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Lecture 9: Motion Along A Curve

The document discusses motion along a curve. It defines the velocity and acceleration of a particle moving along a curve in terms of the position function and its derivatives. The acceleration is decomposed into components parallel and perpendicular to the unit tangent vector using the principal normal vector and curvature. Examples of motion along a helix and ellipse are given to illustrate calculating the speed, unit tangent/normal vectors, and tangential and normal components of acceleration.

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63 views2 pages

Lecture 9: Motion Along A Curve

The document discusses motion along a curve. It defines the velocity and acceleration of a particle moving along a curve in terms of the position function and its derivatives. The acceleration is decomposed into components parallel and perpendicular to the unit tangent vector using the principal normal vector and curvature. Examples of motion along a helix and ellipse are given to illustrate calculating the speed, unit tangent/normal vectors, and tangential and normal components of acceleration.

Uploaded by

hambog kasi
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Lecture 9: Motion Along a Curve

9.1 Components of velocity and acceleration

Suppose f (t) is the position of a particle moving along a curve C in Rn , where f : R → Rn ,


and let v(t) = f 0 (t) and a(t) = f 00 (t) be the velocity and acceleration of the particle at
time t. Now we may write
v(t) = |v(t)|T (t),
where T (t) is the unit tangent vector at f (t), so

d
a(t) = |v(t)|T 0 (t) + |v(t)|T (t)
dt
d
= |v(t)||T 0 (t)|N (t) + |v(t)|T (t)
dt
d
= |v(t)|2 κ(t)N (t) + |v(t)|T (t),
dt
where N (t) is the principal unit normal vector at f (t) and κ(t) is the curvature of C at
f (t). In other words, we may write

a(t) = aT T (t) + aN N (t),

where
d
aT = |v(t)|
dt
and
aN = |v(t)|2 κ(t).
In particular, this says that the acceleration of the particle always lies in the plane of the
unit tangent and principal unit normal vectors. Moreover,

a(t) · T (t) = aT (T (t) · T (t)) + aN (N (t) · T (t)) = aT

and
a(t) · N (t) = aT (T (t) · N (t)) + aN (N (t) · N (t)) = aN ,
so aT and aN are just the components of the acceleration vector in the direction of T (t)
and N (t), respectively.

Example Suppose a particle moves along a helix H with position at time t given by
f (t) = (cos(2πt), sin(2πt), t). Then the velocity and acceleration of the particle are

v(t) = (−2π sin(2πt), 2π cos(2πt), 1)

and
a(t) = (−4π 2 cos(2πt), −4π 2 sin(2πt), 0),

9-1
Lecture 9: Motion Along a Curve 9-2

respectively. The speed of the particle is


p
|v(t)| = 4π 2 + 1,
the unit tangent vector is
1
T (t) = √ (−2π sin(2πt), 2π cos(2πt), 1),
4π 2 + 1
1
T 0 (t) = √ (−4π 2 cos(2πt), −4π 2 sin(2πt), 0),
2
4π + 1
and the principal unit normal vector is
N (t) = (− cos(2πt), − sin(2πt), 0).
Hence the component of acceleration in the direction of T (t) is
1
aT = a(t) · T (t) = √ (8π 3 cos(2πt) sin(2πt) − (8π 3 cos(2πt) sin(2πt)) = 0
2
4π + 1
and the component of acceleration in the direction of N (t) is
aN = a(T ) · N (t) = 4π 2 cos2 (2πt) + 4π 2 sin2 (2πt) = 4π 2 .

Example Suppose a particle moves along an ellipse E with position at time t given by
f (t) = (4 cos(t), 2 sin(t)). Then the velocity and acceleration of the particle are
v(t) = (−4 sin(t), 2 cos(t))
and
a(t) = (−4 cos(t), −2 sin(t)),
respectively. The speed of the particle is
q q
|v(t)| = 16 sin (t) + 4 cos (t) = 12 sin2 (t) + 4
2 2

and the curvature of E is


8
κ(t) = 2 3 .
(12 sin (t) + 4) 2
Hence the component of acceleration in the direction of the the unit tangent vector T (t) is
d 12 sin(t) cos(t)
aT = |v(t)| = q
dt 12 sin2 (t) + 4)

and the component of acceleration in the direction of the principal unit normal vector N (t)
is
8 8
aN = |v(t)|2 κ(t) = (12 sin2 (t) + 4) 3 = .
(12 sin2 (t) + 4) 2
q
2
12 sin (t) + 4
π 3π
Note that when t = 0 or t = π, aT = 0 and aN = 4, and when t = 2 or t = 2 , aT = 0
and aN = 2.

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