SRI RAMAKRISHNA ENGINEERING COLLEGE

(Autonomous Institution, ISO 9001:2008 Certified,

Approved by AICTE and Permanently Affiliated to Anna University, Chennai)
[ All eligible Programmes Accredited by NBA]
Coimbatore 641022.

KINEMATICS
M. SHANMUGA SUNDARAM
M.Sc., M.Phil., (Ph.D)
Assistant Professor,
Department of Physics.

1
 KINEMATICS
Kinematics is the branch of mechanics that
deals with physical effect of force on material
objects.

It studies the motion of the bodies without

considering the cause of motion.
Kinematics

The study of motion of an object without regard to

the causes of the motion.
 Some Physics Quantities
Vector - Quantity with both magnitude (size) and direction
Scalar - Quantity with magnitude only

Vectors: Scalars:
Displacement Distance
Velocity Speed
Acceleration Time
Momentum Mass
Force Energy
 Mass vs. Weight
Mass
Scalar (no direction)
Measures the amount of matter in an object
Weight
Vector (points toward center of Earth)
Force of gravity on an object
On the moon, your mass would be the same, but
the magnitude of your weight would be less.
 Units
Units are not the same as quantities!
Quantity . . . Unit (symbol)
Displacement & Distance . . . meter (m)
Time . . . second (s)
Velocity & Speed . . . (m/s)
Acceleration . . . (m/s2)
Mass . . . kilogram (kg)
Momentum . . . (kgm/s)
Force . . .Newton (N)
Energy . . . Joule (J)
 SI Prefixes

Little Guys Big Guys

-12 3
pico p 10 kilo k 10
-9 6
nano n 10 mega M 10
-6 9
micro 10 giga G 10
-3 12
milli m 10 tera T 10
-2
centi c 10
 Distance vs. Displacement
You drive the path, and your odometer goes up by 8
km (your distance).
Your displacement is the shorter directed distance
from start to stop (green arrow).

start

stop
 Displacement
The displacement is written:

Left: Right:
Displacement is positive. Displacement is negative.
 Acceleration
Acceleration is the rate of change of velocity.
 Velocity & Acceleration Sign Chart
VELOCITY

A
C
+ -
C
E Moving forward; Moving backward;
L + Speeding up Speeding up
E
R
A
T
I
- Moving forward; Moving backward;
O Slowing down Slowing down
N
 Basic formulas
Speed = Distance/Time
Average speed = Total distance/Total time
Velocity = Displacement/Time
Average velocity = Total displacement/Total
time
s/t = [(u+v)/2]
Acceleration = Change in velocity/Time
 Kinematics Equations that Make Sense!

Average speed: sav = d / change in t SI unit: m/s

sav = d / t = d / tf - ti

Average velocity: vav = d / t SI unit: m/s

vav = (df - di) / t

df = di + vav t

Average acceleration: aav = v / t SI unit: m/s/s = m/s2

aav = (vf - vi) / t

vf = vi + aav t
P 1 Distance Run by a Jogger

How far does a jogger run in 1.5 hours (5400 s) if his

average speed is 2.22 m/s?

t = 5400s sav = 2.22 m/s d=?

sav = d / t

So d = sav t = (2.22 m/s)(5400s)

d = 12000 m
P2

vswimmer = 2 m/s
vriver = 0.5 m/s

What is the swimmers

resultant velocity?
Solution

vR = (2 m/s)2 + (0.5 m/s)2

vR = 2.06 m/s
 P3 Using Split Times!

Position (m) 0-5 5-10 10-15 15-20 20-25

Split Time (s) 1.6 2.4 3.0 3.5 4.0

Av. Velocity (m/s) 3.1 2.1 1.7 1.4 1.25

Determine average velocity of the object over the time recorded

vav = df - di / t = 25m - 0m / 14.5 s = 1.7 m / s

Determine the average acceleration over the time recorded

a = vf - vi / t = (1.25 m/s - 3.1m/s) / 14.5 s = - 0.13 m / s2
Note: the a is negative because the change in v is negative!!
P4
The physics teacher walks 4
meters East, 2 meters South,
4 meters West, and finally 2
meters North. The entire
motion lasted for 24 seconds.
Determine the average speed
and the average velocity.
 Solution
The physics teacher walked a distance of 12
meters in 24 seconds; thus, his average speed
was 0.50 m/s. However, since her displacement
is 0 meters, his average velocity is 0 m/s.
Remember that the displacement refers to the
change in position and the velocity is based upon
this position change. In this case of the teacher's
motion, there is a position change of 0 meters
and thus an average velocity is 0 m/s.
 P5
The diagram below shows the position of a cross-country skier at various
times. At each of the indicated times, the skier turns around and reverses the
direction of travel. In other words, the skier moves from A to B to C to D. Use
the diagram to determine the average speed and the average velocity of the
skier during these three minutes.
 Solution
Average speed = total distance/total time
= 420m / 3 min
= 140m/min

Average velocity = displacement/time

= 140 m / 3 min
= 46.7 m/min
 P6
What is alans average velocity?
 Solution

Average velocity = 55 yards / 10 min

= 5.5 yards/min
 P7
A bus moving at a constant speed for one hour
travels 100 km. It moves at a different
constant speed for the next two hours and
travels 140 km. What is its average speed for
the total trip?
 Solution

v = distance/time
d =100 km+140 km = 240 km.
t =1 h+2h = 3h.
v =240km / 3h = 80 km/h
P 8 The Worlds Fastest Jet-Engine Car

Andy Green in the car ThrustSSC set a world record of 341.1 m/s in
1997. To establish such a record, the driver makes two runs through
the course, one in each direction,to nullify wind effects. From the data,
determine the averagevelocity for each run.

a) t = 4.740 s x = +1609m vav = ?

vav = x / t = (+1609m) / (4.740 s)

vav = + 339.5 m/s

b) t = 4.695 s x = -1609m vav = ?

vav = x / t = (-1609m) / (4.695 s)

vav = - 342.7 m/s

P 9 Acceleration and Increasing Velocity

Determine the average acceleration of the plane moving with a velocity of

260 km/h

vi = 0 km/h vf = 260 km/h ti = 5 s tf = 25 s

aav = (vf - vi) / (tf ti)

aav = (+260 km/h 0 km/h) / (25 s 5 s)

aav = + 13.0 km/hs

 P 10 The Displacement of a Speedboat

The speedboat in the figure has a consant acceleration of +2.0 m/s2. If the
initial velocity of the boat is +6.0 m/s, find its displacement after 8.0
seconds.
Solution
x a v v0 t
? +2.0 m/s2 + 6.0 m/s 8.0 s
x = x0 + v0t + at2

x = 0 + (6.0 m/s)(8.0 s) + (+2.0 m/s2)(8.0 s)2

x=0 + 48 m + 64 m = 110 m.

A calculator would give the answer as 112 m, but this number must be rounded to
110 m, since the data are accurate to only two significant digits.
 P 11 A car is accelerating at 12
m/s2. Find its acceleration in km/h2.
Solution:
To find an acceleration in km/h2 we need to use
the relations:

Then we can write:

P 12

A student is late for the school bus. She runs east down the road at
3 m/s for 30s, then thinks that she has dropped her calculator
so stops for 10s to check. She jogs back west at 2 m/s for 10s,
stops for 5 s then accelerates uniformly from rest to 4 m/s east
over a 10 second period.
a) Sketch the velocity-time graph of the students motion
b) Determine the total distance and displacement of the student during
this time
c) Determine the students average velocity during this time
Velocity-Time Graph of the Students Motion

V-t Graph for Student Going To School

5
4
3
velocity (m/s)

2
1
0
-1 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70
-2
-3
time (s)
Total distance traveled by the student is.

dtotal = d1 + d2 + d3 + d4 + d5

dtotal = s1t1 + s2 t2+ s3 t3 + s4 t4 + s5 t5

dtotal = (3m/s)(30s) + (0m/s)(10s) + (2m/s)(10s) + (0m/s)(5s) + (1/2(4m/s)(10s)

dtotal = 130 m

Total displacement by the student is.

+ east - west
dtotal = d1 + d2 + d3 + d4 + d5

dtotal = v1t1 + v2 t2+ v3 t3 + v4 t4 + v5 t5

dtotal = (3m/s)(30s) + (0m/s)(10s) + (-2m/s)(10s) + (0m/s)(5s) +

(1/2(4m/s)(10s)

dtotal = + 90 m (East)
Average velocity of the student is..

vav = dtotal / ttotal = + 90m East / 65s

vav = 1.4 m/s East

V-t Graph for Student Going To School

5
4
3
velocity (m/s)

2
1 + 90 m + 20 m
0
-1 0 10 20 30
- 20 m50
40 60 70
-2
-3
time (s)
 Distance-Time graph

distance

time
 Velocity-time graph
The slope of a
velocity-time graph

velocity
represents
acceleration.

constant velocity or
zero acceleration

time
 v Graphing !
B
A
t

A acceleration
B constant velocity (a = 0 )
C deceleration
 13.5 m/s
A bh A (5)(1.5)
A 7.50 m

1 1
A bh (5)(12)
A bh A (5)(1.5) 2 2
A 7.50 m
A 30 m
1.5
m/s

Total displacement = 7.50 + 30 = 37.5 m = Total AREA under the line.

 Area under a velocity graph
v forward area

backward area

Area above the time axis = forward (positive) displacement.

Area below the time axis = backward (negative) displacement.
Net area (above - below) = net displacement.
Total area (above + below) = total distance traveled.
 The 3 Kinematic equations

v vo at
x xo vo t 1 at 2
2
v vo 2a ( x xo )
2 2
 Common Problems Students Have
I dont know which equation to choose!!!

Equation Missing Variable

v vo at x

x xo voxt 1 at 2
2 v

v 2 vo2 2a( x xo )
t
 Kinematics for the VERTICAL Direction
All 3 kinematics equation can be used to analyze one
dimensional motion in either the X direction or the y
direction.

v vo at v y voy gt
x xo voxt 1 at y yo voyt
2 1 gt 2
2 2
v vox 2a ( x xo ) v y voy 2 g ( y yo )
2 2 2 2
 UNIFORMLY ACCELERATED MOTION

Distance travelled by a body in the nth second

Sn = u + a[2n 1]
 NON-UNIFORMLY ACCELERATED MOTION

v = ds/dt
a = dv/dt
a = v dv/ds
 g or ag The Acceleration due to gravity
The acceleration due to gravity is a special constant that exists in a VACUUM,
meaning without air resistance. If an object is in FREE FALL, gravity will
CHANGE an objects velocity by 9.8 m/s every second.

g ag 9.8 m / s 2

The acceleration due to gravity:

ALWAYS ACTS DOWNWARD
IS ALWAYS CONSTANT near the surface of
Earth
 1D MOTION UNDER GRAVITY
If particle is moving upwards
v = u gt
h = ut gt2
v2 = u2 2gh
ta = u/g
 1D MOTION UNDER GRAVITY
If particle is moving vertically downwards
v = gt
h = gt2
v2 = 2gh
td = u/g
td = 2h/g
tf = 2u/g
 Problem 13
A car accelerates from 12.5 m/s to 25 m/s in 6.0 seconds.
What was the acceleration?
What do I What do I
know? want?
u= 12.5 m/s a=?
v = 25 m/s
v u at
t = 6s

25 12.5 a (6)
a 2.08 m/s/s
P14 A boat moves slowly out of a marina (so as to not leave a wake)
with a speed of 1.50 m/s. As soon as it passes the breakwater,
leaving the marina, it throttles up and accelerates at 2.40 m/s/s.

a) How fast is the boat moving after accelerating for 5 seconds?

v vo at
What do I What do I
know? want?
vo= 1.50 m/s v=?
v (1.50) (2.40)(5)
a = 2.40 m/s/s
v 13.5 m/s
t=5s
 x xo voxt at
1 2
2
b) How far did the boat travel during that time?

x xo voxt 1 at 2
2
x 0 (1.5)(5) (2.40)(5 )
1 2
2
x 37.5 m
 v v 2a( x xo )
2 2
o

P15 You are driving through town at 12 m/s when suddenly a ball rolls
out in front of your car. You apply the brakes and begin decelerating at
3.5 m/s/s.
How far do you travel before coming to a complete stop?

What do I What do I
know? want? v 2 vo2 2a( x xo )
vo= 12 m/s x=? 0 12 2 2(3.5)( x 0)
a = -3.5 m/s/s 144 7 x
V = 0 m/s
x 20.57 m
 P 16
A stone is dropped at rest from the top of a cliff. It is
observed to hit the ground 5.78 s later. How high is the
cliff?
What do I What do I Which variable is NOT given and
know? want? NOT asked for?
Final Velocity!
v = 0 m/s
oy y=?
g = -9.8 m/s2 y yo voyt 1 gt 2
2
yo=0 m
y (0)(5.78) 4.9(5.78) 2
t = 5.78 s
y -163.7 m
H =163.7m
 P 17
A pitcher throws a fastball with a velocity of 43.5 m/s. It is determined that
during the windup and delivery the ball covers a displacement of 2.5
meters. This is from the point behind the body when the ball is at rest to
the point of release. Calculate the acceleration during his throwing
motion.

What do I What do I Which variable is NOT given and

NOT asked for?
know? want? TIME
vo= 0 m/s a=?
v v 2a( x xo )
2 2
o
x = 2.5 m
v = 43.5 m/s 43.5 0 2a(2.5 0)
2 2

a 378.5 m/s/s
 P 18
How long does it take a car at rest to cross a 35.0 m intersection after
the light turns green, if the acceleration of the car is a constant 2.00
m/s/s?

What do I What do I Which variable is NOT given and

know? want? NOT asked for?
Final Velocity
vo= 0 m/s t=?
x = 35 m x xo voxt 1 at 2
2
a = 2.00 m/s/s
35 0 (0) 1 (2)t 2
2
t 5.92 s
 Freely Falling Bodies

P 19 A Falling Stone

A stone is dropped from the top of a tall building. After 3.00s

of free fall, what is the displacement y of the stone?
Freely Falling Bodies

y a v u t
? 9.8 m/s2 0 m/s 3.00 s
Freely Falling Bodies

y a v u t
? 9.80 m/s2 0 m/s 3.00 s

y = ut + gt2
= (0 m/s)(3.00s) + (9.8 m/s2)(3.00s)2
= 44.1 m
 Freely Falling Bodies

P 20 How High Does it Go?

The referee tosses the coin up

with an initial speed of 5.00m/s.
In the absence of air resistance,
how high does the coin go above
its point of release?
Freely Falling Bodies

y a v u t
? - 9.80 m/s2 0 m/s + 5.00 m/s ?
 Freely Falling Bodies

y a v u t
? -9.80 m/s2 0 m/s +5.00
m/s

v2 = u2 + 2 ay [y = dv]

0 m s 5.00 m s
2 2

d v = 1.28 m
2 9.80 m s 2

 Problem 21
A runner starts from rest, uniformly accelerates at 3 m/s2
for 3 seconds, then runs at a constant velocity for 5
seconds, then accelerates in the negative direction at -2
m/s2 for 2 seconds. How far does the runner travel during
this 10 second period?
1st - calc how far he runs in 1st 3 seconds
d = vit + at2 = 0 + (3m/s2)(3s)2 = 13.5 m
2nd - calc instantaneous speed at end of 1st 3 seconds
vf = vi + at = 0m/s + 3m/s2(3s) = 9 m/s
3rd - use this velocity as the initial velocity for next interval
and calc how far he runs in next 5 s
d = sf-si = vit + at2
sf = 13.5m + 9m/s(5s) + 0 = 58.5 m
4th - use final velocity of this interval as initial velocity of
next interval and calc how far he runs in the final 2 s
d = sf-si = vit + at2
sf = 58.5m + 9m/s(2s) + (-2m/s2)(2s)2 = 72.5 m
 Practice Problems
1. Youre riding a unicorn at 25 m/s and come to a
uniform stop at a red light 20 m away. Whats
your acceleration?

2. An arrow is shot straight up from a pit 12 m

below ground at 38 m/s.
a. Find its max height above ground.
b. At what times is it at ground level?
3. How fast should you throw a kumquat
straight down from 40 m up so that its
impact speed would be the same as a
mangos dropped from 60 m?
Answer: 19.8 m/s

4. A dune buggy accelerates uniformly at

1.5 m/s2 from rest to 22 m/s. Then the
brakes are applied and it stops 2.5 s later.
Find the total distance traveled.
Answer: 188.83 m
5. A catcher catches a 90 mph fast ball. His glove
compresses 4.5 cm. How long does it take to
come to a complete stop? Be mindful of your
units!

2.24 ms
Answer
6. What is the average speed of a cheetah that
sprints 100 meters in 4 seconds? How about if
it sprints 50 meters in 2 seconds?

7. A car has an average speed of 100 kilometers

per hour. How far does it travel in 30 minutes?
8. The speedometer of a car moving east
reads 100 km/h. It passes another car
moving west at 100 km/h. Do they have
same speed? Velocity?

9. During a certain period of time, the

speedometer of a car reads a constant 60
km/h. Does this indicate a constant
speed? Constant velocity?
10. A car going 15m/s accelerates at 5m/s2
for 3.8s. How fast is it going at the end of
the acceleration?
11. A penguin slides down a glacier starting from
rest, and accelerates at a rate of 7.6m/s2. If it
reaches the bottom of the hill going 15m/s,
how long does it take to get to the bottom?
12. A cyclist speeds up from his 8.45m/s
pace. As he accelerates, he goes 325m in
30s. What is his final velocity?

13. A car slows from 45 m/s to 30m/s over

6.2s. How far does it travel in that time?
14. A ball rolling up a hill accelerates at 5.6m/s2
for 6.3s. If it is rolling at 50m/s initially, how far
has it rolled?
15. If a car decelerates at a rate of 4.64m/s2
and it travels 162m in 3s, how fast was it
going initially?
16. A bowling ball is thrown at a speed of
6.8m/s. By the time it hits the pins 63m
away, it is going 5.2m/s. What is the
acceleration?
17. A plane slows on a runway from 207km/hr to
35km/hr in about 527m.
a. What is its acceleration?
b. How long does it take?

18.If a cars initial velocity is +25 m/s, and it

accelerated at a rate of +7.5 m/s2 over a
period of 8.0 seconds what is the cars final
velocity?
vf = 85 m/s
vf = vi + at
19. If a kicker boots the ball at a velocity of +45 m/s and it
is aided by a gust of wind to accelerate at +2.5 m/s2
and it stays in the air for 3.5 seconds. How far will the
ball travel?
d = +170 m
d = vit + at2
20. A boy sledding down a hill has an initial speed of
+12m/s. He continues to speed up and reaches a final
velocity of +18m/s after traveling for 12 seconds. What
distance does the boy travel.
d = +180 m
d = (vf + vi)t
2
21. A particle moving along the x-axis is at xi =
12 m at ti = 1 s and at xf = 4m at tf = 3 s.
Determine the displacement, the average
velocity and the speed of the particle.
Example 2.6 The Displacement During a Drag Race

Slide 2-58