Chapter 13

Given a certain position vector (C) : ⃗r(t) = x(t)⃗i + y(t)⃗j + z(t)⃗k

d⃗r(t)
• The velocity vector v(t) = = x′ (t)⃗i + y ′ (t)⃗j + z ′ (t)⃗k
dt
p
• The speed function s(t) = |v| = [x′ (t)]2 + [y ′ (t)]2 + [z ′ (t)]2
Z t Z tp
• The arclength of (C) from t = t0 , up to some t, L(t) = |v(τ )|dτ = [x′ (τ )]2 + [y ′ (τ )]2 + [z ′ (τ )]2 dτ
t0 t0

The TNB Frame:

v
• The unit tangent vector, T =
|v|
dT /dt
• The unit normal vector, N =
|dT /dt|
• The binormal vector, B = T × N

The Curvature:
1 dT |v × a|
• The curvature κ(t) = =
|v| dt |v|3

Acceleration in the TNB Frame:

d
• aT = |v|
dt
• aN = κ|v|2
• Then, a = aT T + aN N

1
Exercises
Exercise 1
Consider the curve (E) : ⃗r(t) = (cos t)⃗i + (sin t)⃗j + (1 − cos t)⃗k for 0 ≤ t ≤ 2π
1) Show that (E) lies in a cylinder whose equation is to be determined.
2) Deduce that (E) is the intersection between this cylinder and a plane.
3) Show that the acceleration vector is always parallel to the plane.
Z 2π p
4) Show that the length of (C) is L = 1 + sin2 t dt
0

Solution:
1) Notice that x2 (t) + y 2 (t) = 1 for any t ∈ [0, 2π]
Then (E) lies in the circular cylinder (C) : x2 + y 2 = 1, where 0 ≤ z ≤ 2

2) Also noticing that z(t) = 1 − x(t) for any t ∈ [0, 2π]

We deduce that (E) also lies in the plane (P ) : z = 1 − x, hence {(E)} = {(P )} ∩ {(C)}

3) v(t) = (− sin t)⃗i + (cos t)⃗j + (sin t)⃗k

a(t) = (− cos t)⃗i + (− sin t)⃗j + (cos t)⃗k
?
⃗p =
If the acceleration vector is always parallel to (P ), then a(t) · N 0, where N⃗P (1, 0, 1)
∀ t ∈ [0, 2π], a(t) · N⃗P = 1(− cos t) + 1(cos t) = 0. (verified)
Z 2π Z 2π p Z 2π p
4) L = |v| dt = sin2 t + cos2 t + sin2 t dt = 1 + sin2 t dt
0 0 0

2
Exercise 2
x3 1
Consider the curve (C) : y = + , where x ≥ 1
6 2x
1) Write a parametrization of (C) of the form ⃗r(t) = t⃗i + f (t)⃗j
2
2) Let P (t, f (t)) be any point on (C) for t > 1 and P1 (1, ) be the point on (C) for t = 1
3
t3 1 1
a) Show that the length P1 P along (C) is given by L(t) = − +
6 2t 3
1
b) Determine points P on (C) if any, for which P1 P =
3

Solution:
x(t)3 1 t3 1
1) If we let x(t) = t =⇒ y(t) = + = + = f (t)
6 2x(t) 6 2t
t3
 
1 ⃗
Then ⃗r(t) = t⃗i + + j where t = x ≥ 1
6 2t
Z tf Z t
2) L(t) = |v(τ )| dτ = |v(τ )| dτ
t0 1

t2
 
dr ⃗ 1 ⃗
a) v(t) = =i+ − 2 j
dt 2 2t
s  2 2 s  4 2 r 8 s 2
t 1 t −1 4
t + 2t + 1 t4 + 1 t4 − 1
Then |v(t)| = 12 + − 2 = 1+ = = =
2 2t 2t2 4t4 2t2 2t2
Z t Z t 4 Z t 2  3 τ =t
t3

τ +1 τ 1 τ 1 1 1
L(t) = |v(τ )| dτ = 2
dτ = + 2
dτ = − = − −
1 1 2τ 1 2 2τ 6 2τ τ =1 6 2t 3

1 t3 1 t3 1 √
b) Solving P1 P = =⇒ − = 0 =⇒ = =⇒ t4 = 3 =⇒ t = 4 3 ≥ 1, so accepted
3 6 2t 6 2t
√ !
√ 4
27
− P 4 3,
→
3

3
Exercise 3
Consider the curve (C) with position vector ⃗r(t) = (1 + cos t)⃗i + (sin t)⃗j + t⃗k for t ≥ 0
1) Show that (C) lies in a cylinder whose equation is to be determined, then sketch (C).
2) Find the TNB frame.
3) Determine the curvature κ(t) at any time t ≥ 0.
4) Write the acceleration vector as a(t) = aT T + aN N .

Solution:
1) Notice that x2 (t) + y 2 (t) = (cos2 t + 2 cos t + 1) + sin2 t = 2 + 2 cos t = 2(1 + cos t) = 2x(t)
Thus (C) lies in the cylinder of equation x2 + y 2 = 2x or (x − 1)2 + y 2 = 1 for any z ≥ 0
⃗ 0 = 2⃗i =⇒ P0 (2, 0, 0) is the starting point.
Also notice that ⃗r(0) = OP
dr
2) v(t) = = (− sin t)⃗i + (cos t)⃗j + ⃗k
dt
(− sin t)⃗i + (cos t)⃗j + ⃗k
   
v(t) − sin t ⃗ cos t ⃗ 1
T = = p = √ i+ √ j + √ ⃗k
|v(t)| 2 2
sin t + cos t + 1 2 2 2
r
cos2 t + sin2 t
   
dT − cos t ⃗ − sin t ⃗ dT 1
= √ i+ √ j, hence = =√
dt 2 2 dt 2 2
dT /dt
N= = (− cos t)i + (− sin t)j
|dT /dt|
⃗i ⃗j ⃗k
   
1 1 1 sin t ⃗ cos t 1
B = T × N = − √ sin t √ cos t √ = √ i− √ + √ ⃗k
2 2 2 2 2 2
− cos t − sin t 0

1 dT 1 1 1
3) κ(t) = =√ ×√ =
|v| dt 2 2 2

d d√
4) aT = |v| = 2=0
dt dt
1 √
aN = κ(t)|v|2 = × ( 2)2 = 1
2
Then a = N

4
Exercise 4
The position vector for an exponential spiral is given by ⃗r(t) = [et cos(t)]⃗i + [et sin(t)]⃗j + c⃗k for t ≥ 0
√
1) Show that L(t) = 2(et − 1)
2) Find the curvature κ(t) at any time t ≥ 0
3) Determine the value of c > 0, if initially the curvature is equal to 2.

Solution:
Z t
1) L(t) = |v(τ )|dτ
0
dr
v(t) = = (et cos t − et sin t)⃗i + (et sin t + et cos t)⃗j = et (cos t − sin t)⃗i + et (cos t + sin t)⃗j
dt
p p √
|v| = e2t (cos t − sin t)2 + e2t (cos t + sin t)2 = e2t (1 − 2 cos t + 1 + 2 cos t = 2et
Z t√ √ √
Then, L(t) = 2eτ dτ = 2(et − e0 ) = 2(et − 1)
0

v cos t sin t c
2) T = = √ ⃗i + √ j + √
|v| 2 2 2et
dT − sin t cos t c
= √ + √ −√
dt 2 2 2et
r √
dT sin2 t + cos2 t c2 e2t + c2
= + 2t = √
dt 2 2e 2et
dT √
Thus, κ(t) = |v| = e2t + c2
dt
√ √ √
3) We are given that κ(0) = 2 =⇒ 1 + c2 = 2 =⇒ c = ± 3 =⇒ c = 3

5
Exercise 5
Given ⃗r(t) = (sin t)⃗i + (cos 2t)⃗j + (sin t)⃗k which describes the position of a particle P in space, t > 0
1) Show that P moves on a parabola contained in the plane of equation (Q) : x − z = 0
2) Find the times when P moves perpendicular to the velocity vector.
3) Compute κ(t), the curvature at any time t > 0.
4) Express the acceleration vector as a = aT T + aN N , where T and N are the unit tangent and normal
vectors.

Solution:
1) Since x(t) = z(t), then the movement of P is constrained to the plane (Q) : x − z = 0
Also noticing that y(t) = 1 − 2x2 (t), this shows that P moves on the parabolic cylinder y = 1 − 2x2 .
The intersection of the cylinder with the plane forms a parabola contained in the plane.

2) We need to find t for which r(t) · v(t) = 0

dr
First off, v(t) = = (cos t)⃗i + (−2 sin 2t)⃗j + (cos t)⃗k.
dt
r(t) · v(t) = sin t cos t − 2 cos 2t sin 2t + sin t cos t
= 2 sin t cos t − 2 cos 2t sin 2t
= sin 2t − 2 cos 2t sin 2t = sin 2t(1 − 2 cos 2t) = 0
nπ π π
This is true when t = or t = + nπ or t = − + nπ
2 6 6

|v × a|
3) κ(t) =
|v|3
⃗i ⃗j ⃗k
v × a = cos t −2 sin 2t cos t = (2 sin t sin 2t + 4 cos t cos 2t)⃗i + (−4 cos t cos 2t − 2 sin t sin 2t)⃗k
− sin t −4 cos 2t − sin t
Notice that v × a = (2 sin t sin 2t + 4 cos t cos 2t)(⃗i − ⃗k)
√
(2 sin t sin 2t + 4 cos t cos 2t) 2
Then κ(t) =
(2 cos2 t + 4 sin2 2t)3/2

dp −4 cos t sin t + 16 sin 2t cos 2t −2 cos t sin t + 8 sin 2t cos 2t

4) aT = 2 cos2 t + 4 sin2 2t = p = p
dt 2 2 cos2 t + 4 sin2 2t 2 cos2 t + 4 sin2 2t
√
2 |v × a| 2 |v × a| (2 sin t sin 2t + 4 cos t cos 2t) 2
aN = κ(t)|v| = |v| = =
|v|3
p
|v| 2 cos2 t + 4 sin2 2t
! √ !
−2 cos t sin t + 8 sin 2t cos 2t (2 sin t sin 2t + 4 cos t cos 2t) 2
Then a = p T+ p N
2 cos2 t + 4 sin2 2t 2 cos2 t + 4 sin2 2t

6
Extra Exercises
Exercise 1
Let y = f (x) be a function defined over [a, b] and denote by (C) its curve.
Z bp
Show that the length of (C) is given by L = 1 + (f ′ (x))2 dx
a
√
Apply this for the function f (x) = x over the interval [0, 3]

Exercise 2
√
Consider the position vector ⃗r(t) = ⟨t cos t, t sin t, t⟩ where t > 0
1) Show that the movement is constrained to the paraboloid z = x2 + y 2
2) Find an expression for cos(θ), where θ = (⃗r(t), ⃗v (t))

Exercise 3
A particle moving on a cycloid is governed by the position vector ⃗r(t) = a(t − sin t)⃗i + a(1 − cos t)⃗j
1) Show that the speed |v(t)| = 2a sin( 2t )
2) If a cycle takes t = 2πa, find the length traveled by 1 cycle.
3) Find the TNB frame.
4) Find the curvature κ(t) at any time t.
5) Express a = aT T + aN N
6) Find the stagnation points, where v(t) = 0

LaTeXed by Jawad Ibrahim