Introduction to Motion

Curves
Motion curves are graphical representations of an object's movement over time.
When a particle has erratic or changing motion then its position, velocity, and acceleration cannot be
described by a single continuous mathematical function along the entire path. Instead, a series of
functions will be required to specify the motion at different intervals. F or this reason, it is convenient to
represent the motion as a graph. If a graph of the motion that relates any two of the variables s, v, a, t
can be drawn, then this graph can be used to construct subsequent graphs relating two other
variables since the variables are related by the differential relationships 𝑣 = 𝑑𝑠/𝑑𝑡, 𝑎 = 𝑑𝑣/𝑑𝑡, or
𝑎 𝑑𝑠 = 𝑣 𝑑𝑣. S everal situations occur frequently.

The s -t, v-t and a-t Graphs . To construct the v-t graph given the s–t graph, F ig. 1 -a, the equation 𝑣 =
𝑑𝑠/𝑑𝑡 should be used, since it relates the variables s and t to v. This equation states that
𝑑𝑠ൗ = 𝑣
𝑑𝑡
𝑠𝑙𝑜𝑝𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠 − 𝑡 𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑝ℎ = 𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦

F igure 1 - F igure 1 -
F or example, by measuring the slope on the s–t graph when 𝑡 = 𝑡1, the velocity is 𝑣1 , which is plotted
in F ig. 1 –b. The v-t graph can be constructed by plotting this and other values at each instant.

The a–t graph can be constructed from the v-t graph in a similar manner, F ig. 2, since
𝑑𝑣ൗ = 𝑎
𝑑𝑡
𝑠𝑙𝑜𝑝𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑣 − 𝑡 𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑝ℎ = 𝑎𝑐𝑐𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛

F igure 2- F igure 2-
a b

Examples of various measurements are shown in Fig. 2–a and plotted in Fig. 2–b. If the s–t curve for each
interval of motion can be expressed by a mathematical function s = s(t), then the equation of the v-t graph for
the same interval can be obtained by differentiating this function with respect to time since v = ds/dt.
Likewise, the equation of the a–t graph for the same interval can be determined
by differentiating v = v(t) since a = dv/dt. Since differentiation reduces a
polynomial of degree n to that of degree n – 1, then if the s–t graph is parabolic (a
second-degree curve), the v-t graph will be a sloping line (a first-degree curve),
and the a–t graph will be a constant or a horizontal line (a zero-degree curve).

If the a–t graph is given, Fig. 3–a, the v-t graph may be constructed using 𝑎 =
𝑑𝑣/𝑑𝑡, written as

∆𝑣 = න 𝑎 𝑑𝑡

𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦 = 𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑎 𝑢𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑟 𝑎 − 𝑡 𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑝ℎ

Figure 3
Hence, to construct the v-t graph, we begin with the particle’s initial velocity 𝑣0
and then add to this small increments of area (∆𝑣) determined from the a–t
graph. In this manner successive points, 𝑣1 = 𝑣0 + ∆𝑣, etc., for the v-t graph
are determined, Fig. 3–b. Notice that an algebraic addition of the area increments
of the a–t graph is necessary, since areas lying above the t axis correspond to an
increase in v (“positive” area), whereas those lying below the axis indicate a
decrease in v (“negative” area).

Similarly, if the v-t graph is given, Fig. 4–a, it is possible to determine the s–t graph
using 𝑣 = 𝑑𝑠/𝑑𝑡, written as
∆𝑠 = න 𝑣 𝑑𝑡

𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 = 𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑎 𝑢𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑟 𝑣 − 𝑡 𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑝ℎ

F igure 4
In the same manner as stated above, we begin with the particle’s initial position 𝑠0
and add (algebraically) to this small area increments ∆𝑠 determined from the 𝑣 − 𝑡
graph, Fig. 4–b. If segments of the 𝑎– 𝑡 graph can be described by a series of
equations, then each of these equations can be integrated to yield equations
describing the corresponding segments of the 𝑣 − 𝑡 graph. In a similar manner, the
𝑠– 𝑡 graph can be obtained by integrating the equations which describe the
segments of the 𝑣 − 𝑡 graph. As a result, if the 𝑎– 𝑡 graph is linear (a first-degree
curve), integration will yield a 𝑣 − 𝑡 graph that is parabolic (a second-degree curve)
and an 𝑠– 𝑡 graph that is cubic (third-degree curve).

Figure 5
The v–s and a–s Graphs. If the a–s graph can be constructed, then points on the v-s graph can be determined by using
𝑣 𝑑𝑣 = 𝑎 𝑑𝑠. Integrating this equation between the limits 𝑣 = 𝑣0 at 𝑠 = 𝑠0 and 𝑣 = 𝑣1 at 𝑠 = 𝑠1 , we have,
𝑠1
2
1/2 𝑣1 − 𝑣0 2 = න 𝑎 𝑑𝑠
𝑠0

area under a-s graph

If the v-s graph is known, the acceleration 𝑎 at any position 𝑠 can be determined using 𝑎 𝑑𝑠 = 𝑣 𝑑𝑣, written as

𝑎 = 𝑣 𝑑𝑣/𝑑𝑠
acceleration = velocity times the slope of v-s graph
Thus, at any point 𝑠, 𝑣 in Figure 6-a, the slope 𝑑𝑣/𝑑𝑠 of the 𝑣 − 𝑠 graph is
measured. Then with 𝑣 and 𝑑𝑣/𝑑𝑠 known, the value of a can be calculated, Figure 6-
b.

The 𝑣 − 𝑠 graph can also be constructed from the 𝑎 − 𝑠 graph, or vice versa, by
approximating the known graph in various intervals with mathematical functions,
𝑣 = 𝑓(𝑠) or 𝑎 = 𝑔(𝑠), and then using 𝑎(𝑑𝑠) = 𝑣(𝑑𝑣) to obtain other graph.

F igure 6
Example 1 – A bicycle moves along a straight road such that its position is
described by the graph shown in Figure. Construct the 𝑣 − 𝑡 and 𝑎 − 𝑡 graphs for
0 ≤ 𝑡 ≤ 30 𝑠.
Example 2 – The car in figure starts from rest and travels along a straight track
𝑚
such that it accelerates at 10 𝑚/𝑠 2 for 10 s and decelerates at 2 2 . Draw the 𝑣 −
𝑠
𝑡 and 𝑠 − 𝑡 graphs and determine the time t’ needed to stop the car. How far has
the car traveled?
Example 3 – The 𝑣 − 𝑠 graph describing the motion of a motorcycle is shown in
figure. Construct the a-s graph of the motion and determine the time needed for
the motorcycle to reach the position s = 400 ft.