Physics 207: Lecture 2

Reminders
l Discussion and Lab sections start meeting next week
l Fill out Pink add/drop form if you need to switch to a different
section that is FULL. Do it TODAY.

Homework
Ch. 1: 15, 17, 22, 23, 40, and 62
Ch.2: 16, 24, 32
Submission deadline = Monday, Feb. 14 at BEGINNING of class

Agenda for Today

l 1- D Kinematics (review)
ç Average & instantaneous velocity and acceleration
ç Motion with constant acceleration
1

Overview

l Kinematics: Description of Motion

ç Position and displacement
ç velocity
» average
» instantaneous
ç acceleration
» average
» instantaneous

Page 1
 Position vs Time Plots

l Gives location at any time.

l Displacement is change in position.
l Slope gives velocity.

x (m)

3
Position at t=3, x(3) = 1

Displacement between t=5 and t=1. ∆x = -1.0 m

t
4
1.0 m - 2.0 m = -1.0 m
Average velocity between t=5 and t=1. v = -0.25 m/s -3
-1 m / 4 s = -0.25 m/s
3

Velocity vs Time Plots

l Gives velocity at any time.

v (m/s)
l Area gives displacement
3
l Slope gives acceleration.

1.5
6
t
velocity at t=2, v(2) = 3 m/s 4
-3
Displacement between t=0 and t=3: ∆x= 7.5 m
t=0 to t=1: ½ (3m/s) (1 s) = 1.5 m
t=1 to t=3: (3m/s) (2 s) = 6 m
Average velocity between t=0 and t=3? v= 7.5 m / 3s = 2.5 m/s

Change in v between t=5 and t=3. ∆v = -2 m/s – 3 m/s = -5 m/s

Average acceleration between t=5 and t=3: a = -5 m/s / (2 s) = -2.5 m/s42

Page 2
 Acceleration vs Time Plots

l Gives acceleration at any time.

l Area gives change in velocity

a (m/s2 )

3
Acceleration at t=4, a(4) = -2 m/s2
6
Change in v between t=4 and t=1. ∆v = +4 m/s
t
t=1-3: ∆v = (3m/s 2)(2s)
= 6 m/s 24
t=3-4: ∆v = (-2m/s2)(1s) = -2 m/s -3

Consider this . . .

Is it possible for an object to have a positive velocity at the same

time as it has a negative acceleration?
1 - Yes
2 - No

“Example: A moving train (forward)

that is slowing down to stop.”

If the velocity of some object is not zero, can its acceleration

ever be zero ?
1 - Yes
2 - No
“Yes, an object can be moving at
a constant velocity.”
6

Page 3
 Lecture 2 ACT 1
If the average velocity of a car during a trip along a straight road is positive, is it
possible for the instantaneous velocity at some time during the trip to be negative?
A - Yes
B - No

Drive north 5 miles, put car in reverse

and drive south 2 miles. Average
velocity is positive.
7

Concepts & Calculations,

l A skydiver is falling straight down, along the negative y direction.
During the initial part of the fall, her speed increases from 16 to 28
m/s in 1.5 s. Which of the following is correct?
A) v>0, a>0 v a
y
B) v>0, a<0
C) v<0, a>0
x
D) v<0, a<0 ← correct

• During a later part of the fall, after the parachute has opened, her
speed decreases from 48 to 26 m/s in 11 s. Which of the
following is correct?
A) v>0, a>0
B) v>0, a<0 v a
C) v<0, a>0 ← correct
D) v<0, a<0
If speed is increasing, v and a are in same direction.
If speed is decreasing, v and a are in opposite direction. 8

Page 4
 Dropped Ball y

•A ball is dropped from a height of x

two meters above the ground.

l Draw vy vs t

v v v
3 A 3 B 3 C

4 t 4 t 4 t
-2 -2 -2
v v
3 3 E
D

4 t 4 t
9
-2 -2

Dropped Ball x

A ball is dropped from a height of two

meters above the ground. t
v

l Draw v vs t
l Draw x vs t
t
l Draw a vs t

t
10

Page 5
 Tossed Ball

•A ball is tossed from the ground up a height of two

meters above the ground. And falls back down y
l Draw v vs t x

v v v
3 A 3 B 3 C

4 t 4 t 4 t
-2 -2 -2
v v
3 3
D E

4 t 4 t
11
-2 -2

Tossed Ball x

•A ball is tossed from the ground up a

height of two meters above the ground. t
And falls back down v

l Draw v vs t
l Draw x vs t
t
l Draw a vs t

t
12

Page 6
 Lecture 2 ACT 2
A ball is thrown straight up in the air and returns to its
initial position. During the time the ball is in the air, which
of the following statements is true?

A - Both average acceleration and average velocity are zero.

B - Average acceleration is zero but average velocity is not zero.
C - Average velocity is zero but average acceleration is not zero.
D - Neither average acceleration nor average velocity are zero.

Vave = ∆Y/∆t = (Y f – Y i ) / (tf – ti ) = 0

aave = ∆V/∆t = ( Vf – Vi ) / (tf – ti )

Not 0 since Vf and Vi are

not the same !
13

x (meters) Example
100

-100
• Where is velocity zero?
-200
position vs. time • Where is velocity positive?
• Where is velocity negative?
-300
0 5 10 15 20 • Where is speed largest?
v (m/s) t (seconds)

20 • Where is acceleration zero?

0 • Where is acceleration positive?
-20

-40

-60 velocity vs. time

-80

-100
0 5 10 15 20 14
t (seconds)

Page 7
 Summary of Concepts

l kinematics: A description of motion

l position: your coordinates
l displacement: ∆x = change of position
l velocity: rate of change of position
ç average : ∆x/∆t
ç instantaneous: slope of x vs. t
l acceleration: rate of change of velocity
ç average: ∆v/∆t
ç instantaneous: slope of v vs. t

15

Motion in 1 dimension
l In 1-D, we usually write position as x(t 1 ).

l Since it’s in 1-D, all we need to indicate direction is + or −.

è Displacement in a time ∆t = t 2 - t1 is
∆x = x(t 2) - x(t 1) = x2 - x1

x
x2 some particle’s trajectory
∆x in 1-D

x1

t1 t2 t
∆t
16

Page 8
 1-D kinematics

l Velocity v is the “rate of change of position”

l Average velocity vav in the time ∆ t = t 2 - t1 is:

x ( t 2 ) − x ( t1 ) ∆x
v av ≡ =
t 2 − t1 ∆t

x
x2 trajectory
∆x
Vav = slope of line connecting x1 and x2.
x1

t1 t2 t
∆t
17

1-D kinematics...

l Consider limit t1 t2
l Instantaneous velocity v is defined as:

dx ( t )
v (t ) =
dt

x so v(t 2) = slope of line tangent to path at t2.

x2
∆x
x1

t1 t2 t
∆t

18

Page 9
 1-D kinematics...

l Acceleration a is the “rate of change of velocity”

l Average acceleration aav in the time ∆t = t 2 - t1 is:

v ( t 2 ) − v ( t1 ) ∆v
aav ≡ =
t 2 − t1 ∆t

l And instantaneous acceleration a is defined as:

dv ( t ) d 2 x( t )
a( t ) = =
dt dt 2

dx ( t )
using v ( t ) =
dt

19

Recap
l If the position x is known as a function of time, then we can
find both velocity v and acceleration a as a function of time!

x
x = x( t )
dx
v = v
t
dt
dv d 2x
a = =
dt dt 2
t
a

20

Page 10
 More 1-
1 -D kinematics

l We saw that v = dx / dt
l In “calculus” language we would write dx = v dt, which we
can integrate to obtain:
t2
x (t 2 ) − x ( t1 ) = ∫ v (t )dt
t1
l Graphically, this is adding up lots of small rectangles:

v(t) + +...+
= displacement

21

1-D Motion with constant acceleration

1
l
n
High-school calculus: ∫ t dt = t n +1 + const
n +1
dv
l Also recall that a =
dt
l Since a is constant, we can integrate this using the above
rule to find:
v = ∫ a dt = a ∫ dt = at + v 0

dx
l Similarly, since v = we can integrate again to get:
dt
1
x = ∫ v dt = ∫ ( at + v 0 )dt = at 2 + v 0 t + x0
2

22

Page 11
 Recap
l So for constant acceleration we find:

1 2
x = x0 + v 0 t + at
2 t
v
v = v 0 + at
a = const
t
a

23

Lecture 2, Act 3
Motion in One Dimension

l When throwing a ball straight up, which of the following is

true about its velocity v and its acceleration a at the
highest point in its path?

(a) Both v = 0 and a = 0.

0.

(b) v ≠ 0, but a = 0.
0. y

0, but a ≠ 0.
(c) v = 0,

24

Page 12
 Lecture 2, Act 3
Solution
l Going up the ball has positive velocity, while coming down
it has negative velocity. At the top the velocity is
momentarily zero.
x
l Since the velocity is
continually changing there must
t
be some acceleration. v
ç In fact the acceleration is caused
t
(g = 9.81 m/s2).
by gravity (g
ç (more on gravity in a few lectures) a

l 0, but a ≠ 0.
The answer is (c) v = 0, t

25

Useful Formula

1 2
v = v 0 + at x = x0 + v 0 t + at
2

l Solving for t: l Plugging in for t:

2
v − v0 v − v 0  1 v − v 0 
t= x = x0 + v 0   + a 
a  a  2  a 

v 2 − v 0 = 2 a( x − x0 )
2

26

Page 13
 Alternate (Calculus-
(Calculus-based) Derivation
dv dv dx
a= = ⋅ (chain rule)
dt dx dt
dv
a = v⋅ ⇒ a ⋅ dx = v ⋅ dv
dx
x x v

∫ a d x = a ∫ dx = ∫ v ⋅ dv
x0 x0 v0
(a = constant)

1
⇒ a( x - x0 ) = (v2 − v20 )
2

v 2 − v 0 = 2 a( x − x0 )
2

27

Recap:
l For constant acceleration:

1 2
x = x0 + v 0 t + at
2
v = v 0 + at
a = const

l From which we know:

v 2 − v02 = 2a(x − x0 )
1
v av = (v 0 + v)
2

28

Page 14
 Example 1

l A car is traveling with an initial velocity v0. At t = 0, the

driver puts on the brakes, which slows the car at a rate of
ab

vo
ab
x = 0, t = 0

29

Example 1...

l A car is traveling with an initial velocity v0. At t = 0, the

driver puts on the brakes, which slows the car at a rate of
ab. At what time tf does the car stop, and how much farther
xf does it travel?

v0
ab
x = 0, t = 0
v=0

x = xf , t = tf

30

Page 15
 Example 1...

l Above, we derived: v = v0 + at

l Realize that a = -ab

l Also realizing that v = 0 at t = tf :

find 0 = v0 - ab tf or

tf = v0 /ab

31

Example 1...

l To find stopping distance we use:

v 2 − v02 = 2a(x − x0 )

l In this case v = vf = 0, x0 = 0 and x = xf

− v 0 = 2( − ab ) xf
2

2
v0
xf =
2 ab

32

Page 16
 Example 1...
2
v0 1 v0
l So we found that t f = , xf =
ab 2 ab

l Suppose that vo = 65 mi/hr = 29 m/s

l Suppose also that ab = g = 9.81 m/s2

ç Find that tf = 3 s and xf = 43 m

33

Tips:
l Read !
ç Before you start work on a problem, read the
problem statement thoroughly. Make sure you
understand what information is given, what is asked
for, and the meaning of all the terms used in stating
the problem.

l Watch your units !

ç Always check the units of your answer, and carry the
units along with your numbers during the calculation.

l Understand the limits !

ç Many equations we use are special cases of more
general laws. Understanding how they are derived
will help you recognize their limitations (for example,
constant acceleration).

34

Page 17
 Recap of this week’s lectures

l Measurement and Units (Chapter 1)

ç Systems of units (Text: 1-1)
ç Dimensional Analysis (Text: 1-4)
ç Converting between systems of units (Text: 1-5)
l 1- D Kinematics (Chapter 2)
ç Average & instantaneous velocity
and acceleration (Text: 2-1, 2-2)
ç Motion with constant acceleration (Text: 2-3, 2-5)
l Example car problem

35

Page 18