3.

MOTION IN A STRAIGHT LINE

1. MOTION AND FRAME OF REFERENCE

Main points from the topic:

Motion
• Motion is the change in position of an object with time. The motion of
an object along a straight line is called rectilinear motion. Examples
include flying kites, moving trains, the earth’s rotation etc.
• Two branches in physics examine the motion of an object.
- Kinematics: It describes the motion of objects, without looking at
the cause of the motion.
- Dynamics: It relates the motion of objects to the forces which cause
them.
• Point object: If the length covered by the object is very large in
comparison to the size of the object, the object is considered as a point
object.
• Types of motion:
i. One-dimensional motion: A particle moving along a straight line
or a path is said to undergo a one-dimensional motion. For
example, the motion of a train along a straight line, freely falling
body under gravity etc.
ii. Two-dimensional motion: A particle moving in a plane is said to
undergo two-dimensional motion. For example, the motion of a
shell fired by a gun, carrom board coins etc.
iii. Three-dimensional motion: A particle moving in space is said to
undergo three-dimensional motion. For example, the motion of
a kite in the sky, the motion of an aeroplane etc.
Frame of reference
A reference point is required to know the position of an object. Point O in the
figure is the reference point or Origin and together with three axes, this system
is called the coordinate system. A coordinate system with a time frame is
called a frame of reference.
- Objects changing positions with time concerning the frame of
reference are in motion while those which do not change position are
at rest.
 - For a moving car, the frame of reference outside the car, appears
moving. While for the frame of reference inside the car, the car
appears stationary.
Distance and displacement
• Distance: The length of the actual path covered between the initial and
final positions/points is called distance. It is a scalar quantity and can
have positive values only.
• Displacement: The length of the shortest path between initial and final
points is called displacement. It is a vector quantity and can have
negative, positive and zero values.
Uniform speed and uniform velocity
• Uniform speed: An object is said to move with uniform speed if it covers
equal distances in equal intervals of time.
• Uniform velocity: An object is said to move with uniform velocity if it
covers equal displacements in equal intervals of time.
Non-uniform speed and non-uniform velocity
• Non-uniform speed: An object is said to move with variable speed if it
covers unequal distances in equal intervals of time.
• Non-uniform velocity: An object is said to move with variable velocity
if it covers unequal displacements in equal intervals of time.
Average speed
• It is the ratio of total path length traversed and the corresponding time
interval.
• Mathematically,
Δ𝑠
𝜈𝑎𝑣 =
Δ𝑡
𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 Δ𝑠 𝑖𝑠 𝑡𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑐𝑜𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑑 𝑎𝑛𝑑 Δ𝑡 𝑖𝑠 𝑡𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝑡𝑎𝑘𝑒𝑛.

Average velocity
• It is the displacement divided by the time interval in which the
displacement occurs.
• Mathematically,
𝚫𝒔
𝝂𝒂𝒗 =
Δ𝑡
𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 Δ𝑠 𝑖𝑠 𝑡𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑎𝑛𝑑 Δ𝑡 𝑖𝑠 𝑡𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝑡𝑎𝑘𝑒𝑛.
 Note: The average speed of an object is greater than or equal to the
magnitude of the average velocity over a given time interval.

Instantaneous speed
• The speed of an object at an instant of time is called instantaneous speed.
• Mathematically,
d𝑠
𝜈𝑖𝑛𝑠𝑡 =
d𝑡
Instantaneous velocity
• The instantaneous velocity of a particle is the velocity at any instant of
time or any point of its path.
• Mathematically,
𝐝𝒔
𝝂𝒊𝒏𝒔𝒕 =
d𝑡
Explain what you learned from the above topic. Then try answering the following
questions.
1. The displacement in metres of a body varies with time t in second as y = t2 – t – 2.
The displacement is zero for a positive of t equal to
a. 1 s
b. 2 s
c. 3 s
d. 4 s
Answer: Option b

Explanation: For, t = 2s the value of the displacement equation is zero,

Y = 22 – 2 – 2 = 0

2. A boy starts from point A, travels to point B at a distance of 3 km from A and

returns to A. If he takes two hours to do so, his speed is
a. 3 km/h
b. Zero
c. 2 km/h
d. 1.5 km/h
Answer: Option a

Explanation: The total distance travelled by the boy is 6 km as he returned to

the original position. The speed can be calculated as,
Speed = distance/time
Speed = 6/2 = 3km/h

3. A boy starts from point A, travels to point B at a distance of 3 km from A and

returns to A. If he takes two hours to do so, his average velocity is
a. 3 km/h
b. Zero
c. 2 km/h
d. 1.5 km/h
Answer: Option b

Explanation: The displacement travelled by the boy is 0 km as he returned to

the original position. The velocity can be calculated as,
Speed = displacement/time
Speed = 0/2 = 0 km/h

4. Which one of the following is the unit of velocity?

a. Kilogram
b. Metre
c. m/s
d. second
Answer: Option c
 Explanation: The unit of velocity is m/s.

5. The dimensional formula for speed is

a. T-1
b. LT-1
c. L-1T-1
d. L-1T
Answer: Option b

Explanation: The unit of speed is m/s or km/h whose dimensional formula will
become LT-1.

6. The dimensional formula for velocity is

a. LT
b. LT-1
c. L2T
d. L-1T
Answer: Option b

Explanation: The unit of velocity is also m/s or km/h whose dimensional

formula will become LT-1.

7. If the displacement of an object is zero, then what can we say about its distance
covered?
a. It is negative
b. It must be zero
c. It cannot be zero
d. It may or may not be zero
Answer: Option d

Explanation: Because if an object travels from point A to B and returned to A,

it has travelled some distance but its displacement is zero.

8. The distance travelled by an object is directly proportional to the time taken. Its
speed
a. Increases
b. Decreases
c. becomes zero
d. remains constant
Answer: Option d

Explanation: This is the case of uniform speed where distance changes in the
same ratio as time.

9. When a body is dropped from a tower, then there is an increase in its

a. Mass
 b. Velocity
c. Acceleration
d. Potential energy
Answer: Option b

Explanation: The velocity changes whenever an object falls.

10. The ratio of the numerical values of the average velocity and average speed of a
body is
a. Unity or less
b. Less than unity
c. Unity
d. Unity or more
Answer: Option a

Explanation: Average velocity can be equal to or less than average speed, hence,
their ratio is unity or less.
2. ACCELERATION AND GRAPHS

Main points from the topic:

Acceleration
• Acceleration is the rate of change of velocity with time. It is denoted by
‘a’ and the SI unit is m/s2.
• Average acceleration is a change of velocity over a time interval.
Δ𝑣
𝑎𝑎𝑣 =
Δ𝑡
where v1 and v2 are instantaneous velocities at times t1 and t2.
• Acceleration can be positive (increasing velocity) or negative
(decreasing velocity).
• Instantaneous acceleration is the acceleration at different instants of
time. Acceleration at an instant is the slope of the tangent to the v-t curve
at that instant.
d𝑣
𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑠𝑡 =
d𝑡
Distance-time graph
• A distance-time graph shows how far an object has travelled in a given
time. It is a simple line graph that denotes distance versus time findings
on the graph. Distance is plotted on the Y-axis and time is plotted on the
X-axis.
• Example,
For better understanding, let us consider an example of uniform motion.
A bus driver drives at a constant speed which is indicated by the
speedometer and the driver measures the time taken by the bus for every
kilometre. The driver notices that the bus travels 1 kilometre every 2
minutes.

The graph for the above data is,

 - By this table, he had a clear idea about the speed which is: ½ × 60
= 30 km/hr.
- The graph is a straight line and the motion of the bus is also uniform.
Also, from the graph, we can find the speed of the bus at any instant
in time. The initial and final position of the car can be found as the
following:
Speed = (Final Position-Initial position)/Time
- The slope of the line can be found by drawing a rectangle anywhere
near the straight line which determines the speed of the bus. If an
object is not moving, the distance-time graph results in a horizontal
line which shows that the object is at rest.

Equations of motion
• We can relate quantities like velocity, time, acceleration and
displacement provided the acceleration remains constant. These
relations are collectively known as the equation of motion. There are
three equations of motion.
- First equation,
𝑣 = 𝑢 + 𝑎𝑡
- Second equation,
𝑎𝑡 2
𝑆 = 𝑢𝑡 +
2
- Third equation,
𝑣 2 = 𝑢2 + 2𝑎𝑆
Where, v is final velocity, u is initial velocity, a is a constant
acceleration, t is the time taken and S is the distance travelled.
Velocity-time graph
• When the velocity is constant (zero acceleration)

• Velocity-time graphs (constant acceleration)

• Velocity-time graphs with increasing acceleration

Explain what you learned from the above topic. Then try answering the following
questions.
1. A body starts from rest and travels with uniform acceleration on a straight line. If
its velocity after making a displacement of 32 m is 8 m/s, its acceleration is
a. 1 m/s²
b. 2 m/s²
c. 3 m/s²
d. 4 m/s²
Answer: Option a

Explanation:
v = 8 m/s
u = 0 m/s
S = 32 m
𝑣 2 = 𝑢2 + 2𝑎𝑆
(8)2 = (0)2 + 2a (32)
a = 64/64 = 1 m/s2

2. A body starts from rest and travels for t second with a uniform acceleration of 2
m/s². If the displacement made by it is 16 m, the time of travel t is
a. 4 s
b. 3 s
c. 6 s
d. 8 s
Answer: Option a

Explanation:
t=t
u=0
a = 2 m/s2
S = 16 m
𝑎𝑡 2
𝑆 = 𝑢𝑡 +
2
16 = 0(t) + 2 t2/2
t2 = 16
t = (16)1/2 = 4 seconds

3. A body starts from rest and travels with a uniform acceleration of 2 m/s². If its
velocity is v after making a displacement of 9 m, then v is
a. 8 m/s
b. 6 m/s
c. 10 m/s
d. 4 m/s
Answer: Option b

Explanation:
 a = 2 m/s2
S=9m
u = 0 m/s
v2 = 02 + 2 x 2 x 9
v = (36)1/2 = 6 m/s

4. The dimensional formula for acceleration is

a. LT2
b. LT-2
c. L2T
d. L2T2
Answer: Option b

Explanation: The unit of acceleration is m/s2 and its dimensions are LT-2.

5. The change in velocity corresponding to the time interval within which the change
has accelerated is known as
a. Speed
b. Instantaneous Velocity
c. Uniform Motion
d. Average Acceleration
Answer: Option d

Explanation: The change in velocity corresponding to the time interval within

which the change has accelerated is known as average acceleration.

6. A particle is moving with a constant speed along a straight-line path. A force is

not required to
a. change its direction
b. decrease its speed
c. keep it moving with uniform velocity
d. Increase its momentum
Answer: Option c

Explanation: Force is not required for a particle to move with a constant speed
along a straight-line path.

7. Which is the formula for motion in a straight line

a. v =u + at
b. v =u – at
c. u = 2at+v
d. v = 2at+u
Answer: Option a

Explanation: The formula for motion in a straight line is v =u + at.

8. The ratio of the average velocity and average speed of a body is

a. 1
 b. More than 1
c. 1 or less than 1
d. None of these options
Answer: Option c

Explanation: The ratio of the average velocity and average speed of a body is
always 1 or less than 1.

9. The displacement-time graph of a moving object is a linear line. Then,

a. its acceleration may be uniform
b. its velocity may be uniform
c. its acceleration may be variable
d. both its velocity and acceleration may be uniform
Answer: Option b

Explanation: The displacement-time graph of a moving object is a straight line.

Then, its velocity may be uniform.

10. If the velocity-time graph of an object is a linear line sloping downwards, the body
has
a. zero acceleration
b. positive acceleration
c. constant acceleration
d. negative acceleration
Answer: Option d

Explanation: If the velocity-time graph of an object is a straight line sloping

downwards, the body has negative acceleration.