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    Geometry of Motions

    Uploaded by

    Manasseh Ihediwa

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    Geometry of Motions

    Uploaded by

    Manasseh Ihediwa
    2 views5 pages

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    geometry of motions

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    2 views5 pages

    Geometry of Motions

    Uploaded by

    Manasseh Ihediwa

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    of 5

    KINEMATICS: THE GEOMETRY OF MOTION

    2.1 Velocity and acceleration

    The most important concepts in Kinematics — a subject in which the properties of the forces

    responsible for the motion are ignored — can be introduced by studying the simplest of all motions,

    namely that of a point P moving in a straight line.

    Let a point P [t, x] be at a distance x from a fixed point O at a time t, and let it be at a point P

    ´ [t´, x´] = P´[t + At, x + Ax] at a time At later. The average speed of P in the interval At is

    <vp> = Ax/At. (2.1)

    If the ratio Ax/At is not constant in time, we define the instantaneous speed of P at time t as the limiting
    value of the ratio as At → 0:

    vp = vp(t) = limit as At → 0 ofAx/At = dx/dt = x = vx .

    The instantaneous speed is the magnitude of a vector called the instantaneous velocity of P:

    v = dx/dt , a quantity that has both magnitude and direction. (2.2)

    A space-time curve is obtained by ploting the positions of P as a function oft:

    x vp´
    vpP´

    O_________________________________ t
    43

    The tangent of the angle made by the tangent to the curve at any point gives the value of the

    instantaneous speed at the point.

    The instantaneous acceleration, a , of the point P is given by the time rate-of-change of the velocity
    ∞∞

    a = dv/dt = d(dx/dt)/dt = d x/dt = x . 2 2


    (2.3)

    A change of variable from t to x gives

    a = dv/dt = dv(dx/dt)/dx = v(dv/dx). (2.4)

    This is a useful relation when dealing with problems in which the velocity is given as a function of the

    position. For example

    v vP

    O N Q x

    The gradient is dv/dx and tana = dv/dx, therefore

    NQ, the subnormal, = v(dv/dx) = ap, the acceleration of P. (2.5)

    The area under a curve of the speed as a function of time between the times t1 and t2 is

    [A] [t1,,t2] = $ [t1,t2] v(t)dt = $ [t1,t2] (dx/dt)dt = $ [x1,x2] dx = (x2 – x1)

    = distance traveled in the time t2 – t1. (2.6)


    44

    The solution of a kinematical problem is sometimes simplified by using a graphical method, for

    example:

    A point A moves along an x-axis with a constant speed v A. Let it be at the origin O (x = 0) at

    time t = 0. It continues for a distance xA, at which point it decelerates at a constant rate, finally stopping

    at a distance X from O at time T.

    A second point B moves away from O in the +x-direction with constant acceleration. Let it

    begin its motion at t = 0. It continues to accelerate until it reaches a maximum speed v B at a time
    max

    tB when at xB from O. At xB , it begins to decelerate at a constant rate, finally stopping at X at


    max max max

    time T: To prove that the maximum speed of B during its motion is

    vB = vA{1 – (xA/2X)}–1, a value that is independent of the time at


    max

    which the maximum speed is reached.

    The velocity-time curves of the points are


    t=0 tA tB
    max
    T t
    x=0 xA xB max
    X

    The areas under the curves give X = vAtA + vA(T – tA)/2 = vB T/2, so that
    max

    A possible path for B


    vB max

    vA B
    A

    O
    45

    vB = vA(1 + (tA/T)), but vAT = 2X – xA, therefore vB = vA{1 – (xA/2X)}–1 ≠ f(tB ).


    max max max

    2.2 Differential equations of kinematics

    If the acceleration is a known function of time then the diferential equation

    a(t) = dv/dt (2.7)

    can be solved by performing the integrations (either analytically or numerically)

    ∫a(t)dt = ∫dv (2.8)

    If a(t) is constant then the result is simply

    at + C = v, where C is a constant that is given by the initial conditions.

    Let v = u when t = 0 then C = u and we have

    at + u = v. (2.9)

    This is the standard result for motion under constant acceleration .

    We can continue this approach by writing:

    v = dx/dt = u + at.

    Separating the variables,

    dx = udt + atdt.

    Integrating gives

    x = ut + (1/2)at2 + C" (for constant a).

    If x = 0 when t = 0 then C" = 0, and

    x(t) = ut + (1/2)at2. (2.10)

    Multiplying this equation throughout by 2a gives

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