Applied Physics

Velocity & Acceleration

 Velocity &
Acceleration
 Graphical Interpretation of
Average & Instantaneous Velocity

January 6, 2012 Physics 114A - Lecture 3 3/19

 Velocity & Slope

The position vs. time graph of a particle moving

at constant velocity has a constant slope.

4.5 m

The position vs. time graph 3.0 s

of a particle moving with a
changing velocity has a slope = velocity = 4.5 m/3.0 s = 1.5 m/s
changing slope.

January 6, 2012 Physics 114A - Lecture 3 4/19

 Constant Acceleration
Acceleration characterizes
the change in velocity with time:
v/t.
If the acceleration is
constant, then the velocity is
changing at a constant rate.
Graphically, if we plot the
velocity vs. time, it will fall on a
straight line with a slope
determined by the acceleration.
vx  v0 x  v  v0 x  aav x t
ax  aav x if ax is constant
January 6, 2012 Physics 114A - Lecture 3 5/19
 Acceleration
Average acceleration:

vx v fx  vix
aav , x   (so vx  aav , x t)
t t f  ti

Instantaneous acceleration:
vx
ax (t )  lim
t  0 t

Acceleration units: (m/s)/s = m/s2

January 6, 2012 Physics 114A - Lecture 3 6/19

Position, Velocity, & Acceleration
Velocity positive;
acceleration zero.

Velocity negative; Velocity positive;

acceleration negative. acceleration
negative.

Velocity zero;
acceleration zero.
Velocity positive;
acceleration positive.

January 6, 2012 Physics 114A - Lecture 3 7/19

 Acceleration
Average acceleration:

Eqn. (2-5)

January 6, 2012 Physics 114A - Lecture 3 8/19

 Acceleration
Graphical Interpretation of Average and
Instantaneous Acceleration:

January 6, 2012 Physics 114A - Lecture 3 9/19

 Example: An Accelerating Train
A train moving in a straight line
with an initial velocity of 0.50 m/s
accelerates at 2.0 m/s2 for 2.0 s,
coasts with zero acceleration for
3.0 s, and then accelerates at -1.5
m/s2 for 1.0 s.
(a) What is the final velocity vf of
the train?
(b) What is the average acceleration
aav of the train?
v f  vi  v  vi  a1t1  a2 t2  a3t3
 (0.50 m/s)  (2.0 m/s 2 )(2.0 s)  (0 m/s 2 )(3.0 s)  (1.5 m/s 2 )(1.0 s)
 3.0 m/s
v v f  vi (3.0 m/s)  (0.5 m/s)
aav     0.42 m/s 2
t t f  ti (6.0 s)  (0 s)
January 6, 2012 Physics 114A - Lecture 3 10/19
Acceleration vs. Deceleration
Acceleration (increasing speed) and deceleration
(decreasing speed) should not be confused with
the directions of velocity and acceleration:

Accelerating Decelerating

Decelerating Accelerating

January 6, 2012 Physics 114A - Lecture 3 11/19

Motion with Constant Acceleration

If the acceleration is constant, the velocity

changes linearly:
(2-7)
Slope Constant Slope Changing

Changing
vav  12 (v0  v) Acceleration
Constant
Acceleration

January 6, 2012 Physics 114A - Lecture 3 12/19

Motion with Constant Acceleration
Velocity vs. time: (2-7)
Average velocity: (2-9)

Position as a function of time:

(2-10)
(2-11)

Velocity as a function of position:

January 6, 2012 Physics 114A - Lecture 3 (2-12)13/19
Motion with Constant Acceleration
The relationship between position and time
follows a characteristic curve.

Parabola

January 6, 2012 Physics 114A - Lecture 3 14/19

Motion with Constant Acceleration

January 6, 2012 Physics 114A - Lecture 3 15/19

 Example: Hit the Brakes!
A park ranger driving at 11.4 m/s in
back country suddenly sees a deer
“frozen” in the headlights. He applies
the brakes and slows with an
acceleration of 3.80 m/s2.
(a) If the deer is 20.0 m from the
ranger’s car when the brakes
are applied, how close does
the ranger come to hitting
the deer?
(b) What is the stopping
time?

v 2  v02 (0) 2  (11.4 m/s) 2

x    17.1 m d  20.0 m  17.1 m  2.9 m
2a 2(3.80 m/s )2

v0 (11.4 m/s)
v  v0  at  0  t      3.00 s
a (3.80 m/s )2

January 6, 2012 Physics 114A - Lecture 3 16/19