Unit 2 One and Two Dimensional Kinematics

2.1 One-dimensional motion with constant acceleration (1-D)

2.2 Projectile motion
2.3 A projectile on an inclined plane

2.1 One-dimensional motion with constant acceleration

When a particle is moving at constant acceleration a with initial velocity u, the motion of it is
described by the set of equations as
v = u + at ,
1 2
=
s ut + at ,
2
and v=
2
u 2 + 2as , where v and s are the velocity of the particle at time t and its
displacement respectively. Of course, we have assumed that s = 0 when t = 0. The above set
of equations is often read in the secondary school physics textbooks. In addition, you will
(u + v)t
find the relation s = useful.
2
Remarks:
v (t ) − v (0)
• By the definition of a, it is a constant, where a = a av = . We label v(0) by u
t −0
and v(t) by v, hence we obtain v = u + at . (1)

ds
• From (1), v= = u + at , integrating on both sides, we have
dt
t ds s t
∫0 ( dt=)dt ∫=
0
ds ∫ (u + at )dt .
0

Thus, we obtain =
s ut + 12 at 2 . (2)

• Squaring on both sides of (1), we have v 2 =u 2 + 2aut + a 2 t 2 =u 2 + 2a (ut + 12 at 2 ) .

Using (2), we can write v=

2
u 2 + 2as .
• Rewrite (2) as s = ut + 12 at 2 = 1
2
t (u + u + at ) . Making use (1), and thus we have

(u + v)t u+v
s= , where is the average velocity.
2 2

1
Example
A car is at rest at a reference point. If it moves along a straight line and has its motion
governed by a velocity-time graph given below, sketch the acceleration-time graph and the
displacement-time graph.

vx

0 t

Answer:

vx
vx constant vx
increasing decreasing
vx
vx = 0 vx = 0
t

ax
ax > 0
ax = 0 ax = 0 ax = 0
t

ax < 0

Braking
Constant Resting
x velocity

Accelerating
Resting
t

2
Example (Challenging)
Describe the motion of a car. The following graph shows the relation of displacement and
time.

Displacement
E F
L M
D

B C
time
A G K
I

H J

Answer:
AB: constant velocity to the right G: back to the starting point
BC: the car stops (velocity = 0) HI: deceleration to the right
CD: acceleration to the right IJ: acceleration to the left
DE: deceleration to the right JK: deceleration to the right
EF: the car stops (velocity = 0) K: back to the starting point
FH: constant velocity to the left LM: the car stops (velocity = 0)

Example
A police officer is chasing a burglar across a rooftop; both are running at 4.5m/s. Before the
burglar reaches the edge of the roof, he has to decide whether or not to try jumping to the roof
of the next building, which is 6.2m away but 4.8m lower. Can he make it? Assume that
v0 y = 0 .
y
m/s
Answer: x
• Note that he has to fall 4.8m and at 4.8m
the same time he need to moves at
least 6.2m horizontally.
6.2m

3
 y = − 4.8 m
=
y v0 y t − 12 gt 2 ( v0 y = 0)

2(4.8)
=∴t = 0.99s
g

• How far can he move along x-direction?

=
x v=
0xt (4.5 m/s)(0.99s)  4.5m < 6.2m . ∴ Our advice: Don’t jump!

2.2 Projectile motion

A projectile is a particle with initial velocity v0 and its path is determined by gravity.
 g
The acceleration a = g (i.e. they are constant vectors)

ax = 0
Or, we can rewrite it as 
a y = − g
Now, we are going to determine the trajectory of the particle.
  
Useful equation: v = v0 + a t
(a) x-direction
v x = v0 x + a x t

v0 x = v0 cos φ , a x = 0

∴ v x = v0 cos φ (a constant)

(b) y-direction
v y = v0 y + a y t

v0 y = v0 sin φ , a y = − g (Acceleration due to gravity)

∴ v y = v0 sin φ − gt

At any time t, the speed is given by 2-D

y
v = v x2 + v y2 = (v02 − 2v0 gt sin φ + g 2 t 2 )
1
2

(c) The trajectory

   x
As r = v 0 t + 12 a t 2 , we have
R
 x = v0 x t + ax t = (v0 cos φ ) t
1 2
(1)
∴ 2

 y = v0 y t + a y t 2
1
2 = (v0 sin φ ) t − 12 gt 2 (2)

4
 x
From (1), we get t = . Substitute it into (2), hence we obtain the trajectory equation.
v 0 cos φ

g
=y x tan φ − x2
2v cos φ
2
0
2

• To calculate the range, we plug in y = 0, the solutions are

P
2v02
x = 0 or x= R= sin φ cos φ . φ
g x
Using the identity sin2φ = 2sinφ cosφ, we have R

v 02
R= sin 2φ
g
• Maximum height
Consider v y = v 0 sin φ − gt .

0, v y v0 sin φ > 0 (upward).

At t ==

As t increases, vy becomes smaller, but vy > 0 (upward) before t = t0.

v 0 sin φ
At t 0 = , we have vy = 0.
g
When t > t0, vy changes sign, vy < 0 (downward).
At t0, the projectile reaches the highest point.
1 2
=y (v0 sin φ )t0 − gt0
2
v 2 sin 2 φ 1 v02 sin 2 φ
= 0 − g
g 2 g2
v02 sin 2 φ
=
2g

 g
In our calculations, we have assumed that a = g (they are constant vectors). In reality, the
resistance from air (drag force) becomes important as speed increases.

5
Example
You throw a ball with a speed of 25.3 m/s at an angle of 42.0° above the horizontal directly
toward a wall as shown in figure. The wall is 21.8 m from the release point of the ball. You
can neglect your body height.
(a) How long is the ball in the air before it hits the wall?
(b) How far above the release point does the ball hit the wall?
(c) What are the horizontal and vertical components of its velocity as it hits the wall?
(d) Has it passed the highest point on its trajectory when it hits?

Answer
(a) distance travelled
Time taken =
velocity
21.8
= 42o
25.3cos 42°
= 1.16s
(b) By S= ut + (1 2 ) at 2 ,
21.8 m
=S y (25.3sin 42°)(1.16) − 0.5 × 9.8 × 1.162
= 13.04m
(c) Horizontal= =
velocity 25.3cos 42° 18.8m/s
By v= u + at ,
Vertical =
velocity (25.3sin 42°) − 9.8 × 1.16
= 5.57m/s (pointing upward)
(d) No change in sign of velocity in y-direction when the ball hits the wall, therefore the
ball does not reach its maximum height in y-direction.

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2.3 A projectile on an inclined plane
Example (Challenging)
It is a problem about the range of a projectile on an inclined plane. If a particle is projected
from a point O with velocity u at an elevation α to the horizontal, we may find its range R on
a plane through O inclined at an angle β to the horizontal. The vertical plane of motion
contains the line of greatest slope of the plane.

Answer y

u
A(x,y)

α
β
x
O

Assume the particle meets the plane at a point A at time t and (x,y) is the coordinates of A, we
have
1 2
=x u ( cos α ) t , =y u ( sin α ) t − gt ,
2
1 2
have y u cos a (=
As y = x tan β , hence, we= tan β ) t u (sin a )t − gt .
2
Whence t, the time of flight is given by
2u 2u sin(a − β )
t = (sin aa
− cos tan β ) = .
g g cos β
The last expression was simplified by using the identity,
sin(α=
− β ) sin α cos β − cos α sin β .
Substitute t in the first equation,
2u sin(α − β )
=x u cos α ⋅
g cos β
2u 2 cos α sin(α − β )
= ⋅ .
g cos β
The range on the inclined plane, R, is given by R=OA=x sec β,

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 2u 2 cos α sin(α − β )
=
R ⋅
g cos 2 β
u2  sin(2α − β ) − sin β 
= ⋅ .
g  cos 2 β 
1
=
The trigonometric relation: cos A sin B [sin( A + B) − sin( A − B)] is used in the above
2
treatment. For a given velocity of projection, the range is maximum when sin(2α −β)=1, i.e.
π
2 α −β = .
2
π β
Hence the angle of projection for maximum range is α= + .
4 2
For this value of α, the range is

u 2 1 − sin β 
=
Rmax ⋅ 
g  cos 2 β 
u 2 (1 − sin β )
=
g (1 − sin β ) (1 + sin β )
u2
= .
g (1 + sin β )

Remarks: Some Useful Trigonometric Identities

sin 2 A = 2sin A cos A A+ B A− B

sin A + sin B = 2sin cos
cos 2 A = cos 2 A − sin 2 A =
1 − 2sin 2 A =
2 cos 2 A − 1 2 2
2 tan A A+ B A− B
tan 2 A = sin A − sin B = 2 cos sin
1 − tan 2 A 2 2
1 − cos 2 A A+ B A− B
sin 2 A = cos A + cos B = 2 cos cos
2 2 2
1 + cos 2A A+ B A− B
cos 2 A = cos A − cos B = −2sin sin
2 2 2
1
=
sin A cos B [sin( A + B) + sin( A − B)]
2
sin( A=
± B) sin A cos B ± cos A sin B 1
cos( A ± B) =cos A cos B  sin A sin B =
cos A sin B [sin( A + B) − sin( A − B)]
2
tan𝐴𝐴 ± tan𝐵𝐵 1
tan(𝐴𝐴 ± 𝐵𝐵) =
1 ∓ tan𝐴𝐴tan𝐵𝐵 =
cos A cos B [cos( A + B) + cos( A − B)]
2
1
sin A sin B = − [ cos( A + B ) − cos( A − B ) ]
2