MOTION IN A PLANE – (B) PROJECTILE & CIRCULAR MOTION

1. Position and Displacement Vectors

2. Velocity (General & Component Form)
3. Acceleration (General & Component Form)
4. Motion in a Plane with Constant Acceleration (Equations of Motion)
5. Relative Velocity (By Vector Algebra) and its Magnitude & Direction
6. Projectile Motion – Equations of a Projectile
7. Equation of path of Projectile, Time of Flight, Maximum Height & Range
8. Maximum Range and Range for Complement Angles of Projection
9. Circular Motion – Relation between Linear and Angular Velocity
10. Acceleration in Uniform Circular Motion – Direction and Magnitude
11. Acceleration in terms of Angular Speed and Frequency
12. Directions of r, v,  and acp

Created by C. Mani, Education Officer, KVS RO Silchar Next

Position and Displacement Vectors
Y
The position vector r of a particle P located
in a plane with reference to the origin of an
x-y reference frame is given by P
yj
r = xi + y j r
O X
where x and y are components of r xi
along x- and y- axes.

Y n o f v av
ti o
Let the particle move through the curve Direc P′
from P at time t to P′ at time t′. Then Δy P
Δr
Displacement vector is Δr = r′ - r
r r′
It is directed from P to P′.

or Δr = (x′ i + y′ j ) - (x i + y j ) O X
Δx
= Δx i + Δy j
where Δx = x′ - x and Δy = y′ - y

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Velocity
The average velocity vav of a particle is the ratio of the displacement to
the corresponding time interval.

Δr Δx i + Δy j
vav = =
Δt Δt
Δx Δy
= i + j
Δt Δt

or vav = vx av i + vy av j

The direction of vav is same that of Δr.

The instantaneous velocity is given by the limiting value of the average
velocity as the time interval approaches zero.

lim Δr dr
v= or v=
Δt→0 Δt dt
The meaning of limiting value is explained in “Motion in a straight line”.
The direction of velocity at any point on the path of an object is
tangential to the path at that point and is in the direction of motion.
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Velocity in component form
lim Δr
v=
Δt→0 Δt Y
lim Δx Δy
= Δt→0 i + j v
Δt Δt vy j
P θ

vx i
lim Δx lim Δy
= Δt→0 i + Δt→0 j
Δt Δt
O X
dx dy
= i + j
dt dt

dx dy
or v = vx i + vy j where vx = and vy =
dt dt

The magnitude of velocity v is v = vx2 + vy2

The direction of velocity v is vy vy
tan θ = or θ = tan -1
vx vx
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Acceleration
The average acceleration a of a particle is the ratio of the velocity to the
corresponding time interval.
Δv Δ (vx i + vy j )
aav = =
Δt Δt
Δvx Δvy
= i + j
Δt Δt

or aav = ax i + ay j

The instantaneous acceleration is given by the limiting value of the

average acceleration as the time interval approaches zero.

lim Δv dv
a= or a=
Δt→0 Δt dt
The meaning of limiting value is explained in “Motion in a straight line”.
In one dimension, the velocity and the acceleration of an object are always
along the same straight line (either in the same direction or in the opposite
direction). However, for motion in two or three dimensions, they may have
any angle between 0° and 180° between them.
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Acceleration in component form
lim Δv
a=
Δt→0 Δt

lim Δvx Δvy

= Δt→0 i + j
Δt Δt

lim Δvx lim Δvy

= Δt→0 i + Δt→0 j
Δt Δt

dvx dvy
= i + j
dt dt

dvx d2x dvy d2y

or a = ax i + ay j where ax = = and ay = =
dt dt2 dt dt2

The magnitude of acceleration a is a = ax2 + ay2

The direction of acceleration a is ay ay
tan θ = a or θ = tan -1
x ax
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MOTION IN A PLANE WITH CONSTANT ACCELERATION
Let the velocity of the object be v0 at time t=0 and v at time t.
Then
v – v0 v – v0
a= =
t–0 t

or v = v0 + at
In terms of components,
vx = v0x + ax t
vy = v0y + ay t

Let the position vector of the object be r0 at time t=0 and r at time t.
Then the displacement is the product of average velocity and time interval.
v + v0 v0 + at + v0
r – r0 = t = t
2 2

r – r0 = v0t + ½ at2 r = r0 + v0t + ½ at2

In terms of components,
x = x0 + v0xt + ½ axt2
y = y0 + v0yt + ½ ayt2
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Relative Velocity - (By Vector Algebra)
When the velocity of an object is measured with respect to an object which
is at rest or in motion, the velocity measured is known as relative velocity.

Consider two objects A and B moving with velocities v A and vB respectively.

To find the relative velocity of the object, say A with respect to the object B,
the velocity -vB is superimposed on the object B so as to bring it to rest.

To nullify this effect, velocity -vB is superimposed on the object A also.

The resultant of vA and -vB gives the relative velocity vAB of the object A
with respect to the object B.

R
- vB
= vA
v AB
P
vA v-v
O B B

Mathematically, vAB = vA + (-vB)

or vAB = vA - vB Home Next Previous

Magnitude and Direction of the Relative Velocity in terms of the
Magnitudes and Angle θ between them
B R
vAB = vA - vB v AB
180°- θ
α
-vB
O vA A θ
The magnitude of vector vAB is vB

vAB = vA2 + vB2 + 2 vA vB cos (180° - θ)

or vAB = vA2 + vB2 - 2 vA vB cos θ)

The direction of vector vAB is

B sin θ
tan α =
A - B cos θ

When two objects are moving along the same straight line:
(i) vAB = vA - vB (if they move in the same direction)

(ii) vAB = vA + vB (if they move in the opposite direction)

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PROJECTILE MOTION
Projectile
An object that is in flight after it being thrown or projected is called a
projectile.

Projectile Motion
The motion of a projectile which is in flight after it being thrown or
projected is called projectile motion.

It can be understood as the result of two separate, simultaneously

occurring components of motion (along x- and y- axes).

The component along the horizontal direction (x- axis) is without

acceleration.

The component along the vertical direction (y- axis) is with constant
acceleration under the influence of gravity.

In our study, the air resistance is negligible and the acceleration due to
gravity is constant over the entire path of the projectile.

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Equations of a Projectile Motion
Suppose that the projectile is launched with velocity v 0 that makes an angle θ0
with the x-axis.
Y
Acceleration acting on the projectile is due to
gravity which is directed vertically downward:
a = -g j
or ax = 0, ay= -g a = -g j
v0
The components of initial velocity v0 are: v0 sin θ0

v0x = v0 cos θ0
θ0
v0y = v0 sin θ0 O v0 cos θ0 X

If the initial position is taken as the origin O, then

x0 = 0, y0= 0
x = x0 + v0xt + ½ axt2 becomes x = v0xt = (v0 cos θ0)t

and y = y0 + v0yt + ½ ayt2 becomes y = (v0 sin θ0)t - ½ gt2

The components of velocity at time t are:

vx = v0x + ax t becomes vx = v0x = v0 cos θ0

and vy = v0y + ay t becomes vy = v0 sin θ0 - gt

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 Y Note:
v0 sin θ0 - gt vt v0 cos θ0
The horizontal component
β
of velocity remains constant
v0 cos θ0 v0 cos θ0 throughout the motion.

-(v0 sin θ0 – gt) vt But, the vertical component

reduces to zero at its peak
v0 of the path and again
a = -g j
v0 sin θ0 increases in the opposite
direction.
θ0 v0 cos θ0
O v0 cos θ0 -θ0
X

-v0 sin θ0 v
The magnitude of velocity of the projectile at an instant ‘t’ is given by

vt = v02 cos2 θ0 + (v0 sin θ0 – gt)2

The direction of velocity of the projectile at that instant ‘t’ is given by
v0 sin θ0 - gt
tan β =
v0 cos θ0
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Equation of path of a projectile
The shape of the path of a projectile can be found by mathematical equation.
x
From x = v0xt = (v0 cos θ0)t we get t =
v0 cos θ0

y = (v0 sin θ0)t - ½ gt2 becomes

2
x x
y = (v0 sin θ0) - ½g
v0 cos θ0 v0 cos θ0

On simplification,
g
y = (tan θ0)x - x2
2 (v0 cos θ0) 2

Since g, θ0 and v0 are constants, the above equation is in the form of

g
y = ax - bx2 where a = tan θ0 and b =
2 (v0 cos θ0)2

The above equation is the equation of a parabola.

Therefore, the path of the projectile is a parabola.

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 Time to reach Maximum Height and Time of Flight of a Projectile
Let tm be the time taken for the projectile to reach its maximum height and
Tf be the total time of flight of the projectile.

At the point of maximum height and at t = tm , vy = 0.

vy = v0 sin θ0 - gt becomes 0 = v0 sin θ0 - gtm

v0 sin θ0
or tm =
g
At t = Tf , y = 0.
y = (v0 sin θ0)t - ½ gt2 becomes 0= (v0 sin θ0)Tf - ½ gTf2

2 v0 sin θ0
or Tf =
g

Note that Tf = 2 tm because of the symmetric nature of the parabolic path.

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Maximum Height of a Projectile
Let hm be the maximum height of the projectile after time tm.
y = (v0 sin θ0)t - ½ gt2 becomes

v0 sin θ0 v0 sin θ0 2
hm = (v0 sin θ0) - ½g
g g

v02 sin2 θ0
or hm =
2g

Aliter:

At hm (the maximum height of the projectile), vy = 0.

vy2 = v02 sin2 θ0 – 2gy becomes

02 = v02 sin2 θ0 – 2ghm

v02 sin2 θ0
or hm =
2g
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Range of a Projectile
Let R be the Range of the projectile after time Tf (Time of flight). It is the
horizontal distance covered by the projectile from its initial position (0,0) to
the position where it passes y = 0.

x = v0xt = (v0 cos θ0)t becomes

R = (v0 cos θ0) Tf
2 v0 sin θ0
or R = (v0 cos θ0)
g

v02 sin 2θ0

or R=
g

Note that the range will be maximum for the maximum value of sin.
i.e. when sin 2θ0 = 1. This is possible when θ0 is 45°.
v02
Therefore, the maximum horizontal range is Rm =
g

v02
When θ0 is 45°, hm,45° = and Rm = 4 hm,45°
4g
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Range of a Projectile is same for complement angles of projection
Y
v02 sin 2θ0
R=
g

v0
v0

v0
α
α
45°
O X
Rmax

For angles, (45° + α) and (45° - α), 2θ0 is (90° + 2α) and (90° - 2α) respectively.
The values of sin (90° + 2α) and sin (90° - 2α) are the same and are equal to
cos 2α. Therefore, ranges are equal for elevations which exceed or fall short
of 45° by equal amounts of α.

In other words, for complement angles of elevation, the ranges will be the
same.
i.e. for θ0 and (90° - θ0) the values of sin 2θ0 and sin (180° - 2θ0) are the same.
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UNIFORM CIRCULAR MOTION v’
When a body moves with constant speed

on a circular path, it is said to have
uniform circular motion. P’
A particle P moves on a circle of r' v
Δ
radius vector r with uniform angular
Δr
velocity . Δs
O Δ
Linear velocity v is constant in magnitude r
but changes its direction continuously.
P
 The particle experiences acceleration.
In case of non-uniform circular motion, the particle experiences acceleration
due to change in both speed and direction.
When the particle moves from P to P’ in time Δt = t’ – t, the line OP (radius
vector) moves through an angle Δθ. Δθ is called ‘angular displacement’.
The velocity vector v turns through the same angle Δθ and becomes v’.
The linear displacement PP’ is Δr. The linear distance Δs is the arc PP’.
The angular velocity is the rate of change of angular displacement.
lim Δθ
=
Δt→0 Δt Home Next Previous
Relation between Linear and Angular Velocity
The linear velocity is the rate of change of linear displacement.
lim Δs
|v| =
Δt→0 Δt
But Δs = r Δθ

lim r Δθ
 |v| =
Δt→0 Δt

lim Δθ
or |v| = r
Δt→0 Δt

|v| = r ||

v=xr

, r and v are mutually perpendicular to each other and  is perpendicular

to the plane containing r and v.

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Acceleration in Uniform Circular Motion
Direction of acceleration of a particle in a uniform circular motion
v’

P’ Δv Δv
r' v Δv Δv Δvβ
Δ

β
Δ β
Δr V

β
V V
Δs V’ V
O v’ v Δ
Δ Δ
Δ
Δ
r
P

As Δt→0, Δ→0° and β→90°. It means the angle between Δv and v, i.e. β
increases and approaches 90°. i.e. Δv becomes perpendicular to v.
r is perpendicular to v. And Δv is also perpendicular to v.
 Δv is acting along -r. (Note the negative sign)
Since acceleration is the rate of change of velocity, therefore it acts in the
direction of Δv. Or it acts in the direction along the radius and towards the
centre O. Hence, the acceleration is called ‘centripetal acceleration’.
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Magnitude of acceleration of a particle in a uniform circular motion
v’

P’
r' Δ v Δv A
B
Δr
Δs
O v’ v
Δ
Δ
r
P P

The two isosceles triangles OPP’ and PAB are similar triangles.

AB PA |Δv| |v| |v|

 = or = or |Δv| = |Δr|
PP’ OP |Δr| |r| |r|

lim |Δv| lim |v| |Δr| |v| lim |Δr|

|a|=  |a|= Δt→0 x or |a|= Δt→0 Δt
Δt→0 Δt |r| Δt |r|
|v| |v|2 v2
or |a|= |v| or |a|= or acp =
r
|r| |r| Home Next Previous
Centripetal acceleration can be expressed in terms of angular speed.
v2
acp =
r
But v = r
(r)2
 acp =
r

or acp = 2r

Centripetal acceleration in terms of

frequency can be expressed as:

 = 2πν

 acp = 2r becomes acp = (2πν)2 r

or acp = 4π 2 ν2 r

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Directions of r, v,  and acp

The relative directions of various quantities are shown in the figure.

 v
O
r
acp
P

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 ]

Acknowledgeme
1.
nt
Physics Part I for Class XI by NCERT

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