Mechanics

Motion under a variable force

Objectives
By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:
Differentiate between rectilinear and non-rectilinear motion.
Define velocity and solve problems for non-rectilinear motion.
Define acceleration and solve problems for non-rectilinear motion
Describe the action of a force and identify forces used in different instances
Draw free-body diagrams
Define force and solve problems
Rectilinear vs non-rectilinear motion
It is the action of a force which causes the motion of a body,
The force therefore determines the type of motion a body has.
For rectilinear motion, the force acting on the body is constant.
While for non-rectilinear motion, the force is not constant.
You should recall that there is direct relationship between force and acceleration.
Hence instead of stating that the force is constant for rectilinear motion, one can state that
the acceleration is constant for that type of motion.
Velocity
Velocity is defined as the rate of change of displacement.
We use x as the symbol for displacement and v for velocity.
Representing the definition mathematical

Acceleration
Acceleration is defined as the rate of change of velocity.
We use “a” to represent acceleration
Representing the definition mathematically

There are other possible representations for acceleration

Acceleration
Using Chain Rule, we can also write

But we know that 
Hence, we can write

Problems

A particle moves in a straight line with acceleration given by  at

any time t seconds. When  seconds, the particle has velocity  and is 8 m
from a fixed point, O. Determine
(i) its velocity when  seconds
(ii) its displacement from O when t = 3
Problems
A particle travels in a straight line in such a way that after t seconds its
velocity, v, from a fixed point, O, is given by the function 
Calculate
(i) the values of t when the particle is instantaneously at rest.
(ii) the distance travelled by the particle between 1 and 3 seconds
(iii) the value of  when t = 2
Force
This is anything which pushes or pulls a body
Note that a force is a vector quantity. That is force has a magnitude and a
direction.
An arrow is used to indicate the magnitude and direction of a force.
Some examples of forces are

Weig
ht Reactional Fricti
force on Air
Resistance
Drag
Force
Driving force or Viscous force
thrust
Force
Weight
This is the pull of a gravitational field on a body (mass)


The weight acts vertically downwards

W
Force
Reactional Force
This is a force due to contact.

W
Force
Friction
This is a force which oppose the motion of a body.
Therefore, one must know the direction (or possible direction) of the body to
determine the direction of the friction.
R
Direction of body

W
Force
Air Resistance
This is also a force which opposes the motion of a body.

Air
Resistanc
Direction of e Direction of
body body

Air
Resistanc
e
W W
Force
Viscous and Drag Forces
These forces are also forces which oppose the motion of a body
Viscous forces are resistive forces when a body is falling or rising in a fluid.
The term drag force is used when we are looking at bodies moving
horizontally.
Force
Net force or resultant force is the sum of all the forces
We can look at the net forces in the horizontal plane separately from the net
forces in the vertical plane.
Example
R
Direction of body

Driving force,
f D

Net force in horizontal plane = D

W –f
Net force in vertical plane = R –
W
Force
Definition
Force is defined as the rate of change of momentum
Writing this mathematically, we have

But momentum is the product of mass and velocity,
Hence, we can write force as

If the mass remains constant, then

Force

We note that 
Hence

We can also represent the force as

Please note that this force represents the net(resultant) force.
Force
Example
A toy truck of mass 0.2 kg is travelling in a straight line on a straight
horizontal floor. The truck is modelled as a particle. The resultant force on the
truck is modelled as N. If the truck comes to instantaneous rest when x = 6
m, find:
a) an expression for  (i.e. velocity squared) in terms of x.
b) the acceleration of the truck when x = 4 m
Force
A particle of mass 5 kg accelerates from rest along a level ground, by the
force F, where . If the frictional force between the particle and the surface is
negligible,
a) write a differential expression for the velocity of the particle
b) Find the:
(i) velocity of the particle after 4 seconds
(ii) acceleration of the particle after the same 4 seconds
(iii) distance moved by the particle after 6 seconds
Force
A skydiver of mass 120 kg jumped from an aeroplane 3.5 km above the ground at time
t seconds. After her parachute was opened, she experienced a frictional force of 100v
with an initial velocity = . She moved a distance of 1.5 km before her parachute was
opened.
a) show that the acceleration of the skydiver is 
b) Use separation of variables to find an expression for v in terms of t, where t
is measured in seconds
c) It is safe to land when her speed is . At what time t does she reach this speed?
(Take )
Force
A particle P of mass 0.5 kg is projected vertically upwards from a point on a
horizontal surface. A resisting force of magnitude  N acts on P, where  is the
upward velocity of P when it is at a height of x m above the surface. The
initial speed of P is .
(i) Show that, while P is moving upwards, 
(ii) Find the greatest height of P above the surface.
(iii) Find the speed of P immediately before it strikes the surface after
descending.
Coefficient of friction
This is a number which is the ratio between the frictional force and the normal
(perpendicular) reactional force.
The symbol used for the coefficient of friction is µ
R
Direction of
body
Driving force,
f D

W Representing mathematically 
Force
O and A are fixed points on a rough horizontal surface, with OA = 1m. A
particle P of mass 0.4 kg is projected horizontally with speed  from A in the
direction OA and moves in a straight line. After projection, when the
displacement of P from O is x m, the velocity of P is . The coefficient of
friction between the surface and P is 0.4. A force of magnitude  N acts on P in
the direction PO.
(i) Show that, while the particle is in motion, .
It is given that P comes to instantaneous rest between x = 2.0 and x = 2.1.
(ii) Find the set of possible values of U.
Force
θ
P −1

𝑣
𝑚
𝑠
N
O
1. A small object of mass 0.2 kg rests at a point O on a rough horizontal surface. The coefficient of friction
between the object and the surface is 0.5. A force of magnitude P N acting at an angle θ below the
horizontal is applied to the object. The velocity of the object is  away from O at time t s after the force begins
to act (see diagram). It is given that  and that P = 0.4t for .
(i) Find the value of t when the object starts to move.
(ii) Show that, when the force is acting and the object is in motion, .
When t = 8 the force of magnitude P N ceases to act.
(iii) Find the distance travelled by the object after t = 8 before it comes to rest.
Incline planes
When particles are moving on an incline plane, instead of looking at the net
force in the horizontal and vertical plane, we look at the net forces parallel
and perpendicular to the plane

Note that only the weight is

neither perpendicular or
parallel to the plane
sin
𝑊
𝜃
θ To over come this, we
𝑊
cos

𝜃
resolve the weight into its
W components
Force
A particle P of mass 0.2 kg is released from rest at a point O on a plane
inclined at an angle of  to the horizonal. At time t s after its release, P has a
velocity of  and displacement x m down the plane from O. The coefficient of
friction between P and the plane increases as P moves down the plane, and
equals .
(i) Show that 
(ii) Calculate the maximum speed of P
(iii) Find the value of x at the point where P comes to rest.
Force
A bead, A, of mass 0.1 kg is threaded on a long straight rigid wire which is
inclined at  to the horizontal. A is released from rest and moves down the
wire. The coefficient between A and the wire is µ. When A has travelled 0.45
m down the wire, its speed is .
Show that µ = 0.25
Force
The questions we have been looking at is one in which