School of Engineering and Architecture

Civil Engineering Department

Summer Term 2019-2020

Kinematics of
a Particle
Module 2 – Dynamics of Rigid Bodies

At the end of this module, the student must know the basic
Objective principle of kinematics as well as be able to apply it in solving
problems theoretically.

In this module, the following will be discussed:

Content • General Curvilinear Motion
• Rectangular Coordinates
• Normal and Tangential Coordinates
• Free Fall and Projectile Motion

Within this module, students will perform graded activities.

Activities Quiz, class discussions, problem set computations, and recitations
are to be expected.

L.G. Kraige and J.L. Meriam, (2012). Engineering Mechanics

References Volume 2 Dynamics 7th Edition. Massachusetts, USA: John Wiley
& Sons, Inc.
R.C. Hibbeler, (2010). Engineering Mechanics Statics & Dynamics
Twelfth Edition. New Jersey, USA: Pearson Prentice Hall

I. GENERAL CURVILINEAR MOTION

Instructor: Engr. Aline Benneth V. Jacobo 1

 Dynamics of Rigid Bodies School of Engineering
Module 2 and Architecture
Civil Engineering Department
Summer Term 2019-2020

Curvilinear motion occurs when a particle moves along a curved path. Since this path is often described
in three dimensions, vector analysis will be used to formulate the particle’s position, velocity, and
acceleration. In this section the general aspects of curvilinear motion are discussed.
Position. Consider a particle located at a point on a space curve defined
by the path function s(t). The position of the particle, measured from a
fixed point O, will be designated by the position vector r = r(t). Notice
that both the magnitude and direction of this vector will change as the
particle moves along the curve.

Displacement. Suppose that during a

small time interval Δt the particle moves a distance Δs along the curve to
a new position defined by r’ = r + Δr. The displacement Δr represents
the change in the particle’s position and is determined by vector
subtraction; i.e., Δr = r’ – r.

Velocity. During the time Δt, the average velocity of the

particle is:

The instantaneous velocity is:

Acceleration. If the particle has a velocity v at time t and a velocity v’ =

v + Δv at t + Δt, then the average acceleration of the particle during the
time interval is

The instantaneous acceleration is:

Instructor: Engr. Aline Benneth V. Jacobo 2

 Dynamics of Rigid Bodies School of Engineering
Module 2 and Architecture
Civil Engineering Department
Summer Term 2019-2020

II. RECTANGULAR COORDINATES

This system of coordinates is particularly useful for describing motions where the x- and y-components
of acceleration are independently generated or determined. The resulting curvilinear motion is then
obtained by a vector combination of the x- and y-components of the position vector, the velocity, and
the acceleration.
Figure 2.1(a) shows the path of particle A, which moves in a fixed rectangular reference frame. Letting
i, j, and k be the base vectors (unit vectors), the position vector of the particle can be written as
r ( t )=x i+ y j+ z k

where x, y, and z are the time-dependent rectangular coordinates of the particle.

Figure 2.1

Applying the definition of velocity (first derivative of position) , and the chain rule of differentiation, we
obtain:
dr d
v= = ( x i+ y j+ z k )
dt dt

di ' dj ' dk '

v=x + x i+ y + y j+ z + z k
dt dt dt
Figure 2.2

Instructor: Engr. Aline Benneth V. Jacobo 3

 Dynamics of Rigid Bodies School of Engineering
Module 2 and Architecture
Civil Engineering Department
Summer Term 2019-2020

Because the coordinate axes are fixed, the base vectors remain constant, so that di/dt = dj/dt = dk/dt = 0.
Therefore, the velocity becomes:
v=v x i+ v y j+ v z k

Where rectangular components are:

' '
v x =x v y = y v z =z '

Figure 2.3

Similarly, the definition of acceleration (first derivative of velocity), yields:

dv d
a= = ( v i+ v y j+ v z k )
dt dt x

di ' dj ' dk '

a=v x + v x i+ v y + v y j+ v z +v z k
dt dt dt

a=a x i+a y j+ a z k
Figure 2.4

Where rectangular components are:

' '
a x =v x a y =v y a z=v z '

 PLANE MOTION
Plane motion occurs often enough in engineering applications to warrant special
attention. Figure 2.2 shows the path of a particle A that moves in the xy-plane. To obtain
the two-dimensional rectangular components of r, v, and a, we set z = 0 in the equations
highlighted above. The results are:

r ( t )=xi+ yj v=v x i+ v y j a=a x i+ a y j

Instructor: Engr. Aline Benneth V. Jacobo 4

Dynamics of Rigid Bodies School of Engineering
Module 2 and Architecture
Civil Engineering Department
Summer Term 2019-2020

Figure 2.3 shows the rectangular components of the velocity. The angle θ, which defines
the direction of v, can be obtained from:

dy
v dt dy
tanθ= y = =
v x dx dx
dt

Because the slope of the path is also equal to dy/dx, we see that v is tangent to the path.

The rectangular components of a are shown in Figure 2.4. The angle β that defines the
direction of a can be computed from:

2
d y
a y dt 2
tanβ = = 2
ax d x
2
dt

Because β is generally not equal to θ, the acceleration is not necessarily tangent to the
path.

 RECTILINEAR MOTION

If the path of a particle is a straight line, the motion is called rectilinear. An example of
rectilinear motion, in which the particle A moves along the x-axis, is depicted if we set
both y and z to 0, obtaining:

r ( t )=xi v=v x ia=a x i

Instructor: Engr. Aline Benneth V. Jacobo 5

 Dynamics of Rigid Bodies School of Engineering
Module 2 and Architecture
Civil Engineering Department
Summer Term 2019-2020

Sample Problem 1:
Pin P at the end of the telescoping rod in Figure (a) slides along
the fixed parabolic path y2 = 40x, where x and y are measured
in millimeters. The y coordinate of P varies with time t
(measured in seconds) according to y = 4t 2 + 6t mm. When y =
30 mm, compute the velocity vector of P; and the acceleration
vector of P.

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Instructor: Engr. Aline Benneth V. Jacobo 6

 Dynamics of Rigid Bodies School of Engineering
Module 2 and Architecture
Civil Engineering Department
Summer Term 2019-2020

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III. NORMAL AND TANGENTIAL COMPONENTS
When the path along which a particle travels is known, then it is often convenient to describe the motion
using n and t coordinate axes which act normal and tangent to the path, respectively, and at the instant
considered have their origin located at the particle.

 Position
Consider the particle shown in Figure 2.5, which moves in a
plane along a fixed curve, such that at a given instant it is at
position s, measured from point O. We will now consider a
coordinate system that has its origin at a fixed point on the
curve, and at the instant considered this origin happens to
coincide with the location of the particle. The t axis is tangent to
the curve at the point and is positive in the direction of
increasing s. We will designate this positive direction with the
unit vector ut .
Figure 2.5

A unique choice for the normal axis can be made by noting that
geometrically, the curve is constructed from a series of
differential arc segments ds, Figure 2.6. Each segment ds is
formed from the arc of an associated circle having a radius of
curvature ρ (rho) center of curvature O’. The normal axis n is
perpendicular to the t axis with its positive sense directed toward
the center of curvature O’, as shown in Figure 2.5. This positive
direction, which is always on the concave side of the curve, will
be designated by the unit vector un . The plane which contains
the n and t axes is referred to as the embracing or osculating Figure 2.6
plane, and in this case it is fixed in the plane of motion.

Instructor: Engr. Aline Benneth V. Jacobo 7

 Dynamics of Rigid Bodies School of Engineering
Module 2 and Architecture
Civil Engineering Department
Summer Term 2019-2020

 Velocity
Since the particle moves, s is a function of time. the particle’s
velocity v has a direction that is always tangent to the path, and a
magnitude that is determined by taking the time derivative of the
path function s = s (t), e.g. υ = ds/dt . Hence
V =v ut

Where
v=s '
Figure 2.7

 Acceleration
The acceleration of the particle is the time rate of change of the
velocity. Thus,

' ' '

a=V =v ut + v ut

Figure 2.8
a=a t u t +a n u n

Where:

'
a t=v ∨at ds=vdv

And

Instructor: Engr. Aline Benneth V. Jacobo 8

Dynamics of Rigid Bodies School of Engineering
Module 2 and Architecture
Civil Engineering Department
Summer Term 2019-2020
2
v Figure 2.9
a n=
ρ

These two mutually perpendicular components are shown in

Figure 2.10. Therefore, the magnitude of acceleration is the
positive value of:

a=√ at 2+ an2

Figure 2.10

 Procedure for Analysis

 Coordinate System

1. Provided the path of the particle is known, we can establish a set of n and t coordinates
having a fixed origin, which is coincident with the particle at the instant considered.

2. The positive tangent axis acts in the direction of motion and the positive normal axis is
directed toward the path’s center of curvature.

 Velocity

3. The particle’s velocity is always tangent to the path.

4. The magnitude of velocity is found from the time derivative of the path function.

 Tangential Acceleration

Instructor: Engr. Aline Benneth V. Jacobo 9

Dynamics of Rigid Bodies School of Engineering
Module 2 and Architecture
Civil Engineering Department
Summer Term 2019-2020

5. The tangential component of acceleration is the result of the time rate of change in the
magnitude of velocity. This component acts in the positive s direction if the particle’s
speed is increasing or in the opposite direction if the speed is decreasing.

6. The relations between a, v, t, and s are the same as for rectilinear motion, namely,

'
a t=v ∨at ds=vdv

7. If a t is constant, the above equations, when integrated, yield:

v=v o+ at

1 2
s−s o=∆ s=v o t + a t
2

2 2
v =v o +2 a ∆ s

 Normal Acceleration

8. The normal component of acceleration is the result of the time rate of change in the
direction of the velocity. This component is always directed toward the center of
curvature of the path, i.e., along the positive n axis.

9. The magnitude of this component is determined from:

2
v
a n=
ρ

10. If the path is expressed as y = f(x) the radius of curvature at any point on the path is
determined from the equation:

Instructor: Engr. Aline Benneth V. Jacobo 10

 Dynamics of Rigid Bodies School of Engineering
Module 2 and Architecture
Civil Engineering Department
Summer Term 2019-2020
3

ρ=
[ 1+ ( dy /dx )2 ] 2
|d 2 y /dx 2|

Sample Problem 2:
When the skier reaches point A along the parabolic path in
the figure shown, he has a speed of 6 m/s which is increasing
at 2 m/s2. Determine the direction of his velocity and the
direction and magnitude of his acceleration at this instant.
Neglect the size of the skier in the calculation.

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Instructor: Engr. Aline Benneth V. Jacobo 11

 Dynamics of Rigid Bodies School of Engineering
Module 2 and Architecture
Civil Engineering Department
Summer Term 2019-2020

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IV. FREE FALL AND PROJECTILE MOTION
The free-flight motion of a projectile is often studied in terms of its rectangular components. When air
resistance is neglected, the only force acting on the projectile is its weight, which causes the projectile
to have a constant downward acceleration of approximately a = g = 9.81 m/s2 or g = 32.2 ft/s2.

Instructor: Engr. Aline Benneth V. Jacobo 12

 Dynamics of Rigid Bodies School of Engineering
Module 2 and Architecture
Civil Engineering Department
Summer Term 2019-2020

Each picture in this sequence is taken

after the same time interval. The red ball falls from
rest, whereas the yellow ball is given a horizontal
velocity when released. Both balls accelerate
downward at the same rate, and so they remain at
the same elevation at any instant. This
acceleration causes the difference in elevation
between the balls to increase between successive
photos. Also, note the horizontal distance between
successive photos of the yellow ball is constant
since the velocity in the horizontal direction

To illustrate the kinematic analysis, consider a projectile launched at point (x o,yo), with an initial
velocity of having components (vo)x and (vo)y

Things to remember:

 No acceleration in the
horizontal direction.

 Velocity in the
horizontal direction,
(vo)x is the same all
throughout the motion.
Therefore, (vo)x = vx

 Acceleration in the
vertical direction is
constant and is equal to
the acceleration due to gravity, g. Therefore, a = g
Formulas to be used:

Instructor: Engr. Aline Benneth V. Jacobo 13

 Dynamics of Rigid Bodies School of Engineering
Module 2 and Architecture
Civil Engineering Department
Summer Term 2019-2020

The three general formulas for constant acceleration:

v=v o+ at

1 2
s−s o=∆ s=v o t + a t
2
2 2
v =v o +2 a ∆ s

To transform this to the y-axis direction or the vertical direction, the formulas become:
v y =v oy +¿

1 2
∆ y =v oy t+ g t
2
2 2
v y =v oy +2 g ∆ y

Note: ∆y = vertical displacement from original position

Since horizontal velocity is same all throughout the motion, there is no acceleration. Therefore:

x
v ox=v x =
t

Note: The distance x in the formula is in partner with time or varies directly with time. Therefore, if you
use the total distance traveled horizontally, you will get the total time for the projectile to travel.

Free Fall and Projectile Motion Sign Conventions:

Instructor: Engr. Aline Benneth V. Jacobo 14

 Dynamics of Rigid Bodies School of Engineering
Module 2 and Architecture
Civil Engineering Department
Summer Term 2019-2020

I. II.

III. IV.

Sample Problem 3:
During a test, a rocket travels upward at 75 m/s, and when it is 40 m from the ground, its engine fails.
Determine the maximum height reached by the rocket and its speed just before it hits the ground. While
in motion, the rocket is subjected to a constant downward acceleration of 9.81 m/s 2 due to gravity.
Neglect the effect of air resistance.
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Instructor: Engr. Aline Benneth V. Jacobo 15

 Dynamics of Rigid Bodies School of Engineering
Module 2 and Architecture
Civil Engineering Department
Summer Term 2019-2020

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Sample Problem 4:
The ball at A is kicked such that θ A = 30°. If it strikes the
ground at B having the coordinates x = 15ft, y = -9ft,
determine the speed at which it is kicked and the speed
at which it strikes the ground.
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Instructor: Engr. Aline Benneth V. Jacobo 16

Dynamics of Rigid Bodies School of Engineering
Module 2 and Architecture
Civil Engineering Department
Summer Term 2019-2020

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Instructor: Engr. Aline Benneth V. Jacobo 17