09122019phys 1101 Notes Mechanics 1

PHYS 1101: GENERAL PHYSICS I
❑ Mechanics
❖ One dimensional kinematics
❖ Two dimensional kinematics
M.H. Banda
Banda.mh@mzuni.ac.mw
Department of Physics and Electronics, Mzuzu University

2 One-dimensional kinematics
Position, Distance, and Displacement
 Position is the location of an object as measured on a
coordinate system.
 Distance is the total length of travel, from beginning
to end. Distance is always positive.
 Displacement, Δ𝑥, is the change in position; that is,
Δ𝑥 = 𝑥𝑓 − 𝑥𝑖 , where 𝑥𝑖 is initial position and 𝑥𝑓 is
final position.
 The sign of the displacement indicates the direction
of motion.
3 One-dimensional kinematics…
Average Speed and Velocity
 Average speed is distance
divided by elapsed time.
 Average velocity, 𝑣avg is
displacement divided by
elapsed time.
𝑥𝑓 − 𝑥𝑖 Δ𝑥
𝑣avg = =
𝑡𝑓 − 𝑡𝑖 Δ𝑡
 In an x-versus-t plot, the
average velocity is the
slope of a line connecting
two points.
M.H. Banda, Department of Physics and Electronics, Mzuzu University
One-dimensional kinematics…
4
Instantaneous Velocity and Speed
 Instantaneous velocity (or
velocity) 𝑣 is the velocity at an
instant of time.
 As Δ𝑡 dwindles, the average
velocity approaches a limiting
value, which is the velocity at
that instant of time:
Δ𝑥 𝑑𝑥
𝑣 = lim =
Δ𝑡→0 Δ𝑡 𝑑𝑡
❑ In an x-versus-t plot, the instantaneous velocity is the slope
of a tangent line at a given instant of time.
❑ Instantaneous speed (or speed) is the magnitude of

instantaneous velocity.
Acceleration
 Acceleration is the rate
of change of velocity
with respect to time.
 Average acceleration
is the change in
velocity divided by the
elapsed time.
❑ In an 𝑣-versus-t plot, the
𝑣𝑓 − 𝑣𝑖 Δ𝑣 average acceleration is
𝑎avg = =
𝑡𝑓 − 𝑡𝑖 Δ𝑡 the slope of a line
connecting two points.
Acceleration cont’d
Instantaneous acceleration
 Instantaneous acceleration
(or acceleration) 𝑎 is the
acceleration at an instant
of time.
 Mathematically,
Δ𝑣 𝑑𝑣 ❑ In a 𝑣-versus-𝑡 plot, the

𝑎 = lim = instantaneous acceleration
Δ𝑡→0 Δ𝑡 𝑑𝑡
is the slope of a tangent
line at a given instant of
time.
Slowing Down and Speeding Up
 When the velocity and acceleration of an object have
the same sign, the speed of the object increases.
 When the velocity and acceleration of an object have
opposite signs, the speed of the object decreases.

Motion with Constant Acceleration
 The following five equations describe the motion
of a particle with constant acceleration:
1. 𝑣𝑥𝑓 = 𝑣𝑥𝑖 + 𝑎𝑥 𝑡
1
2. 𝑣𝑥,avg = 𝑣𝑥𝑖 + 𝑣𝑥𝑓
2
1
3. 𝑥𝑓 = 𝑥𝑖 + 𝑣𝑥𝑖 𝑡 + 𝑎𝑥 𝑡 2
2
1
4. 𝑥𝑓 = 𝑥𝑖 + 𝑣𝑥𝑓 𝑡 − 𝑎𝑥 𝑡 2
2
5. 𝑣𝑥𝑓
2 2
= 𝑣𝑥𝑖 + 2𝑎𝑥 Δ𝑥
1
6. 𝑥𝑓 = 𝑥𝑖 + 𝑣𝑥𝑖 + 𝑣𝑥𝑓 𝑡
2
Motion with Constant Acceleration…
 The common presentation of equations of motion
with constant acceleration is:
1. 𝑣 = 𝑢 + 𝑎𝑡
1
2. 𝑣avg = 𝑢+𝑣
2
1
3. 𝑠 = 𝑢𝑡 + 𝑎𝑡 2
2
1
4. 𝑠 = 𝑣𝑡 − 𝑎𝑡 2
2
5. 𝑣 2 = 𝑢2 + 2𝑎𝑠
1
6. 𝑠 = 𝑢+𝑣 𝑡
2

Free-fall
 Free-fall is the motion under the influence of
gravity alone.
 Free-fall is an example of motion with constant
acceleration and so the equations of motion with
constant acceleration apply with the following
changes in notation:
(1) the motion is referred to the vertical y axis with

+ 𝑦 vertically up;
(2) a is replaced with −𝑔, where 𝑔 = 9.81 m/s 2
is the magnitude of the free-fall acceleration
11 Two-dimensional kinematics
Position and Displacement vectors
 In two dimensions, position is
indicated by a position vector 𝐫Ԧ.
 The position vector for a particle
moving in the 𝑥𝑦 plane can be
written
𝐫Ԧ = 𝑥𝐢Ƹ + 𝑦𝐣Ƹ
 The displacement vector
ΔԦ𝐫 is the difference between the
final and initial position vectors.
ΔԦ𝐫 = 𝐫Ԧ𝑓 − 𝐫Ԧi = 𝑥𝑓 − 𝑥𝑖 𝐢Ƹ + yf − yi 𝐣Ƹ = Δ𝑥 𝐢Ƹ + Δy𝐣Ƹ

12 Two-dimensional kinematics…
Average and instantaneous
velocity
 The average velocity 𝑣Ԧavg
during the time interval Δ𝑡 is
defined as the displacement
of the particle divided by the
time interval:
ΔԦ𝐫
𝐯avg =
Δ𝑡
 The instantaneous velocity v
is defined as the limit of the
average velocity ΔԦ𝐫 /Δt as
Δt approaches zero:
ΔԦ𝐫 𝑑 𝐫Ԧ
𝐯 = lim =
Δt→0 Δ𝑡 𝑑𝑡
Average and instantaneous acceleration
 The average
acceleration 𝐚avg is
the change in
instantaneous velocity
vector Δ𝐯 divided by
the time interval Δ𝑡
during which that
change occurs:
𝐯f − 𝐯𝑖 Δ𝐯
𝐚avg = =
𝑡𝑓 − 𝑡𝑖 Δ𝑡 ❑ Instantaneous acceleration is defined
as
Δ𝐯 𝑑𝐯
𝐚 = lim =
Δt→0 Δ𝑡 𝑑𝑡
Motion with Constant Acceleration

 The motion in two dimensions can be modeled as
two independent motions in each of the two
perpendicular directions associated with the
𝑥 and 𝑦 axes.
 That is, any influence in the 𝑦 direction does not

affect the motion in the 𝑥 direction and vice
versa.
 Since the acceleration 𝐚 is assumed constant, its

components 𝑎𝑥 and 𝑎𝑦 also are constants.
 The equations of kinematics can be applied
separately to the 𝑥 and 𝑦 components of the
velocity vector.
 For example, the equation 𝑣𝑓 = 𝑣𝑖 + 𝑎𝑡 can be

expressed in 𝑥 and 𝑦 as
𝑣𝑥𝑓 = 𝑣𝑥𝑖 + 𝑎𝑥 𝑡
𝑣𝑦𝑓 = 𝑣𝑦𝑖 + 𝑎𝑦 𝑡

 For motion in two dimensions, the final velocity is
given by
𝐯𝑓 = 𝑣𝑥𝑓 𝐢Ƹ +𝑣𝑦𝑓 𝐣Ƹ
𝐯𝒇 = 𝑣𝑥𝑖 + 𝑎𝑥 𝑡 𝐢Ƹ + 𝑣𝑦𝑖 + 𝑎𝑦 𝑡 𝐣Ƹ
𝐯𝒇 = 𝑣𝑥𝑖 𝐢Ƹ + 𝑣𝑦𝑖 𝐣Ƹ + 𝑎𝑥 𝐢Ƹ + 𝑎𝑦 𝐣Ƹ 𝑡
𝐯𝑓 = 𝐯𝑖 + 𝐚𝑡

Two-dimensional kinematics…
17 Motion with Constant Acceleration…

 The 𝑥 and 𝑦 coordinates of a
particle under constant
acceleration are:
1
𝑥𝑓 = 𝑥𝑖 + 𝑣𝑥𝑖 𝑡 + 𝑎𝑥 𝑡 2
2
1
𝑦𝑓 = 𝑦𝑖 + 𝑣𝑦𝑖 𝑡 + 𝑎𝑦 𝑡 2
2
1 1
𝐫Ԧ𝑓 = 𝑥𝑖 + 𝑣𝑥𝑖 𝑡 + 𝑎𝑥 𝑡 2 𝐢Ƹ + 𝑦𝑖 + 𝑣𝑦𝑖 𝑡 + 𝑎𝑦 𝑡 2 𝐣Ƹ
2 2
1
𝐫Ԧ𝑓 = 𝑥𝑖 𝐢Ƹ + 𝑦𝑖 𝐣Ƹ + 𝑣𝑥𝑖 𝐢Ƹ + 𝑣𝑦𝑖 𝐣Ƹ 𝑡 + 𝑎𝑥 𝐢Ƹ + 𝑎𝑦 𝐣Ƹ 𝑡 2
2
1
Ԧ𝐫𝑓 = 𝐫Ԧ𝑖 + 𝐯𝑖 𝑡 + 𝐚𝑡 2
2
Two-dimensional kinematics…
18 Projectile Motion
 Two assumptions are made in analyzing projectile
motion: (1) the free-fall acceleration is constant over the
range of motion and is directed downward and (2) the
effect of air resistance is negligible.
 With these assumptions, the trajectory (path) of a
projectile is always a parabolic.
𝑣𝑥𝑖 = 𝑣𝑖 cos 𝜃𝑖
𝑣𝑦𝑖 = 𝑣𝑖 sin 𝜃𝑖

Projectile Motion…
 The expression for the position vector of the
projectile as a function of time is given by
1 2
𝐫Ԧ𝑓 = 𝐫Ԧ𝑖 + 𝐯𝑖 𝑡 + 𝐠𝑡
2

 Two analysis models for solving projectile
motion problems:
1. The particle under constant velocity (𝑎𝑥 = 0)

in the horizontal direction:
𝑥𝑓 = 𝑥𝑖 + 𝑣𝑥𝑖 𝑡
or
𝑠𝑥 = 𝑢𝑥 𝑡

Analysis models…
2. The particle under constant acceleration (𝑎𝑦 =
− 𝑔) in the vertical direction:
𝑣𝑦𝑓 = 𝑣𝑦𝑖 − 𝑔𝑡 𝑣𝑦 = 𝑢𝑦 − 𝑔𝑡
1 1
𝑣y,avg = 𝑣𝑦𝑖 + 𝑣𝑦𝑓 𝑣y,avg = 𝑢𝑦 + 𝑣𝑦
2 2
1 1
𝑦𝑓 = 𝑦𝑖 + 𝑣𝑦𝑖 𝑡 − 𝑔𝑡 2 OR 𝑠𝑦 = 𝑢𝑦 𝑡 − 𝑔𝑡 2
2 2
1 1
𝑦𝑓 = 𝑦𝑖 + 𝑣𝑦𝑓 𝑡 + 𝑔𝑡 2 𝑠𝑦 = 𝑣𝑦 𝑡 + 𝑔𝑡 2
2 2
2
𝑣𝑦𝑓 2
= 𝑣𝑦𝑖 − 2𝑔Δy 𝑣𝑦2 = 𝑢𝑦2 − 2𝑔𝑠𝑦
1 1
𝑦𝑓 = 𝑦𝑖 + 𝑣𝑦𝑖 + 𝑣𝑦𝑓 𝑡 𝑠𝑦 = 𝑢𝑦 + 𝑣𝑦 𝑡
2 2
Horizontal Range and Maximum
Height of a Projectile
 The horizontal range 𝑅 of a
projectile is the horizontal
distance covered by the
projectile when it returns to its
initial height.
 The maximum height ℎ of a 𝑣𝑖2 sin 2𝜃𝑖

𝑅=
projectile is the y-coordinate at 𝑔
the point (𝑅/2, ℎ). 𝑣𝑖2 sin2 𝜃𝑖
ℎ=
2𝑔
 𝑅 is a maximum when 𝜃𝑖 = 45°.
 Projectiles launched at the same speed and
complementary launch angles have the same range.

The trajectory of a projectile
 The trajectory (path) of a particle in projectile
motion is parabolic and is given by
𝑔 2
𝑦 = tan 𝜃𝑖 𝑥 − 𝑥
2𝑣𝑖2 cos 2 𝜃𝑖
if 𝑥𝑖 and 𝑦𝑖 are zero; 𝑥𝑓 = 𝑥 and 𝑦𝑓 = 𝑦.

25 Relative Motion in One Dimension
 The velocity of a particle depends on the
reference frame of whoever is observing or
measuring the velocity.
 A reference frame is a physical object to which a

coordinate system is attached e.g. the ground.

26 Relative Motion in One Dimension…
 When two frames of reference 𝐴 and 𝐵 are moving
relative to each other at constant velocity, the position
and velocity of a particle 𝑃 as measured by an
observer in frame 𝐴 usually differs from that
measured from frame 𝐵.
𝑥𝑃𝐴 = 𝑥𝑃𝐵 + 𝑥𝐵𝐴

𝑣𝑃𝐴 = 𝑣𝑃𝐵 + 𝑣𝐵𝐴
27 Relative Motion in One Dimension…
 Since 𝑣𝐵𝐴 is constant, we have
𝑎𝑃𝐴 = 𝑎𝑃𝐵
 Therefore, observers on different frames of

reference that move at constant velocity relative
to each other will measure the same acceleration
for a moving particle.

28 Relative Motion in Two Dimensions
 When two frames of reference 𝐴 and 𝐵 are moving
relative to each other (in 2-D) at constant position
and velocity, the position and velocity of a particle
𝑃 as measured by an observer in frame 𝐴 usually
differs from that measured from frame 𝐵.
𝐫Ԧ𝑃𝐴 = 𝐫Ԧ𝑃𝐵 + 𝐫Ԧ𝐵𝐴
𝐯𝑃𝐴 = 𝐯𝑃𝐵 + 𝐯𝐵𝐴
𝐚𝑃𝐴 = 𝐚𝑃𝐵

29 Summary
1. Position is measured relative to a coordinate system.
2. Velocity is the rate of change of position with time.
3. Acceleration is the rate of change of velocity with
time.
4. Speed increases (decreases) when velocity and
acceleration are in the same (opposite) direction.
5. Equations of motion relate position, velocity,
acceleration, and time.
6. Free fall is motion with a constant downward
acceleration of magnitude 𝑔.
7. Two-dimensional motion consists of independent
horizontal and vertical motions.

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PHYS 1101: GENERAL PHYSICS I

Department of Physics and Electronics, Mzuzu University

❑ Instantaneous speed (or speed) is the magnitude of

Δ𝑣 𝑑𝑣 ❑ In a 𝑣-versus-𝑡 plot, the

M.H. Banda, Department of Physics and Electronics, Mzuzu University

Motion with Constant Acceleration…

(1) the motion is referred to the vertical y axis with

ΔԦ𝐫 = 𝐫Ԧ𝑓 − 𝐫Ԧi = 𝑥𝑓 − 𝑥𝑖 𝐢Ƹ + yf − yi 𝐣Ƹ = Δ𝑥 𝐢Ƹ + Δy𝐣Ƹ

Motion with Constant Acceleration

 That is, any influence in the 𝑦 direction does not

 Since the acceleration 𝐚 is assumed constant, its

 For example, the equation 𝑣𝑓 = 𝑣𝑖 + 𝑎𝑡 can be

M.H. Banda, Department of Physics and Electronics, Mzuzu University

M.H. Banda, Department of Physics and Electronics, Mzuzu University

17 Motion with Constant Acceleration…

M.H. Banda, Department of Physics and Electronics, Mzuzu University

M.H. Banda, Department of Physics and Electronics, Mzuzu University

1. The particle under constant velocity (𝑎𝑥 = 0)

M.H. Banda, Department of Physics and Electronics, Mzuzu University

 The maximum height ℎ of a 𝑣𝑖2 sin 2𝜃𝑖

M.H. Banda, Department of Physics and Electronics, Mzuzu University

if 𝑥𝑖 and 𝑦𝑖 are zero; 𝑥𝑓 = 𝑥 and 𝑦𝑓 = 𝑦.

M.H. Banda, Department of Physics and Electronics, Mzuzu University

 A reference frame is a physical object to which a

M.H. Banda, Department of Physics and Electronics, Mzuzu University

𝑥𝑃𝐴 = 𝑥𝑃𝐵 + 𝑥𝐵𝐴

 Therefore, observers on different frames of

M.H. Banda, Department of Physics and Electronics, Mzuzu University

𝐫Ԧ𝑃𝐴 = 𝐫Ԧ𝑃𝐵 + 𝐫Ԧ𝐵𝐴

𝐯𝑃𝐴 = 𝐯𝑃𝐵 + 𝐯𝐵𝐴

M.H. Banda, Department of Physics and Electronics, Mzuzu University

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