MechYr2 Chapter 8 :: Further

Kinematics
jfrost@tiffin.kingston.sch.uk
www.drfrostmaths.com
@DrFrostMaths

Last modified: 4th August 2018

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Overview
 This chapter concerns how can use vectors to represent motion. In the case of constant
acceleration, can we still use our ‘suvat’ equations? And what if we have variable
acceleration with expressions in terms of ?

1:: Vector equations for motion.
2:: Variable acceleration with vectors.
“A
  particle of mass 0.8kg is acted on by a single
force N. Relative to a fixed origin , the position
vector of at time seconds is metres, where

Find (a) the speed of when

(b) The acceleration of as a vector when
(c) when .”

3:: Integration with vectors to find

velocity/displacement
“A
  particle is-1 moving in a plane. At time seconds, its
velocity ms is given by
When , the position vector of with respect to a fixed
origin is m. Find the position vector of at time Note for teachers: The first item
seconds.” was in the old M1 with projectile
motion in M2. Variable
acceleration was in M2.
 Vector motion
Initially,
  Lewis is at the position vector . Each
second, he moves , i.e. his velocity.
Where will he be after 1 second?
𝑡  =2

𝑡  =1

  11
𝑡  =0 (5 )
( )7
4
2
  =  
3
𝒗
(3 ) After after 2 seconds?
 
( )
1

  in general, where would Lewis be after seconds, in terms of ?

So
It’ll be with lots of added on, i.e.:
?

Fro Note: I don’t really remember as a formula as

 ! Position vector of particle:
where is initial position and is velocity.
such though, but as ‘common sense’ using the
reasoning above.
Fro Note II: Further Mathematicians who have
finished Vectors in Core Pure Yr1 may see the
similarities with vector equations of straight lines.
Example
 [Textbook] A particle starts from the position vector m and moves with constant
velocity ms-1.
(a) Find the position vector of the particle 4 seconds later.
(b) Find the time at which the particle is due east of the origin.

a  
?
If due East, then the component is 0:
Fropinion:
  I prefer to avoid the
and notation and write in
conventional vector form.
They’re easier to manipulate.
b seconds

?
 
… but with vectors!
 
Some equations work with vectors. By  vector
convention, we use instead of for
displacement in 2D/3D (as we did in the
vector ?
previous exercise). In 2D, which of the
vector ?
vector ?
quantities are vectors and which are scalars? scalar ?
Note that as and are vectors, we
can’t for example use , as you can’t
square a vector.

[Textbook]
  A particle has velocity ms-1. The particle moves with constant acceleration
ms-2. Find (a) the speed of the particle and (b) the bearing on which it is travelling at
time seconds.

a b 3   
 
Speed ms-1 (3sf)   𝜃 
10 Bearing is

? ?
The velocity vector gives the
Remember that speed is the direction of motion. Just draw
scalar for of velocity, so find it out to establish angles.
magnitude of the vector.
Further Example
[Textbook]
  An ice skater is skating on a large flat ice rink. At time the skater is at a fixed point and is travelling
with velocity ms-1.
At time s the skater is travelling with velocity ms-1.
Relative to , the skater has position vector at time seconds.
Modelling the ice skater as a particle with constant acceleration, find:
(a) The acceleration of the ice skater
(b) An expression for in terms of
(c) The time at which the skater is directly north-east of .
A second skater travels so that she has position vector m relative to at time .
(d) Show that the two skaters will meet.

a  Using ,
c When
  north-east of , the
as the component.
component will be the same 𝒔 
?
Using , ?
When they meet, two position vectors will be the same:

d
When ,
b But so do not meet when
When , and so skaters meet when seconds.

?
?
Test Your Understanding
Edexcel M1(Old) May 2013(R) Q6

?
Exercise 8A
Pearson Stats/Mechanics Year 2
Pages 162-164
Vector methods for projectiles
Previously we considered the initial speed of the projectile and the angle of
projection. But we could also use a velocity vector to represent the initial
projection (vectors have both direction and magnitude) and subsequent motion.

[Textbook]
  A ball is struck by a racket from a point which a  
has position vector m relative to a fixed origin . When
Immediately after being struck, the ball has velocity ms-1, Speed ms-1
where and are unit vectors horizontally and vertically ?
respectively. After being struck, the ball travels freely under
gravity until it strikes the ground at point . Displacement relative to :
(a) Find the speed of the ball 1.5 seconds after being
struck. b So position relative to :
(b) Find an expression for the position vector, , of the ball
relative to at time seconds. When -component is 0:
(c) Hence determine the distance .
-component: m (2sf)
( 5 𝑖+ 8 𝑗 ) m s−1 ?

 𝐴
20m
  c
𝑂
  ?
 𝐵
Test Your Understanding
Edexcel M2(Old) Jan 2012 Q7

?
Exercise 8B
Pearson Stats/Mechanics Year 2
Pages 166-167
Variable Acceleration in One Dimension
  Mechanics Yr1 we saw that velocity was the rate of change
In
 𝑠
of displacement, and thus . Similarly acceleration is the rate of
∫  𝑣𝑑𝑡  𝑑 change of velocity, and thus
𝑑𝑡
𝑣  Let’s stick to one-dimension for the moment, but you may
∫  𝑎𝑑𝑡  𝑑
𝑑𝑡 need to differentiate more complex functions of that use
𝑎  Pure Year 2 techniques.

a   Remember with ‘reverse

[Textbook]
  A particle is moving in a straight line with When , chain rule’, we divide by
acceleration at time seconds given by constant in front of variable.

The velocity of the particle at time is ms-1. Find:

?
Maximum value of is 1, so
(a) an expression for the velocity at time seconds
(b) the maximum speed
(c) the distance travelled in the first 3 seconds.
b
?
Finding area under
c velocity-time graph.

? Can tidy up integral

by factorising out
common factor.
Test Your Understanding
[Textbook]
  A particle of mass 6kg is moving on the positive -axis. At time seconds
the displacement, , of the particle from the origin is given by

(a) Find the velocity of the particle when .

Given that the particle is acted on by a single force of variable magnitude N
which acts in the direction of the positive -axis,
(b) Find the value of when

a   Recap:
  Due to the chain rule,
When seconds:
?

?
Exercise 8C
Pearson Stats/Mechanics Year 2
Pages 168-170
Differentiating Vectors
 
Suppose that . What would be the acceleration?
We can simply differentiate the and components independently:

?
 ! If then Notational note: Dot notation is a short-hand for
and  differentiation with respect to time:
Its use is common in Physics.

[Textbook] A particle of mass 0.8kg is acted on by a single a  

  When
force N. Relative to a fixed origin , the position vector of at
Speed
time seconds is metres, where
?
Find: When
(a) the speed of when
(b) the acceleration of as a vector when b
(c) when . ?
c
?
Exercise 8D
Pearson Stats/Mechanics Year 2
Pages 171-173
Integrating Vectors
  can similarly integrate the and components to get from acceleration to
We
velocity and velocity to displacement.

[Textbook]
  A particle is moving in a plane. At time seconds, its velocity ms -1 is given by

When , the position vector of with respect to a fixed is m. Find the position vector of at
time seconds.

  The constant of
When integration is a vector.

?
Further Example
 [Textbook] A particle is moving in a plane so that, at time seconds, its acceleration is ms -2.
When , the velocity of is ms-1 and the position vector of is m with respect to a fixed origin .
Find:
(a) the angle between the direction of motion of and when
(b) the distance of from when .

a The
  direction of motion is the velocity: b  
If ,
When Use to get constant of
 
integration. When
When

? ?
5 −1 5

𝜃
 
 
 𝜃=tan
(2)
=68.2 °

 𝒊 2 
Test Your Understanding
Edexcel M2(Old) Jan 2013 Q4

?
Exercise 8E
Pearson Stats/Mechanics Year 2
Pages 175-176
 You have
reached the end
of maths.*

* At A Level.