College Physics: A Strategic Approach

Fourth Edition

Lecture
Presentation
Chapter 2
Motion in One Dimension

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Suggested Videos for Chapter 2 (1 of 2)
• Prelecture Videos • P hET s

– Motion Along a Line – The Moving Man

– Acceleration – Equation Grapher
– Free Fall
• Figure Video
• Class Videos
– Figure 2.36 – Motion of an
– Motion Along a Straight Line Object in Free Fall

– Motion with Constant A

cceleration

– Free Fall
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Suggested Videos for Chapter 2 (2 of 2)
• Video Tutor Solution • End-of Chapter Video Tutor
Solutions
– Chapter 2 – Time in the Ai
r for a Tossed Ball – Problem 2.35

– Problem 2.47

– Problem 2.57

– Problem 2.61

– Problem 2.67

– Problem 2.75

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Chapter 2 Motion in One Dimension
Chapter Goal: To describe and analyze linear motion.

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Chapter 2 Preview Looking Ahead: Uniform
Motion
• Successive images of the rider are the same distance apart, so the
velocity is constant. This is uniform motion.

• You’ll learn to describe motion in terms of quantities such as

distance and velocity, an important first step in analyzing motion.
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Chapter 2 Preview Looking Ahead:
Acceleration
• A cheetah is capable of very high speeds but, more importantly, it
is capable of a rapid change in speed— a large acceleration.

• You’ll use the concept of acceleration to solve problems of

changing velocity, such as races, or predators chasing prey.
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Chapter 2 Preview Looking Ahead: Free Fall
• When the diver jumps, his motion—both going up and coming
down—is determined by gravity alone. We call this free fall.

• How long does it take the coin to go up and come back down?
This is the type of free-fall problem you’ll learn to solve.
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Chapter 2 Preview Looking Back: Motion
Diagrams
• As you saw in Section 1.6, a good first step in analyzing motion is
to draw a motion diagram, marking the position of an object at
successive times.

• In this chapter, you’ll learn to create motion diagrams for different

types of motion along a line. Drawing pictures like this is a good
staring point for solving problems.

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Chapter 2 Preview Stop to Think (1 of 2)

A bicycle is moving to the left with increasing speed. Which

of the following motion diagrams illustrates this motion?

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Chapter 2 Preview Stop to Think (2 of 2)
• A bicycle is moving to the left with increasing speed. Which of the
following motion diagrams illustrates this motion?

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Reading Questions

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Reading Question 2.1 (1 of 2)
The slope at a point on a position-versus-time graph of an
object is the
A. Object’s speed at that point.
B. Object’s average velocity at that point.
C. Object’s instantaneous velocity at that point.
D. Object’s acceleration at that point.
E. Distance traveled by the object to that point.

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Reading Question 2.1 (2 of 2)
The slope at a point on a position-versus-time graph of an
object is the
C. Object’s instantaneous velocity at that point.

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Reading Question 2.2 (1 of 2)
Which of the following is an example of uniform motion?
A. A car going around a circular track at a constant speed.
B. A person at rest starts running in a straight line in a fixed
direction.
C. A ball dropped from the top of a building.
D. A hockey puck sliding in a straight line at a constant speed.

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Reading Question 2.2 (2 of 2)
Which of the following is an example of uniform motion?
D. A hockey puck sliding in a straight line at a constant speed.

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Reading Question 2.3 (1 of 2)
The area under a velocity-versus-time graph of an object is
A. The object’s speed at that point.
B. The object’s acceleration at that point.
C. The distance traveled by the object.
D. The displacement of the object.
E. This topic was not covered in this chapter.

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Reading Question 2.3 (2 of 2)
The area under a velocity-versus-time graph of an object is
D. The displacement of the object.

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Reading Question 2.4 (1 of 2)
If an object is speeding up,
A. Its acceleration is positive.
B. Its acceleration is negative.
C. Its acceleration can be positive or negative depending
on the direction of motion.

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Reading Question 2.4 (2 of 2)
If an object is speeding up,
C. Its acceleration can be positive or negative depending
on the direction of motion.

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Reading Question 2.5 (1 of 2)
A 1-pound ball and a 100-pound ball are dropped from a
height of 10 feet at the same time. In the absence of air
resistance
A. The 1-pound ball wins the race.
B. The 100-pound ball wins the race.
C. The two balls end in a tie.
D. There’s not enough information to determine which
ball wins the race.

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Reading Question 2.5 (2 of 2)
A 1-pound ball and a 100-pound ball are dropped from a
height of 10 feet at the same time. In the absence of air
resistance
C. The two balls end in a tie.

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Section 2.1 Describing Motion

Prelecture Video: Motion Along a Line

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Representing Position (1 of 3)
• We will use an x-axis to
analyze horizontal motion
and motion on a ramp,
with the positive end to
the right.
• We will use a y-axis to
analyze vertical motion,
with the positive end up.

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Representing Position (2 of 3)
• Every dot in the motion
diagram below
represents the
student’s position at a
particular time.
• The graph shows the
student’s motion as a
graph of x versus t.

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Representing Position (3 of 3)
Table 2.1 Measured positions of a student walking to
school

Time Position Time Position

t (min) x (m) t (min) x (m)
0 0 5 220
1 60 6 240
2 120 7 340
3 180 8 440
4 200 9 540

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From Position to Velocity (1 of 2)
• On a position-versus-
time graph, a faster
speed corresponds to
a steeper slope.

rise x
slope of graph = 
run t
• The slope of an object’s
position-versus-time
graph is the object’s
velocity at that point in
the motion.
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Tactics Box 2.1 Interpreting Position-
Versus-Time Graphs
Information about motion can be obtained from position-versus-time
graphs as follows:
1. Determine an object’s position at time t by reading the graph at
that instant of time.
2. Determine the object’s velocity at time t by finding the slope of the
position graph at that point. Steeper slopes correspond to faster
speeds.
3. Determine the direction of motion by noting the sign of the slope.
Positive slopes correspond to positive velocities and, hence, to
motion to the right (or up). Negative slopes correspond to negative
velocities and, hence, to motion to the left (or down).

Text: p 35age

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From Position to Velocity (2 of 2)
• We can deduce the
velocity-versus-time
graph from the position-
versus-time graph.
• The velocity-versus-time
graph is yet another way
to represent an object’s
motion.

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QuickCheck 2.1 (1 of 2)
Here is a motion diagram of a car moving along a straight road:

Which velocity-versus-time graph matches this motion diagram?

E. None of the above.

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QuickCheck 2.1 (2 of 2)
Here is a motion diagram of a car moving along a straight road:

Which velocity-versus-time graph matches this motion diagram?

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QuickCheck 2.2 (1 of 2)
Here is a motion diagram of a car moving along a straight road:

Which velocity-versus-time graph matches this motion diagram?

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QuickCheck 2.2 (2 of 2)
Here is a motion diagram of a car moving along a straight road:

Which velocity-versus-time graph matches this motion diagram?

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QuickCheck 2.3 (1 of 2)
A graph of position versus time for a basketball player moving
down the court appears as follows:

Which of the following velocity graphs matches the position graph?

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QuickCheck 2.3 (2 of 2)
A graph of position versus time for a basketball player moving
down the court appears as follows:

Which of the following velocity graphs matches the position graph?

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Example 2.2 Finding a Car’s Velocity
from Its Position Graph (1 of 5)
The graph gives the position-
versus-time graph of a car.
a. Draw the car’s velocity-
versus-time graph.
b. Describe the car’s motion in
words.

Strategize We will use the steps from Tactics Box 2.1 to understand
the car’s motion and to draw its velocity-versus-time graph based on its
position graph.
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Example 2.2 Finding a Car’s Velocity
from Its Position Graph (2 of 5)
Prepare The graph is a graphical representation of the motion. The
car’s position-versus-time graph is a sequence of three straight lines.
Each of these straight lines represents uniform motion at a constant
velocity. We can determine the car’s velocity during each interval of
time by measuring the slope of the line.

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Example 2.2 Finding a Car’s Velocity
from Its Position Graph (3 of 5)
Solve a 1. From t = 0 s to t = 2s ( t 2 s) the car’s displacement is
econds

x  4 m  0 m  4 m. The velocity during this interval is

x  4m
vx    2 m/s Graphical representation
t 2s
2. The car’s position does not change
from t = 2 s to t = 4 s ( x 0 m),
econds econds

So, v x 0 m/s.
3. Finally, the displacement between
t = 4 s and t = 6 s ( t 2 s) is x 10 m.
econds

Thus the velocity during this interval is

10 m
Vx  5 m/s
2s
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Example 2.2 Finding a Car’s Velocity
from Its Position Graph (4 of 5)
Solve
b. The velocity-versus-time graph shows the motion in a way that we
can describe in a straightforward manner: The car backs up for 2 s at 2 econds

m /s , sits at rest for 2 s , then drives forward at 5 m /s for 2 s .

eter econds econds eter econds econds

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Example 2.2 Finding a Car’s Velocity
from Its Position Graph (5 of 5)

Assess Notice that the velocity graph and the position

graph look completely different. They should! The value of
the velocity graph at any instant of time equals the slope of
the position graph. Since the position graph is made up of
segments of constant slope, the velocity graph should be
made up of segments of constant value, as it is. This gives
us confidence that the graph we have drawn is correct.

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From Velocity to Position
• We can deduce the
position-versus-time graph
from the velocity-versus-
time graph.
• The sign of the velocity
tells us whether the slope
of the position graph is
positive or negative.
• The magnitude of the
velocity tells us how steep
the slope is.
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QuickCheck 2.4 (1 of 2)
Here is a motion diagram of a car moving along a straight road:

Which position-versus-time graph matches this motion diagram?

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QuickCheck 2.4 (2 of 2)
Here is a motion diagram of a car moving along a straight road:

Which position-versus-time graph matches this motion diagram?

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QuickCheck 2.5 (1 of 2)
A graph of velocity versus time for a hockey puck shot into a goal
appears as follows:

Which of the following position graphs matches the velocity graph?

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QuickCheck 2.5 (2 of 2)
A graph of velocity versus time for a hockey puck shot into a goal
appears as follows:

Which of the following position graphs matches the velocity graph?

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QuickCheck 2.6 (1 of 2)
Which velocity-versus-time graph goes with
this position graph?

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QuickCheck 2.6 (2 of 2)
Which velocity-versus-time graph goes with
this position graph?

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Section 2.2 Uniform Motion

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Uniform Motion
• Straight-line motion in
which equal
displacements occur
during any successive
equal-time intervals is
called uniform motion or
constant-velocity
motion.
• An object’s motion is
uniform if and only if its
position-versus-time
graph is a straight line.
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Equations of Uniform Motion
• The velocity of an object in uniform motion tells us the amount by
which its position changes during each second.

rise x xf  xi
vx   
run t t f  ti

xf  xi  v x t

Position equation for an object in uniform motion (v x is constant)

x v x t

• The displacement x is proportional to the time interval t .

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Mathematical Relationships
• Physics seems densely populated with equations, but
most follow a few basic forms.
• The following graphs have the same overall appearance.
The expressions relate to different physical phenomena,
but all three have the same mathematical relationship:

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Icon graph for a proportional relationship. Proportional Relationships (1 of 3)
We say that y is proportional
to x if they are related by an
equation of the form

y Cx

y is proportional to x

We call C the proportionality constant. A graph of y

versus x is a straight line that passes through the origin.

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Icon graph for a proportional relationship. Proportional Relationships (2 of 3)
Scaling If x has the initial value x1,
then y has the initial value y1 Cx1.
Changing x from x1 to x 2 changes y from
y1 to y 2. The ratio of y 2 to y1 is

Y2 Cx2 x 2
 
Y1 Cx1 x1

The ratio of y 2 to y1 is exactly the same as the ratio of x2 to x11.

If y is proportional to x, which is often written y  x, then x and y change by the
same factor:
• If you double x, you double y.

• If you decrease x by a factor of 3, you decrease y by a factor of 3.

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Icon graph for a proportional relationship. Proportional Relationships (3 of 3)
Scaling If two variables
have a proportional
relationship, we can draw
important conclusions from
ratios without knowing the
value of the proportionality
constant C. We can often
solve problems in a very
straightforward manner by
looking at such ratios. This
is an important skill called
ratio reasoning.
Text: p 39 age

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QuickCheck 2.7 (1 of 2)
Here is a position graph of
an object:
At t = 1.5 s , the object’s
econds

velocity is
A. 40 m /s
eter econds

B. 20 m /s
eter econds

C. 10 m /s eter econds

D.  10 m / s
E. None of the above

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QuickCheck 2.7 (2 of 2)
Here is a position graph of
an object:
At t = 1.5 s , the object’s
econds

velocity is
B. 20 m/s

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Example 2.3 If a Train Leaves Cleveland
at 2:00… (1 of 3)
A train is moving due west at a constant speed. A passenger
notes that it takes 10 minutes to travel 12 k m . How long will it
ilo eters

take the train to travel 60 k m ?

ilo eters

Strategize For an object in uniform motion, the equation:

x v x t

Shows that the distance traveled x proportional to the time

t , so this is a good problem to solve using ratio reasoning.

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Example 2.3 If a Train Leaves Cleveland
at 2:00… (2 of 3)
Prepare We are comparing two cases: the time t1 10
min It takes to travel the distance x1 12 km, and the (unknown) time
t 2 , it will take to travel x2 60 km Ratio reasoning tells us that
x2 / x1 t2 / t1.
x2 60 km
Solve The ratio of the distances is:  5
x1 12 km

This is equal to the ratio of the times:

t 2 t2 x
  2 5 t 2 5 (10 min) 50 min
t1 10 min x1

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Example 2.3 If a Train Leaves Cleveland
at 2:00… (3 of 3)

Solve It takes 10 minutes to travel 12 k m , so it will take

ilo eter

50 minutes—5 times as long—to travel 60 k m . ilo eter

Assess For an object in steady motion, it makes sense

that 5 times the distance requires 5 times the time. We
can see that using ratio reasoning is a straightforward
way to solve this problem. We don’t need to know the
proportionality constant (in this case, the velocity); we
just used ratios of distances and times.

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Example Problem (1 of 3)
A soccer player is 15 m from her opponent’s goal. She
eter

kicks the ball hard so that it can reach the goal in 0.50 s . It econds

flies past a defender who stands 5 m away, and continues

eter

toward the goal. How much time does the defender have to
move into position to block the kick from the moment the
ball leaves the kicker’s foot?

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From Velocity to Position, One More Time
• The displacement x is equal to the area under the velocity graph
during the time interval t .

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QuickCheck 2.8 (1 of 2)
Here is the velocity graph of an
object that is at the origin
(x = 0 m ) at t = 0 s .
eter econds

At t = 4.0 s , the object’s positioneconds

is
A. 20 m eter

B. 16 m eter

C. 12 m eter

D. 8 m eter

E. 4 m eter

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QuickCheck 2.8 (2 of 2)
Here is the velocity graph of
an object that is at the origin
(x = 0 m ) at t = 0 s .
eter econds

At t = 4.0 s , the object’s

econds

position is
C. 12 m eter

Displacement = area
under the curve

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Section 2.3 Instantaneous Velocity

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Instantaneous Velocity (1 of 2)
• For one-dimensional motion,
an object changing its velocity
is either speeding up or
slowing down.
• An object’s velocity—a speed
and a direction—at a specific
instant of time t is called the
object’s instantaneous
velocity.
• From now on, the word
“velocity” will always mean
instantaneous velocity.

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Finding the Instantaneous Velocity (1 of 3)

• If the velocity changes, the position graph is a curved

line. But we can compute a slope at a point by
considering a small segment of the graph. Let’s look at
the motion in a very small time interval right around t =
4.0 s . This is highlighted with a circle, and we show a
econds

closeup in the next graph.

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Finding the Instantaneous Velocity (2 of 3)

• In this magnified segment of the position graph, the curve isn’t

apparent. It appears to be a line segment. We can find the
slope by calculating the rise over the run, just as before:

v x (3.0 m) / (0.20 s) 15 m/s

• This is the slope at t = 4.0 s and thus the velocity at this

econds

instant of time.
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Finding the Instantaneous Velocity (3 of 3)
• Graphically, the slope of the
curve at a point is the same
as the slope of a straight line
drawn tangent to the curve at
that point. Calculating rise
over run for the tangent line,
we get

v x (60 m)/(4.0 s) 15 m/s

• This is the same value we obtained from the closeup view.

The slope of the tangent line is the instantaneous velocity at
that instant of time.
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Instantaneous Velocity (2 of 2)
• Even when the speed varies we can still use the velocity-
versus-time graph to determine displacement.
• The area under the curve in a velocity-versus-time graph
equals the displacement even for non-uniform motion.

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QuickCheck 2.9 (1 of 2)
The slope at a point on a position-versus-time graph of an
object is
A. The object’s speed at that point.
B. The object’s velocity at that point.
C. The object’s acceleration at that point.
D. The distance traveled by the object to that point.
E. I am not sure.

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QuickCheck 2.9 (2 of 2)
The slope at a point on a position-versus-time graph of an
object is
B. The object’s velocity at that point.

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QuickCheck 2.10 (1 of 2)
When do objects 1 and 2 have the same velocity?

A. At some instant before time t0

B. At time t0
C. At some instant after time t0
D. Both A and B
E. Never

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QuickCheck 2.10 (2 of 2)
When do objects 1 and 2 have the same velocity?

A. At some instant before time t0

Same slope at this time

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QuickCheck 2.11 (1 of 2)
Masses P and Q move with the position graphs shown. Do P and Q
ever have the same velocity? If so, at what time or times?

A. P and Q have the same velocity at 2 s . econds

B. P and Q have the same velocity at 1 s and 3 s .

econds econds

C. P and Q have the same velocity at 1 s , 2 s , and 3 s .

econds econds econds

D. P and Q never have the same velocity.

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QuickCheck 2.11 (2 of 2)
Masses P and Q move with the position graphs shown. Do P and Q
ever have the same velocity? If so, at what time or times?

A. P and Q have the same velocity at 2 s . econds

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Example 2.5 Calculating the Displacement of a
Car during a Rapid Start (1 of 3)

The figure below shows the velocity-versus-time graph of a car pulling

away from a stop. How far does the car move during the first 3.0 s?

Strategize The question How far? indicates that we Need to find a

displacement x rather than a position x. Graphically, the
displacement is given by the area under the velocity-versus-time graph.

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Example 2.5 Calculating the Displacement of a
Car during a Rapid Start (2 of 3)

Prepare We need to find the

shaded area in the graph. It is the
area between the straight line of
the velocity graph and the t-axis,
between t1 0 and t f 3.0 s.

Solve The curve in this case is an angled line, so the area is that of
a triangle:

x area of triangle between t 0 s and t 3 s

1 1
 base height= 3 s 12 m/s = 18 m
2 2
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Example 2.5 Calculating the Displacement of a
Car during a Rapid Start (3 of 3)

Solve The car moves 18 m during the first 3 seconds as its velocity
changes from 0 to 12 m/s.
Assess The physically meaningful area is a product of s and m/s, so
x has the proper units of m. Let’s check the numbers to see if they
make physical sense. The final velocity, 12 m /s , is about 25 m p h , eter econd iles er our

which is reasonable from a start in 3 s . If the car had moved at a

econds

constant 12 m /s during these 3 s , the distance would be 36 m . The

eter econds econds eter

actual distance traveled during the 3 s is 18 m —half of 36 m . This

econds eter eter

makes sense, as the velocity was 0 m /s at the start of the problem and
eter econds

increased steadily to 12 m /s .
eter econds

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QuickCheck 2.12 (1 of 2)
A car moves along a straight stretch of road. The following graph shows the
car’s position as a function of time:

At what point (or points) do the following conditions apply?

– The displacement is zero.
– The speed is zero.
– The speed is increasing.
– The speed is decreasing.
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QuickCheck 2.12 (2 of 2)
A car moves along a straight stretch of road. The following graph shows the
car’s position as a function of time:

At what point (or points) do the following conditions apply?

– The displacement is zero. D
– The speed is zero. B, E
– The speed is increasing. C
– The speed is decreasing. A
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Section 2.4 Acceleration

Prelecture Video: Acceleration

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Acceleration
• We define a new motion concept to describe an object
whose velocity is changing
– The ratio of v x / t is the rate of change of velocity.
– The ratio of v x / t is the slope of a velocity-versus
-time graph.
v x
ax 
t

Definition of acceleration as the rate of change of velocity

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Units of Acceleration
• In our SI unit of velocity, • Every second, the Corvette’s
60 m p h = 27 m/s.
iles er our
velocity changes by 7.5 m/s.

• The Corvette speeds up • It is customary to abbreviate the

27 m/s in t 3.6 s. 2
acceleration units (m/s)/s as m/s ,
v 27 m/s m/s which we say as “meters per
aCorvette x  x  7.5 second squared.”
t 3.6 s s
Table 2.2 Performance data for vehicles
Time to go from
Vehicle 0 to 60 m p h iles er our

2016 Chevy Corvette 3.6 s econds

2016 Chevy Sonic 9.0 s econds

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Example 2.6 Animal Acceleration BIO (1 of 2)
Lions, like most predators, are capable of very rapid starts. From
rest, a lion can sustain an acceleration of 9.5 m/s2 , for up to one
second. How much time does it take a lion to go from rest to a typical
recreational runner’s top speed of 10 miles per hour?
Strategize The lion’s speed increases by 9.5 m/s2 , each second.
Once we know the runner’s speed in m /s , we will calculate the time it
eter econds

would take for the lion to reach that speed.

Prepare We start by converting to SI units. The speed the lion must
reach is:

0.45 m/s
v f 10 mph  4.5 m/s
1.0 mph

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Example 2.6 Animal Acceleration BIO (2 of 2)
2
Prepare The lion can accelerate at 9.5 m/s , changing its speed by 9.5 m /s eter econd

per second, for only 1.0 s—long enough to reach 9.5 m /s . It will take the lion
eter econds

less than 1.0 s to reach 4.5 m/s, so we can use ax 9.5 m/s2,
econds

in our solution.

Solve We know the acceleration and the desired change in velocity, so we can
rearrange Equation 2.8 to find the time:

Vx 45 m/s
t   2
0.47s
ax 9.5 m/s

Assess The lion changes its speed by 9.5 meters per second in one second.
So it’s reasonable (if a bit intimidating) that it will reach 4.5 m/s in just under
half a second.

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Representing Acceleration (1 of 2)
Velocity of Velocity of
Time Sonic: Corvette
(s )
econds(m /s )
eter (meter/s )
ecods econds

0 0 0
1 3.0 7.5
2 6.0 15.0
3 9.0 22.5
4. 12.0 30.0

• An object’s acceleration is the slope of its velocity-versus-

time graph.

• Class Video: Motion Along a Straight Line

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Representing Acceleration (2 of 2)
• We can find an acceleration graph from a velocity graph.

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QuickCheck 2.13 (1 of 2)

A particle has velocity v1 as it moves from point 1 to point 2.

The acceleration is shown. What is its velocity vector v 2 as it
moves away from point 2?

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QuickCheck 2.13 (2 of 2)

A particle has velocity v1 as it moves from point 1 to point 2.

The acceleration is shown. What is its velocity vector v 2 as it
moves away from point 2?

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QuickCheck 2.14 (1 of 2)

The motion diagram shows a particle that is slowing down.

The sign of the position x and the sign of the velocity
Vx are:

A. Position is positive, velocity is positive.

B. Position is positive, velocity is negative.
C. Position is negative, velocity is positive.
D. Position is negative, velocity is negative.
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QuickCheck 2.14 (2 of 2)

The motion diagram shows a particle that is slowing down.

The sign of the position x and the sign of the velocity
Vx are:

B. Position is positive, velocity is negative.

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Example Problem (2 of 3)
A ball moving to the right traverses the ramp shown below.
Sketch a graph of the velocity versus time, and, directly
below it, using the same scale for the time axis, sketch a
graph of the acceleration versus time.

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The Sign of the Acceleration (1 of 2)
• An object can The object is moving to right, so The object is moving to left, so
move right or left v x  0. Because it is speeding up, v x  0. Because it is slowing
(or up or down) down, its acceleration
its acceleration vector points
while either vector points opposite to its
in the same direction as its
speeding up or velocity (i.e., to the right), so
velocity (i.e., to the right), so
slowing down.
ax  0. ax  0.
Whether or not an
object that is
slowing down has
a negative
acceleration
depends on the
direction of motion.

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The Sign of the Acceleration (2 of 2)
• An object can The object is moving to the right, so The object is moving to the left, so
move right or v x  0. Because it is slowing v x  0. Because it is speed up,
left (or up or
down) while down, Its acceleration vector its acceleration vector points
either speeding points opposite to its velocity in the same direction as its
up or slowing (i.e., to the left), so velocity (i.e., to the left) so
down. Whether ax  0. ax  0.
or not an
object that is
slowing down
has a negative
acceleration
depends on
the direction of
motion.

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QuickCheck 2.15 (1 of 2)

The motion diagram shows a particle that is slowing down.

The sign of the acceleration ax is:

A. Acceleration is positive.
B. Acceleration is negative.

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QuickCheck 2.15 (2 of 2)

The motion diagram shows a particle that is slowing down.

The sign of the acceleration ax is:

A. Acceleration is positive.

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QuickCheck 2.16 (1 of 2)
A cyclist riding at 20 m p h sees a stop sign and actually
iles er our

comes to a complete stop in 4 s . He then, in 6 s , returns to

econds econds

a speed of 15 m p h. Which is his motion diagram?

iles er o

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QuickCheck 2.16 (2 of 2)
A cyclist riding at 20 m p h sees a stop sign and actually
iles er our

comes to a complete stop in 4 s . He then, in 6 s , returns to

econds econds

a speed of 15 m p h. Which is his motion diagram?

iles er o

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QuickCheck 2.17 (1 of 2)
These four motion diagrams show the motion of a particle along the x-
axis.
1. Which motion diagrams correspond to a positive acceleration?
2. Which motion diagrams correspond to a negative acceleration

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QuickCheck 2.17 (2 of 2)
These four motion diagrams show the motion of a particle along the x-
axis.
1. Which motion diagrams correspond to a positive acceleration?
2. Which motion diagrams correspond to a negative acceleration

Positive

Negative

Positive

Negative
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QuickCheck 2.18 (1 of 2)
Mike jumps out of a tree and lands on a trampoline. The
trampoline sags 2 feet before launching Mike back into the air.

At the very bottom, where the sag is the greatest, Mike’s

acceleration is
A. Upward.
B. Downward.
C. Zero.

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QuickCheck 2.18 (2 of 2)
Mike jumps out of a tree and lands on a trampoline. The
trampoline sags 2 feet before launching Mike back into the air.

At the very bottom, where the sag is the greatest, Mike’s

acceleration is
A. Upward.

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QuickCheck 2.19 (1 of 2)
A cart slows down while moving away
from the origin. What do the position
and velocity graphs look like?

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QuickCheck 2.19 (2 of 2)
A cart slows down while moving away
from the origin. What do the position
and velocity graphs look like?

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QuickCheck 2.20 (1 of 2)
A cart speeds up toward the origin.
What do the position and velocity
graphs look like?

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QuickCheck 2.20 (2 of 2)
A cart speeds up toward the origin.
What do the position and velocity
graphs look like?

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QuickCheck 2.21 (1 of 2)
A cart speeds up while moving away
from the origin. What do the velocity
and acceleration graphs look like?

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QuickCheck 2.21 (2 of 2)
A cart speeds up while moving away
from the origin. What do the velocity
and acceleration graphs look like?

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QuickCheck 2.22 (1 of 2)
Here is a motion diagram of a car speeding up on a straight road:

The sign of the acceleration ax is

A. Positive.
B. Negative.
C. Zero.

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QuickCheck 2.22 (2 of 2)
Here is a motion diagram of a car speeding up on a straight road:

The sign of the acceleration ax is

B. Negative.

Speeding up means v x and a x have the same sign.

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QuickCheck 2.23 (1 of 2)
A cart slows down while
moving away from the origin.
What do the velocity and
acceleration graphs look like?

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QuickCheck 2.23 (2 of 2)
A cart slows down while
moving away from the origin.
What do the velocity and
acceleration graphs look like?

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QuickCheck 2.24 (1 of 2)
A cart speeds up while moving
toward the origin. What do the
velocity and acceleration graphs
look like?

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QuickCheck 2.24 (2 of 2)
A cart speeds up while moving
toward the origin. What do the
velocity and acceleration graphs
look like?

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QuickCheck 2.25 (1 of 2)
Which velocity-versus-time graph goes
with this acceleration graph?

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QuickCheck 2.25 (2 of 2)
Which velocity-versus-time graph goes
with this acceleration graph?

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Section 2.5 Motion with Constant
Acceleration

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Motion with Constant Acceleration
• We can use the slope of the graph in the velocity graph
to determine the acceleration of the rocket.
Vy 27 m/s
ay   18 m/s2
t 1.5s

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Constant Acceleration Equations (1 of 5)
• We can use the acceleration to find (Vx )f at a later time t f .

Vx (Vx )f  (Vx )i

ax  
t t

(Vx )f ( Vx )i  ax t

Velocity equation for an object with constant acceleration

• We have expressed this equation for motion along the x-

axis, but it is a general result that will apply to any axis.

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Constant Acceleration Equations (2 of 5)
• The velocity-versus-time graph for constant-acceleration motion is a
straight line with value (Vx )i at time ti and slope ax .
• The displacement x
during a time interval t
is the area under the
velocity-versus-time graph
shown in the shaded area
of the figure.

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Constant Acceleration Equations (3 of 5)

• The shaded area can be subdivided into a rectangle and a

triangle. Adding these areas gives
1
xf  xi  (Vx )i t  ax ( t )2
2
Position equation for an object with constant acceleration
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Constant Acceleration Equations (4 of 5)
• Combining Equation 2.11 with Equation 2.12 gives us a
relationship between displacement and velocity:

(Vx )2f (Vx )i2  2ax x

Relative velocity and displacement for constant-acceleration

motion.

• x in the equation is the displacement (not the distance!).

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Constant Acceleration Equations (5 of 5)
For motion with constant
acceleration:

• Velocity changes steadily:

• The position changes as the

square of the time interval:

• We can also express the

change in velocity in terms
of distance, not time:

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Icon graph for a Quadratic relationship. Quadratic Relationships (1 of 2)
Two quantities are said to have a
quadratic relationship if y is
proportional to the square of x. We
write the mathematical relationship as
y  Ax 2
2
y is proportional to x

The graph of a quadratic relationship

is a parabola.
Scaling If x has the initial x1 then y has the initial value
yvalue
1  A( x1 )
2
Changing x from x1 to x 2 changes y from y1 to y 2 .
22
y 2 A( x 2 )22  x 22 
The ratio of y 2 to y1 is  22
 
y1 A( x1 )  x11 
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Icon graph for a Quadratic relationship. Quadratic Relationships (2 of 2)
Scaling The ratio of y 2 to y1

is the square of the ratio of x2 to x1.

If y is a quadratic function of x, a
change in x by some factor changes
y by the square of that factor:
• If you increase x by a factor of 2,
you increase y by a factor of 22 4.
• If you decrease x by a factor of 3, you decrease y by a factor 32 9.
of
Generally, we can say that:
Changing x by a factor of c changes y by a factor of c 2 .
• PhET: Equation Grapher Text: p 50
age

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Example 2.8 Coming to a Stop in a Car (1 of 4)

As you drive in your car at 15 m /s (just a bit under 35 m p h ), you

eter econds iles er our

see a child’s ball roll into the street ahead of you. You hit the
brakes and stop as quickly as you can. In this case, you come to
rest in 1.5 s . How far does your car travel as you brake to a
econds

stop?

Strategize The problem states that your car begins to slow down
when you hit the brakes; we’ll model this as constant acceleration
motion. We know the initial and final speeds, and we want to find
the distance traveled. These observations suggest that we use
Equation 2.12 of Synthesis 2.1:

1
xf  xi  (Vx )i t  axx ( t )22
2
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Example 2.8 Coming to a Stop in a Car (2 of 4)

Prepare The problem gives us a description of motion in

words. To help us visualize the situation, the figure below
illustrates the key features of the motion with a motion
diagram and a velocity graph. The graph is based on the
car slowing from 15 m /s to 0 m /s in 1.5 s .
eter econds eter econds econds

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Example 2.8 Coming to a Stop in a Car (3 of 4)
Solve We’ve assumed that your car is moving to the right, so its initial
velocity is (v x )i 15 m / s. After you come to rest, your final velocity is
(v x )f 0 m / s. We use the definition of acceleration from Synthesis 2.1:
v x (v x )f  (v x )i 0 m/s  15 m/s
ax     10 m/s22
t t 1.5 s

Now that we know the acceleration, we can compute the distance that
the car moves as it comes to rest using the second constant
acceleration equation in Synthesis 2.1:
1
x f  xi (v x )i t  ax ( t )2
2
1
 (15 m/s)(1.5 s)+ (  10 m/s 2 )(1.5 s)2 11 m
2
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Example 2.8 Coming to a Stop in a Car (4 of 4)
Assess 11 m is a little over 35 feet. That’s a reasonable distance for a
eter

quick stop while traveling at about 35 m p h .

iles er our

We found that the acceleration a x is negative. This makes sense from

two perspectives. First, as we learned, an object moving to the right
and slowing down has a negative acceleration. Second, the slope of
the velocity graph in figure below is negative, again indicating a
negative acceleration.

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Example Problem: Reaching New Heights

Spud Webb, height 5'7" was one of the shortest basketball

players to play in the NBA. But he had in impressive
vertical leap; he was reputedly able to jump 110 c m off the enti eter

ground.
To jump this high, with what speed would he leave the
ground?

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Example 2.9 Finding the Displacement of a
Drag Racer (1 of 2)

A drag racer, starting from rest, travels 6.0 m in 1.0 s . eter econds

Suppose the car continues this acceleration for an

additional 4.0 s . How far from the starting line will the car
econds

be?
Strategize We assume that the acceleration is constant.
Because the initial position and velocity are zero, the
displacement will then scale as the square of the time; we
can then use ratio reasoning to solve the problem.
Prepare After 1.0 s , the car has traveled 6.0 m ; after
econds eter

another 4.0 s , a total of 5.0 s will have elapsed.

econds econds

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Example 2.9 Finding the Displacement of a
Drag Racer (2 of 2)

Solve The initial elapsed time was 1.0 s, so the elapsed time
increases by a factor of 5. The displacement thus
increases by a factor of 52 , or 25. The total displacement is:

x 25(6.0 m) 150 m

Assess This is a big distance in a short time, but drag racing

is a fast sport, so our answer makes sense.

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Section 2.6 Solving One-Dimensional
Motion Problems

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Problem-Solving Approach (1 of 8)
The first step in solving a seemingly complicated problem is
to break it down into a series of smaller steps. In worked
examples in the text, we use a problem-solving approach
that consists of four steps: strategize, prepare, solve, and
assess. Each of these steps has important elements that
you should follow when you solve problems on your own.

Text: p 51 age

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Problem-Solving Approach (2 of 8)
Strategize The Strategize step of the solution is where you
address the big-picture questions about the problem.
Here, you take a step back from the details of the problem
to ask:
• What kind of problem is this? From reading the
problem statement, try to categorize the problem in terms
of what you’ve learned in the chapter. If, for instance, the
problem refers to a bicyclist riding at a constant 7.0 m /s , eter econds

this suggests the problem is about uniform motion.

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Problem-Solving Approach (3 of 8)
Strategize
• What’s the correct general approach? What principles,
strategies, and tactics that you’ve learned are relevant in
solving this problem? For example, if you’re given a
position-versus-time graph and are asked to find the
velocity, the principle that the velocity is related to the
slope of the position graph is likely to be important.
• What should the answer look like? Is a numerical
answer asked for? Do you need a graph or a sketch?

Text: p 51 age

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Problem-Solving Approach (4 of 8)
Prepare The Prepare step of a solution is where you
identify important elements of the problem and collect
information. It’s tempting to jump right to the Solve step,
but a skilled problem solver spends the most time on
preparation, which includes:
• Drawing a picture. This is often the most important part
of a problem. The picture lets you model the problem
and identify the important elements. As you add
information to your picture, the outline of the solution will
take shape. For the problems in this chapter, a picture
could be a motion diagram or a graph—or perhaps both.

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Problem-Solving Approach (5 of 8)
Prepare
• Collecting necessary information. The problem’s
statement may give you some values of variables. Other
information may be implied, or looked up in a table, or
estimated or measured.
• Doing preliminary calculations. Some calculations,
such as unit conversions, are best done in advance.

Text: p 51 age

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Problem-Solving Approach (6 of 8)
Solve The Solve step of a solution is where you actually
do the mathematics or reasoning necessary to arrive at
the answer. This is the part of the problem-solving
approach that you likely think of as “solving problems.”
The Strategize and Prepare steps help you be certain you
understand the problem before you start putting numbers
in equations.

Text: p 51 age

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Problem-Solving Approach (7 of 8)
Assess The Assess step of your solution is very important.
Once you have an answer, you should check to see
whether it makes sense. Ask yourself:
• Does my solution answer the question that was
asked? Make sure you have addressed all parts of the
question and clearly written down your solutions.
• Does my answer have the correct units and number
of significant figures?

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Problem-Solving Approach (8 of 8)
Assess
• Does the value I computed make physical sense? In
this book all calculations use physically reasonable
numbers. If your answer seems unreasonable, go back
and check your work.
• Can I estimate what the answer should be to check
my solution?
• Does my final solution make sense in the context of
the material I am learning?

Text: p 51 age

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Tactics Box 2.2 Drawing a Pictorial
Representation (1 of 2)

1. Sketch the situation. Not just any sketch: Show the

object at the beginning of the motion, at the end, and
at any point where the character of the motion changes.
Very simple drawings are adequate.
2. Establish a coordinate system. Select your axes and
origin to match the motion.
3. Define symbols. Use the sketch to define symbols
representing quantities such as position, velocity,
acceleration, and time. Every variable used later in the
mathematical solution should be defined on the sketch.

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Tactics Box 2.2 Drawing a Pictorial
Representation (2 of 2)

We will generally combine the pictorial representation with

a list of values. In this list, you should:
4. List the known information. Make a table of the
quantities whose values you can determine from the
problem statement or that you can find quickly with
simple geometry or unit conversions.
5. Identify the desired unknowns. What quantity or
quantities will allow you to answer the question?

Text: p 52 age

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The Visual Overview
• The visual overview will consist of some or all of the following
elements:
– A motion diagram. A good approach for solving a motion
problem is to start by drawing a motion diagram.
– A pictorial representation, as defined above.
– A list of values. This list should sum up all of the
important values in the problem.
– A graphical representation. For motion problems, it is
often quite useful to include a graph of position and/or
velocity.
− Class Video: Motion with Constant Acceleration

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Example 2.11 Kinematics of a Rocket
Launch (1 of 5)
A Saturn V rocket is launched straight up with a constant
2
acceleration of 18 m/s . After 150 s, how fast is the rocket
moving and how far has it traveled?
Strategize We are given the acceleration and the time interval,
suggesting that this is a constant-acceleration problem. We will
find the velocity from Equation 2.11 and the position from
Equation 2.12:

(v y )f (v y )i  ay t
1
y f y i  (v y )i t  ay t 2
2

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Example 2.11 Kinematics of a Rocket
Launch (2 of 5)

Prepare The figure below shows a visual overview of the

rocket launch that includes a motion diagram, a pictorial
representation, and a list of values. The visual overview
shows the whole problem in a nutshell. The motion diagram
illustrates the motion of the rocket.

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Example 2.11 Kinematics of a Rocket
Launch (3 of 5)

Prepare The pictorial representation (produced according

to Tactics Box 2.2) shows axis, identifies the important
points of the motion, and defines variables. Finally, we
include a list of values that gives the known and unknown
quantities.

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Example 2.11 Kinematics of a Rocket
Launch (4 of 5)

Prepare In the visual overview we have taken the

statement of the problem in words and made it much more
precise. The overview contains everything you need to
know about the problem.
Solve Our first task is to find the final velocity. Our list of
values includes the initial velocity, the acceleration, and the
time interval, so we can use the first kinematic equation of
Synthesis 2.1 to find the final velocity:

(v y )f (v y )i  ay t 0 m/s+(18 m/s 2 )(150 s)

2700 m/s

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Example 2.11 Kinematics of a Rocket
Launch (5 of 5)

Solve The distance traveled is found using the second

equation in Synthesis 2.1:
1
y f y i  (v y )i t  ay ( t )2
2
1
0 m+(0 m/s)(150 s)+ (18 m/s 2 )(150 s)2
2
2.0 105 m 200 km

Assess The acceleration is very large, and it goes on for a

long time, so the large final velocity and large distance
traveled seem reasonable.

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Problem-Solving Approach 2.1
Motion with Constant Acceleration (1 of 2)

Problems involving constant acceleration—speeding up, slowing

down, vertical motion, horizontal motion—can all be treated with
the same problem-solving approach.
Strategize Identify the problem as one involving constant-
acceleration motion: Look for statements that give the
acceleration or indicate that the speed or velocity of an object is
changing. Free-fall problems, discussed in the next section, are
always constant-acceleration problems. Solve constant-
acceleration problems using the ideas in Synthesis 2.1.
Prepare Draw a visual overview of the problem. This should
include a motion diagram, a pictorial representation, and a list of
values; a graphical representation may be useful for certain
problems.
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Problem-Solving Approach 2.1
Motion with Constant Acceleration (2 of 2)
Solve The mathematical solution is based on the three constant-
acceleration equations in Synthesis 2.1.
• Though the equations are phrased in terms of the variable x, it’s
customary to use y for motion in the vertical direction.
• Use the equation that best matches what you know and what you
need to find. For example, if you know acceleration and time and are
looking for a change in velocity, the first equation is the best one to
use.
• Uniform motion with constant velocity has a = 0.

Assess Is your result believable? Does it have proper units? Does it

make sense?

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Example 2.12 Calculating the Minimum
Length of a Runway (1 of 6)
A fully loaded Boeing 747 with all engines at full thrust
accelerates at 2.6 m/s2. Its minimum takeoff speed
is 70 m /s . How much time will the plane take to reach its
eter econds

takeoff speed? What minimum length of runway does the

plane require for takeoff?
Strategize The acceleration of the plane is given, which
directly tells us that this is a constant-acceleration
problem. We’ll need to use material from Synthesis 2.1.

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Example 2.12 Calculating the Minimum
Length of a Runway (2 of 6)
Prepare The visual overview of the figure summarizes the
important details of the problem. We set xi and ti equal
to zero at the starting point of the motion, when the plane is at
rest and the acceleration begins.

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Example 2.12 Calculating the Minimum
Length of a Runway (3 of 6)

Prepare The final point of the motion is when the plane

achieves the necessary takeoff speed of 70 m /s . The plane eter econds

is accelerating to the right, so we will compute the time for

the plane to reach a velocity of 70 m /s and the position of
eter econds

the plane at this time, giving us the minimum length of the

runway.

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Example 2.12 Calculating the Minimum
Length of a Runway (4 of 6)
Solve First we solve for the time required for the plane to reach
takeoff speed. We can use the first equation in Synthesis 2.1 to
compute this time:

(v x )f (v x )i  ax t
70 m/s 0 m/s  (2.6 m/s 2 )t
70 m/s
t  2
26.9 s
2.6 m/s

We keep an extra significant figure here because we will use this

result in the next step of the calculation.

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Example 2.12 Calculating the Minimum
Length of a Runway (5 of 6)

Solve Given the time that the plane takes to reach takeoff
speed, we can compute the position of the plane when it
reaches this speed using the second equation in Synthesis
2.1:

1
x f  xi  (v x )i t  ax ( t )2
2
1
0 m  (0 m/s)(26.9 s)+ (2.6 m/s 2 )(26.9 s) 2
2
940 m

Our final answers are thus that the plane will take 27 s to econds

reach takeoff speed, with a minimum runway length of 940 m . eter

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Example 2.12 Calculating the Minimum
Length of a Runway (6 of 6)

Assess Think about the last time you flew; 27 s seems econds

like a reasonable time for a plane to accelerate on takeoff.

Actual runway lengths at major airports are 3000 m or eter

more, a few times greater than the minimum length,

because they have to allow for emergency stops during an
aborted takeoff. (If we had calculated a distance far
greater than 3000 m , we would know we had done
eter

something wrong!)

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Example Problem: Champion Jumper BIO
The African antelope known as a
springbok will occasionally jump
straight up into the air, a movement
known as a pronk. The speed
when leaving the ground can be as
high as 7.0 m /s .
eter econds

If a springbok leaves the ground at 7.0 m /s : eter econds

A. How much time will it take to reach its highest point?

B. How long will it stay in the air?
C. When it returns to earth, how fast will it be moving?

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Section 2.7 Free Fall

Prelecture Video: Free Fall

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Free Fall (1 of 5)
• If an object moves under the influence of gravity only, and
no other forces, we call the resulting motion free fall.
• All objects in free fall, regardless of their mass, have
the same acceleration.
• On the earth, air resistance is a factor. For now we will
restrict our attention to situations in which air resistance
can be ignored.

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Free Fall (2 of 5)

Apollo 15 lunar astronaut David Scott performed a classic

experiment on the moon, simultaneously dropping a
hammer and a feather from the same height. Both hit the
ground at the exact same time—something that would not
happen in the atmosphere of the earth!
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Free Fall (3 of 5)
• The figure shows the motion diagram for an object that was released
from rest and falls freely. The diagram and the graph would be the
same for all falling objects.

• Figure 2.36 Video: Motion of an Object in Free Fall

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Free Fall (4 of 5)
• The free-fall acceleration always points down, no matter what
direction an object is moving.
• Any object moving under the influence of gravity only, and no other
force, is in free fall.
• The value of free-fall varies slightly at different places on the earth,
but for calculations in this course we will use the following average
value:

a free fall (9.80 m/s2,vertically downwards)

Standard value for the acceleration of an object in free fall

• Class Video: Free Fall

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Free Fall (5 of 5)
• g, by definition, is always positive. There will never be a problem
that uses a negative value for g.
• Even though a falling object speeds up, it has negative acceleration
(ay  g ).

• Because free fall is motion with constant acceleration, we can use

the kinematic equations for constant acceleration with
(ay  g ).

• g is not called “gravity.” g is the free-fall acceleration.

• g 9.80 m/s2 only on earth. Other planets have different values of g.
• We will sometimes compute acceleration in units of g.

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QuickCheck 2.26 (1 of 2)
A ball is tossed straight up in the air. At its very highest
point, the ball’s instantaneous acceleration ay is

A. Positive.
B. Negative.
C. Zero.

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QuickCheck 2.26 (2 of 2)
A ball is tossed straight up in the air. At its very highest
point, the ball’s instantaneous acceleration ay is

B. Negative.

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QuickCheck 2.27 (1 of 2)
An arrow is launched vertically upward. It
moves straight up to a maximum height,
then falls to the ground. The trajectory of
the arrow is noted. At which point of the
trajectory is the arrow’s acceleration the
greatest? The least? Ignore air resistance;
the only force acting is gravity.

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QuickCheck 2.27 (2 of 2)
An arrow is launched vertically upward. It
moves straight up to a maximum height,
then falls to the ground. The trajectory of
the arrow is noted. At which point of the
trajectory is the arrow’s acceleration the
greatest? The least? Ignore air
resistance; the only force acting is
gravity.

Same at all points.

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QuickCheck 2.28 (1 of 2)
An arrow is launched vertically upward. It moves straight
up to a maximum height, then falls to the ground. The
trajectory of the arrow is noted. Which graph best
represents the vertical velocity of the arrow as a function of
time? Ignore air resistance; the only force acting is gravity.

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QuickCheck 2.28 (2 of 2)
An arrow is launched vertically upward. It moves straight up to a
maximum height, then falls to the ground. The trajectory of the arrow is
noted. Which graph best represents the vertical velocity of the arrow as
a function of time? Ignore air resistance; the only force acting is gravity.

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Example 2.14 Analyzing a Rock’s Fall (1 of 3)
A heavy rock is dropped from rest at the top of a cliff and falls 100 m before
hitting the ground. How long does the rock take to fall to the ground, and what
is its velocity when it hits?

Strategize This is a free-fall problem, so it is a constant acceleration problem

with ay  g. We will use the

constant acceleration
equations from Synthesis 2.1.
Prepare Figure 2.36 shows
a visual overview with all
necessary data. We have
placed the origin at the
ground, which makes
y i 100 m.

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Example 2.14 Analyzing a Rock’s Fall (2 of 3)
Solve The first question involves a relation between time and distance,
a relation expressed by the second equation in Synthesis 2.1. Using
(v y )i 0 m/s and ti 0 s, we find

1 1 1
y f  y i  (v y )i t  ay ( t )2  y i  g ( t )2 y i  gt f2
2 2 2
2( y i  y f ) 2(100 m  0 m)
We can now solve for tf : tf   2
4.52 s
g 9.80 m/s

Now that we know the fall time, we can use the first kinematic equation
to find (v y )f : (v y )f (v y )i  g t  gt f  (9.80 m/s2 )(4.52 s)
 44.3 m/s

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Example 2.14 Analyzing a Rock’s Fall (3 of 3)
Assess Are the answers reasonable? Well, 100 m is about 300 feet,
which is about the height of a 30-floor building. How long does it take
something to fall 30 floors? Four or five seconds seems pretty
reasonable. How fast would it be going at the bottom? Using an
approximate version of our conversion factor
1 m/s 2 mph we find that 44.3 m/s
m/s 90
90 mph.
mph. That also seems like a
pretty reasonable speed for something that has fallen 30 floors.
Suppose we had made a mistake. If we misplaced a decimal point we
could have calculated a speed of 443 m/s, or about 900 mph! This is
clearly not reasonable. If we had misplaced the decimal point in the
direction, we would have calculated a speed of 4.3 m/s 9 mph.
This is another unreasonable result, because this is slower than a
typical bicycling speed.

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Example 2.16 Finding the Height of a
Leap BIO (1 of 9)
A springbok is an antelope found in
southern Africa that gets its name from
its remarkable jumping ability. When a
springbok is startled, it will leap
straight up into the air—a maneuver
called a “pronk.” A springbok goes into
a crouch to perform a pronk. It then
extends its legs forcefully,
accelerating at 35 m/s2 for 70 m
as its legs straighten. Legs fully extended, it leaves the
ground and rises into the air.
a. At what speed does the springbok leave the ground?
b. How high does it go?
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Example 2.16 Finding the Height of a
Leap BIO (2 of 9)
Strategize his is a two-part problem. In the first phase of its motion, the
springbok accelerates upward, reaching some maximum speed just as
it leaves the ground. As soon as it does so, the springbok is subject to
only the force of gravity, so it is in free fall. For both phases, we will use
the constant-acceleration equations from Synthesis 2.1.

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Example 2.16 Finding the Height of a
Leap BIO (3 of 9)
Prepare We begin with the visual overview shown in our figure, where
we’ve identified two different phases of the motion: the springbok
pushing off the ground and the springbok rising into the air. We’ll treat
these as two separate problems that we solve in turn. We will “re-use”
the variables v i ,v f ,(v y )i , and (v y )f for the two phases of the motion.

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Example 2.16 Finding the Height of a
Leap BIO (4 of 9)

Prepare For the first part of our solution, in our first figure,
we choose the origin of the y-axis at the position of the
springbok deep in the crouch. The final position is the top
extent of the push, at the instant the springbok leaves the
ground. We want to find the velocity at this position
because that’s how fast the springbok is moving as it
leaves the ground.
After the springbok leaves the ground, this is a free-fall
problem. We want to know the height of the leap, so we
are looking for the feight at the top point of the motion
where the instantaneous velocity is equal to zero.

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Example 2.16 Finding the Height of a
Leap BIO (5 of 9)
Solve a. For the first phase, pushing off
the ground, we have information about
displacement, initial velocity, and
acceleration, but we don’t know anything
about the time interval. The third
equation in Synthesis 2.1 is perfect for
this type of situation. We can rearrange
it to solve for the velocity with which the
springbok lifts off the ground:

(v y )f 2 (v y )i2  2ay y (0 m/s)2  2(35 m/s2 )(0.70 m) 49 m2 / s2

(v y )f  49 m2 / s2 7.0 m/s

The springbok leaves the ground with a speed of 7.0 m /s . eter econds

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Example 2.16 Finding the Height of a
Leap BIO (6 of 9)
Prepare Figure 2.39b essentially
starts over—we have defined a
new vertical axis with its origin at
the ground, so the highest point
of the springbok’s motion is a
distance above the ground. The
table of values shows the key
piece of information for this
second part of the problem: The
initial velocity for part b is the final
velocity from part a.

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Example 2.16 Finding the Height of a
Leap BIO (7 of 9)
Prepare After the springbok leaves the ground, this is a free-fall
problem because the springbok is moving under the influence of
gravity only. We want to know the height of the leap, so we are looking
for the height at the top point of the motion. This is a turning point of
the motion, with the instantaneous velocity equal to zero. Thus y f ,
the height of the leap, is the springbok’s position at the instant (v y )f 0.

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Example 2.16 Finding the Height of a
Leap BIO (8 of 9)
Solve b. Now we are ready for the second phase of the motion, the
vertical motion after leaving the ground. The third equation in Synthesis
2.1 is again appropriate because again we don’t know the time. Because
y i 0, the springbok’s displacement is  y  y f  y i y f , the height of

the vertical leap. From part a, the initial velocity is (v y )i 7.0 m/s,
and the final velocity is (v y )f 0. This is free-fall motion, with ay  g;
2 2 2
thus (v y )f (v y )i  2g y (v y )i  2gy f
2
Which gives (v y )i 2gy f
Solving for y f , we get a jump height of
(7.0 m / s)2
yf  2
2.5 m
2(9.8 m / s )

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Example 2.16 Finding the Height of a
Leap BIO (9 of 9)

Assess 2.5 m is a remarkable leap—a bit over 8 f t—but ee

these animals are known for their jumping ability, so this

seems reasonable.

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Example Problem (3 of 3)
Passengers on the Giant Drop, a free-fall ride at Six Flags
Great America, sit in cars that are raised to the top of a
tower. The cars are then released for 2.6 s of free fall. How
econds

fast are the passengers moving at the end of this speeding

up phase of the ride? If the cars in which they ride then
come to rest in a time of 1.0 s , what is the acceleration
econds

(magnitude and direction) of this slowing down phase of the

ride? Given these numbers, what is the minimum possible
height of the tower?

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Summary

Video Tutor Solution Chapter 2: Time in the Air for a Tos

sed Ball

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Summary: General Strategies (1 of 2)
Problem-Solving Approach
Our general problem-solving approach has four parts:
Prepare Set up the problem:
• Draw a picture.
• Collect necessary information.
• Do preliminary calculations.

Solve Do the necessary mathematics or reasoning.

Assess Check your answer to see if it is complete in all
details and makes physical sense.

Text: p 61
age

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Summary: General Strategies (2 of 2)
Visual Overview
A visual overview consists of several parts that completely specify a
problem. This may include any or all of the elements below:

Text: p 61
age

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Summary: Important Concepts (1 of 3)
Velocity is the rate of change of position:
x
vx 
t
v x
Acceleration is the rate of change of velocity: ax 
t
The units of acceleration are m / s2 .

An object is speeding up if v x and ax have the same sign,

slowing down if they have opposite signs.

Text: p 61 age

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Summary: Important Concepts (2 of 3)
A position-versus-time graph plots position on the
vertical axis against time on the horizontal axis.

Text: p 61 age

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Summary: Important Concepts (3 of 3)
A velocity-versus-time graph plots velocity on the
vertical axis against time on the horizontal axis.

Text: p 61 age

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Summary: Applications (1 of 3)
Uniform Motion
An object in uniform motion has a constant velocity. Its velocity
graph is a horizontal line; its position graph is linear.

Kinematic equation for uniform motion: x f  xi  v x t

Uniform motion is a special case of constant-acceleration motion,
with ax 0.
Text: p 61age

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Summary: Applications (2 of 3)
Motion with Constant Acceleration
An object with constant acceleration has a constantly changing velocity.
Its velocity graph is linear; its position graph is a parabola.

Kinematic equations for motion with constant acceleration:

(v x )f (v x )i  ax t
1
xf  xi  (v x )i t  ax ( t )2
2
(v x )2f (v x )i2  2ax x Text: p 61
age

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Summary: Applications (3 of 3)
Free Fall
Free fall is a special case of constant-acceleration motion. The
acceleration has magnitude g 9.80 m / s2 and is always directed
vertically downward whether an object is moving up or down.

Text: p 61age

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