajectory or projectile which is a
curve path on vertical plane and rotation on horizontal plane (Tiong & Rojas, 2008).

Learning Outcomes

At the end of this module, students should be able to:

1. Understand Curvilinear Translation
2. Compute problems in Projectile Motion
3. Compute the maximum height and maximum range of projectile.

24
Lesson1. Projectile

 A Projectile is a body which after being given an initial velocity with an initial angle of
release is allowed to travel under the action of gravity only. A projectile is a trajectory
which is a graph of a parabola (Tiong & Rojas, 2008).

Figure 3.1 Projectile Motion

Let: Vx and Vy be the horizontal component and the vertical component, respectively of the
initial velocity, Vo.

Figure 3.2Vertical and horizontal component

𝐕𝐱 = 𝐕𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐬 𝛉
𝐕𝐲 = 𝐕𝐨 𝐬𝐢𝐧 𝛉

25
Values of Vx and Vy are obtained by soh cah toa or trigonometric functions in right
triangle.
For Vy , analyze the 𝜃 in the figure, we can form a right triangle from Vo as the
Opposite
hypotenuse and since the angle 𝜃 opposite is Vy , we can say that sinθ = Hypotenuse

So,
𝑉𝑦
sin 𝜃 = 𝑉
𝑜

Simplifying

𝐕𝐲 = 𝐕𝐨 𝐬𝐢𝐧 𝛉

Same process for Vx

𝑉
cos 𝜃 = 𝑉𝑥
𝑜

Simplifying,

𝐕𝐱 = 𝐕𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐬 𝛉

Since the horizontal component of the velocity is constant throughout the projectile, then the
value of x is calculated as follows:

x = Vo cos θt
Analyze the unit
x= meters
m = (m/s) (s)
m=m
So the time of flight is:
x
t=
Vo cos θ
In the figure the value of y is obtained using the formula:

1
𝑦 = 𝑉𝑜 sin 𝜃𝑡 ± 𝑔𝑡 2
2

Where:

26
Vo - Initial Velocity (m/s, mi/hr, ft/s, km/hr.)
t – Time ( hr, min, s)
g– gravitational acceleration (ft/s2, m/s2, cm/s2)
Use (-) When going up (against the gravity)
Use (+) When going down

Substituting the value of the time of flight “t” in the above equation .

x 1 x 2
y = Vo sin [ ]± g[ ]
Vo cos θ 2 Vo cos θ
Simplifying the above equation will produce the General Equation of projectile,

gx 2
y = xtanθ −
2Vo 2 cos2 θ
Example Problem:
A plane dropped a bomb at an elevation of 1000 meters from the ground intended to
hit the target at an elevation of 200meters from the ground. If the plane was flying at
a velocity of 300km/hr., at what distance from the target must the bomb be dropped
to hit the target. Wind velocity and atmospheric pressure is to be disregarded(Tiong
& Rojas, 2008).

Given:
𝐕𝐨 = 𝟑𝟎𝟎𝐤𝐦/𝐡𝐫
𝐲 = 𝟏𝟎𝟎𝟎𝐦 − 𝟐𝟎𝟎𝐦 = 𝟖𝟎𝟎𝐦 (Since plane dropped a bomb at an elevation of
1000 meters from the ground intended to hit the target at an elevation of 200meters
from the ground)

Figure 3.2 Plane drop a bomb

Solution:
Remember that,
tan (0⁰) = 0 , to input in sci.calc, click the
button labelled with tan. 27

For cos2(0),
To input cos2(0⁰) in calcu, input
 gx 2
y = xtanθ −
2Vo 2 cos2 θ
(−9.81)x 2
800 = xtan(0⁰) −
2(83.33)2 cos2 (0⁰)

800( 2)(83.33)2 (1) = x(0) + (9.81)x 2

11110222 (9.81)x 2
=
9.81 9.81
x 2 = 1132540.469

x = √1132540.469

x = 1064.2088m

Lesson2. Maximum Height and Range

Since the variable “x” is in second degree while the other variable “y” is in the first degree,
then the graph is a parabola (Tiong & Rojas, 2008).

Note: The vertical component of the velocity decreases as it goes up and is zero at
maximum point of the projectile and increases as it goes down, while the horizontal
component is constant (Tiong & Rojas, 2008).

According to Tiong & Rojas (2008) if the initial point of the projectile is on the same elevation
as the point of impact, the following formulas may be used:

28
 Figure 3.3 Height and Range

Maximum Height:

(Vo sin θ)2

Ymax =
2g

Range, Xmax orR,

Vo 2 sin2θ
R=
g

Example Problem:
A shot id fired with an angle of 45⁰ with the horizontal with a velocity of 300ft/s. Find
the maximum Height and Range that the projectile can cover, respectively (Tiong &
Rojas, 2008).

Solution
(Vo sin θ)2
Ymax = 2g
We use g = 32.2 ft/s because we
300 (sin450 )2
2
need to be constant in unit
Ymax =
2 (32.2)
Ymax = 698.7577ft

29
 Vo 2 sin2θ
R=
g
3002 sin2(450 )
R=
32.2
R = 2795.0311 ft

Assessment Task 3

Answer the following , show your solution in engineering lettering.

1. A ball is thrown from a tower 30m high above the ground with a
velocity of 300m/s directed at 20⁰ from the horizontal. How long will
the ball hit the ground?
2. A short is fired at an angle of 45⁰ with the horizontal and a velocity of
300 fps. Calculate to the nearest value ,the range of projectile.( in
yards)
3. A projectile leaves a velocity of 50m/s at an angle 30⁰ with the
horizontal. Find the maximum height that it could reach.

Summary

 A Projectile is a body which after being given an initial velocity with an initial angle of
release is allowed to travel under the action of gravity only. A projectile is a trajectory
which is a graph of a parabola(Tiong & Rojas, 2008).

30
  Curvilinear translation (motion) is a motion along a curve path either on the vertical
plane or on horizontal plane. This type of motion includes a trajectory or projectile
which is a curve path on vertical plane and rotation on horizontal plane (Tiong &
Rojas, 2008).

 References

Arneson (2015) Conversion of Unit Photo, Mrs.Arnesonblog.com

http://mrsarnesonmath.blogspot.com/2012_02_05_archive.html

Capote R. & Mandawe J (2007) Mathematics and Basic Engineering Sciences, Chapter 10
pg.17- 20, JAM Publisher , 4th floor, CMFFI Building, R.Papa St. Sampaloc, Manila

Tiong & Rojas (2008) Solved Problems in Engineering Mathematics 3 rd Edition,

p.g 441- 445, Excel Academic Council, 4th Floor, CMFFI Building, R.Papa Street,
Sampaloc, Manila

31