Equations of Motion

Motion with Constant Acceleration

January 9, 2012 Physics 114A - Lecture 4 2/20

Motion with Constant Acceleration
Velocity: (2-7)
Average velocity: (2-9)

Position as a function of time:

(2-10)
(2-11)

Velocity as a function of position:

January 9, 2012 Physics 114A - Lecture 4 (2-12)3/20
 Motion with Constant
Acceleration, Other Variables (1)
v  v0 v
v  v0  at  t  
a a
v
 a
t
x  x0 x
x  x0  vav t  t  
vav vav
January 9, 2012 Physics 114A - Lecture 4 4/20
 Motion with Constant
Acceleration, Other Variables (2)
 v  2ax  v0
2

x  x0  v0t  at1
2
2
 t 0

a
2(x  v0t )
 a 2
t
2
v v2
v  v  2ax  x 
2 2
0
0

2a
v  v0
2 2
 a
January 9, 2012
2x
Physics 114A - Lecture 4 5/20
Motion with Constant Acceleration
The relationship between position and time
follows a characteristic curve.

Parabola

January 9, 2012 Physics 114A - Lecture 4 6/20

 Clicker Question #1
Assume that the brakes on your car create a
constant deceleration, independent of how fast
you are going. Starting at a particular speed, you
apply the brakes and note the stopping distance D
and the stopping time T.
Now you double the speed of the car. How
does this change affect the stopping distance D
and the stopping time T?

(a) D and T remain the same.

(b) D and T both double (i.e., x2).
(c) D doubles and T quadruples (i.e., x4).
(d) D quadruples and T doubles.
(e) D and T both quadruple.
January 9, 2012 Physics 114A - Lecture 4 7/20
 Freely Falling Objects
An object falling in air is subject to air
resistance (and therefore is not freely falling).

January 9, 2012 Physics 114A - Lecture 4 8/20

 Freely Falling Objects
Free fall is the motion of an object subject
only to the influence of gravity. The
acceleration due to gravity is a constant, g.

We will
normally use
the value
g = 9.81 m/s2.

January 9, 2012 Physics 114A - Lecture 4 9/20

 Free Fall and g
One important example of constant
acceleration is the “free fall” of an
object under the influence of the
Earth’s gravity. The picture shows an
apple and a feather falling in vacuum
with identical motions.
The magnitude of this acceleration,
designated as g, has the approximate
value of a = g = 9.81 m/s2 = 32.2 ft/s2.
If downward is designated as the +y
direction, then a = +g; if downward is
designated as the y direction, then a =
g.
(Note that g is always positive., but
a may have either sign.)
January 9, 2012 Physics 114A - Lecture 4 10/20
 Freely Falling Objects
Free fall from rest
(with x = down):

v(t )  v0  gt

x(t )  x0  v0t  gt
1
2
2

January 9, 2012 Physics 114A - Lecture 4 11/20

 Freely Falling Objects
Position

Trajectory of a projectile:

Velocity

Acceleration

January 9, 2012 Physics 114A - Lecture 4 12/20

Problem Solving Strategy for 1-D
Motion with Constant Acceleration
Picture - Determine if the problem is asking you to find time, distance,
velocity, or acceleration for an object.
Solve - Use the following steps to solve problems that involve one-
dimensional motion and constant acceleration:
 Draw a figure showing the particle in its initial and final positions.
Include a coordinate axis and label initial and final coordinates of
the position.
 Select one or more of the constant-acceleration kinematic equations.
Solve them algebraically for the desired quantities. Then substitute
in the given values and evaluate the answer.
 Repeat as needed.
Check - Make sure your answers are dimensionally consistent. Make sure
the magnitudes of your answers are in the expected “ballpark”.
January 9, 2012 Physics 114A - Lecture 4 13/20
 Example: The Flying Cap
Upon graduation, a joyful student throws her cap
straight up in the air with an initial speed of 14.7 m/s. Given
that its acceleration has a magnitude of 9.81 m/s 2 and is
directed downward (we neglect air resistance),
(a) When does the cap to reach its highest point?
(b) What is the distance to the highest point?
(c) Assuming the cap is caught at the same height it was
released, what is the total time that the cap is in flight?
1. Draw the cap (as a dot) in its various positions.
2. (a) Use the time, velocity and acceleration relation.
v v (0 m/s)  (14.7 m/s)
vx  v0 x  ax t ; t  x 0 x   1.5 s
ax 9.81 m/s 2
(b) Use average velocity: vav = v0/2 = 7.35 m/s;
x = vav t = (7.35 m/s)(1.5 s) = 11.0 m
(c) Up time = down time, so total time is 3.0 s. (see text for a more
complicated method.)
3. The answers have the right units and seem reasonable.
January 9, 2012 Physics 114A - Lecture 4 14/20
 Example: The Flying Cap
(continued)
The height of the cap vs. time has
the form of a parabola (since x ~ t2). It
is symmetric about the midpoint (but
would not be, if air resistance were
present).

The velocity of the cap vs. time has

the form of a straight line (since v ~ t).
The velocity crosses zero at the
midpoint and is negative thereafter,
because the cap is moving downward.

January 9, 2012 Physics 114A - Lecture 4 15/20

Example: A Traveling Electron
An electron in a cathode-ray tube accelerates from rest with a constant
acceleration of 5.33 x 1012 m/s2 for 0.150 s, then drifts with a constant
velocity for 0.200 s, then slows to a stop with a negative acceleration of
2.67 x 1013 m/s2. (Note: 1 s = 10-6 s)
How far does the electron travel?

1. Draw the electron (as a dot)

in its various positions xi.
2. Calculate the displacement xi and velocity vi for each part of the path:
x1  v0t  12 axt 2  (0 m/s)(0.150  10-6 s)+ 12 (5.33 1012 m/s 2 )(0.150 10-6 s)2  0.06 m
v1  ax t  (5.33 1012 m/s 2 )(0.150 10-6 s)  8.0 105 m/s
x2  v1t2  (8.0 105 m/s)(0.200 10-6 s)  0.16 m
vx 2  v0 x 2 (0 m/s) 2  (8.0 105 m/s) 2
vx  v0 x  2ax x; x3 
2 2
  0.012 m
2a x 2(2.67 10 m/s )
13 2

x  x1  x1  x1  (0.06 m)  (0.16 m)  (0.012 m)  0.232 m =23.2 cm

3. The answers have the correct units and appear to be reasonable.

January 9, 2012 Physics 114A - Lecture 4 16/20
 Example: Speed of a Lava Bomb
A volcano shoots out blobs of molten lava (lava
bombs) from its summit. A geologist observing the
eruption uses a stopwatch to time the flight of a
particular lava bomb that is projected straight upward.
If the time for it to rise and fall back to its launch
height is 4.75 s, what is its initial speed and how high
did it go? (Use g = 9.81 m/s2.)

x  x0  v0t  12 gt 2  x  0  t (v0  12 gt )

Either t  0 or v0  12 gt  0

v0  12 gt  12 (9.81 m/s 2 )(4.75 s)  23.3 m/s

v02 (23.3 m/s) 2

At maximum height, v 2  0  v02  2 g x x   2
 27.7 m
2 g 2(9.81 m/s )
January 9, 2012 Physics 114A - Lecture 4 17/20
 End of Lecture 4
 Before the next lecture on Tuesday, read
Walker, Chapter 3.1-3.3
 Homework Assignments #1 should be
submitted using the WebAssign system by
11:59 PM on Thursday, January 12. Homework
Assignments #2 should be submitted using
the WebAssign system by 11:59 PM on
Thursday, January 19.
 We will have Exam 1 on Friday, January 20.