§ 12.

2 An Introduction to Particle Kinematics… 1D

• We begin with the simplest possible treatment of kinematics: a
particle in one-dimensional motion.
• Because of the 1D nature, we don’t have to worry about the
change of the unit vector with time, so we’ll treat position,
velocity and acceleration as scalar quantities.

s(t)
Let s(t) denote the position of the particle as a function of
time t. Velocity, v(t) and acceleration, a(t) are defined as:

ds dv
v (t )  ; a (t ) 
dt dt
An Introduction to Particle Kinematics… 1D
• What we do with these equations typically depends on what
other information is provided.
• Most of the time, we’ll be given explicit information about the
acceleration, a(t), and we’ll have to integrate these expressions
to find v(t) and then s(t).
• In spite of the absence of a unit vector, we’ll still have to pay
attention to the direction of the acceleration (+ or ) with
respect to the coordinate direction. This is especially important
in problems involving gravity where the natural direction of the
coordinate system from the earth (or some other datum) is up,
while the acceleration due to gravity is down.
• For starters, assume a constant acceleration ao. Then…
 An Introduction to Particle Kinematics… 1D
…for constant acceleration ao
dv
 ao
dt
This is an initial value problem (IVP), so we have to integrate this
subject to some initial condition. If we specify that the particle has
initial velocity vo, then
v(t)  aot  vo
and if we also specify that the particle has initial position so
(another IVP), ds
 v(t )  aot  vo
dt
1 2
s(t )  aot  vot  so
2
An Introduction to Particle Kinematics… 1D
• Note that the simpler expressions,
1 2
v(t)  ao t and s (t )  ao t
2
only occur when the initial velocity and position of the
particle are both zero.
• In some cases, acceleration may be given, not as a function of
time, but as a function of position, a = a(s). In these cases, we
can take advantage of our definitions to eliminate time from the
equations:
1 dt dv dv
a   
v ds dt ds
An Introduction to Particle Kinematics… 1D
• Rearranging,
a ( s ) ds  vdv
• Since acceleration is given as a function of position, both sides
are functions of a single variable, and this may be integrated
subject to the indirect initial condition that the velocity has a
certain value vo at a certain position so.

• For the special case again of constant acceleration ao, the result
is:
1 2 2
ao ( s  so )  (v  vo )
2
An Introduction to Particle Kinematics… 1D
Example 1: A sandbag is dropped vertically from a balloon
which is ascending at a constant speed of 6 m/s. If the bag is
released with the same upward velocity of 6 m/s when t = 0, and
hits the ground when t = 8 s, determine the speed of the bag as it
hits the ground and the altitude of the balloon at this instant.

sb(t) ss(t)
An Introduction to Particle Kinematics… 1D
Example 2 (Problem 12-11 in your textbook): The acceleration
of a particle as it moves along a straight line is given by:

2
a (t )  (2t  1) m/s
where t is in seconds. If s = 1 m and v = 2 m/s when t = 0,
determine the particle’s velocity and position when t = 6 s. Also,
determine the total distance the particle travels during this time
period.
An Introduction to Particle Kinematics… 1D
Example 3 (Problem 12-22 in your textbook): The acceleration
of a rocket traveling upward is given by:
2
a ( s )  (6  0.02s ) m/s
where s is in meters. Determine the
rocket’s velocity when s = 2 km and the
time needed to reach this altitude.
Initially, v = 0 when t = 0.

s(t)