LINEAR MOTION

Linear motion refers to the movement of an object in a straight line.

IMPORTANT TERMS AND DEFINITIONS

The following terms, which will be frequently used in this chapter, should be clearly
understood.

(i) Displacement – is the distance moved in a specific direction.

(ii) Distance – length between two points.
(iii) Speed – is the rate of change of distance.
(iv) Velocity – is the rate of change of displacement.
(v) Acceleration- is the rate of change of velocity.

MOTION UNDER UNIFORM ACCELERATION

For a particle moving under uniform acceleration, the following equations apply;
1. v = u +at
2. V2 = u2 + 2as
1
3. s = ut + 2at2
𝑢+𝑣
4. s = ( )2
2

Where u = Initial velocity

v = final velocity,
a = acceleration,
s = displacement, t = time taken.
EXAMPLES
1.A car starting from rest is accelerated at the rate of 0.4m/s2. Find the distanced
covered by the car in 10 seconds?
Before any calculation is done it is important to extract data from the the given
question.

In starting from rest it means u = 0m/s. So have

U = 0m/s, a = 0.4m/s2, t = 10s,S = ?
1
Using the equation S = ut + 2at2

Page 1 of 7
 1
= 0x10 + 2x0.4x (10)2

= 20m

2. A motor bike initially travelling with a velocity of 40m/s is slowed down by

applying brakes. If the retardation is 8m/s2, Determine;
(i) The velocity after covering 50m,
(ii) How long it takes to cover 50m.
SOLUTION
u = 40m/s,
retardation is negative acceleration.
a = -8m/s2
s = 50m
using the equation
V2 = u2 + 2as
V2 = (40)2 +2 x (50)2
= 800
V = √800
= 28.3m/s
From the equation V = u +at, we make t the subject of the formula.
𝑣−𝑢 28.3−40
t= =
𝑎 −8

t = 1.46seconds.
Graphs can be used to represent motion of objects moving in a straight line.
And problems can be solved using graphs.
Examples
1.A train accelerates uniformly from rest to reach a velocity of 54km/h in 200
Seconds, after which the velocity remained constant for 300 seconds. At the
End of this time, the train decelerates to rest in 150 seconds.
Sketch the velocity – time graph and find the total distance travelled.
SOLUTION

Page 2 of 7
We can tabulate the data given in the question.
5
54km/h = 54 x = 15m/s
18

Velocity 0 15 15 0
Time 0 200 500 650

The sketch of the tabulated data is as shown below.

For freely falling objects, the same equations of motion apply except:
a g
s h
Examples
(i)A ball is thrown vertically upwards at 40m/s,calculate:
a.)The greatest height reached
b.)The time taken to return to the ground
Solution
Data
(a)u = 40m/s
v = 0m/s. Anything thrown upwards has a velocity equal to zero at maximum
Height

Page 3 of 7
 g = - 9.81m/s2.

Using the equation v2 = u2 + 2gh

v2 − u2
h= 2g

(0)2 − (40)2
= 2 x−9.81

= 81.55m
(b)Using the equation
V = u +at and making t the subject of the formula, we have
𝑣−𝑢
T=
𝑔

0−40
= −9.81

= 4.08sec.This the time taken to go up

The time taken to go up is equal to time taken to come down
Thus total time taken for all journey
t = 4.08x 2 = 8.16sec
(ii)A stone is thrown upwards with a velocity of 4.9m/s from the top of the
bridge. If it falls down in water after 2 seconds, find the height of the bridge.

Solution
Data
u = 4.9m/s
v= 0m/s
g = -9.81
t = 2sec
Using the equation
1
h = ut + 2 gt2
1
= 4.9 x 2 + x (-9.81) x (2)2
2

= -9.82m

Page 4 of 7
The height of the bridge is 9.82m
The negative sign is an indication that the height is below the throwing point.
LAWS OF MOTION

1. First law of motion

A body will remain at rest or move with constant velocity unless acted on by a
resultant force. This means that a force will bring about change in speed, position
and direction.

This law is known as the law of inertia. Inertia is the tendency of an object to remain at
rest or in motion or to resist change in motion. It depends on mass. The bigger the
mass the greater the inertia, the smaller the mass the lower the inertia.

Mass is the amount of matter in an object.

2. Second law of motion

It states that acceleration of an object is direct proportional to the applied force and
inversely proportional to mass. This means that acceleration increases with applied
force and decreases with an increase in mass. It is given by the formula= ma,

A newton is a force that act on mass of 1kg to give an acceleration of 1m/s2.

Task.

A car of mass 1.2 tonnes accelerates from 5 m/ s to 30 m/ s in 7.5 s. Calculate the

average accelerating force on the car.

3. Third law of motion

Newton’s third law looks at the interaction between two bodies.
If body A exerts a force on body B then body B will exert a force on body A of equal
magnitude but in the opposite direction. It follows that to every action force
there is an equal but opposite reaction force. The reaction force include
Friction, Tension force etc.

Examples
1. A particle of mass 4kg is suspended from a spring balance in a lift. What does the
balance read if the lift is
i)moving upwards with uniform speed? ii.)accelerating upwards at 0.5m/s2?
iii.)accelerating downwards at 0.5m/s2?

Page 5 of 7
1. A string passes over a smooth light pulley. To the ends of the string are attached
masses of 3kg (A) and 2kg(B) and both parts of the string are vertical. With what
acceleration does the system move?

2. A net force of 24N acts on a 3 Kg object for 8 seconds. If the object was initially at
rest;

(a) What is its acceleration?

(b) What is its final speed?
(c) How far does it travel in 8 seconds?
3. A light string passes over a light frictionless pulley and has a 500g load attached to
one end and a 200g load attached to the other. If the system is allowed to fall
freely, what is:

(a) the acceleration of the system?

(b) the tension in the string?

4. A cable can withstand a maximum tension of 750N. If the cable is used to hoist a 50
Kg load vertically from rest through 15m;

(a) What is the maximum acceleration of the load?

(b) Calculate the minimum time required.

Page 6 of 7
Self evaluation exercise
1. A car starts from rest and attains a speed of 40m/s in 20 seconds. It maintains this speed
for 30 seconds and it is then brought to rest at a uniform rate in 540m. For the motion of
this car;
(i)Draw the velocity – time
(ii)Determine the uniform acceleration
(iii)Determine the uniform retardation
(iv)Calculate the total displacement for the whole journey

2. A ball is thrown vertically upwards at a velocity of 80m/s from the top of a 90m high
building. Calculate;
(i)maximum height reached by the ball above the building
(ii)time taken to reach the maximum height
(iii)velocity of the ball just before hitting the ground
(iv)duration of the whole motion

3. An object is thrown vertically upwards and reaches a height of 100m.

(a) Determine its initial velocity.
(b) Calculate the time taken to reach the 100m height.

3. A spanner falls with the velocity of 5m/s to the ground.

(a) Calculate the displacement of the spanner.
(b) How long did it take to fall to the ground?
(c) Determine the striking velocity of the spanner.

4.

Page 7 of 7