2.

1b Mechanics
On the move
Mr.Shahin Mustafayev
 Specifications
Lessons Topics
1 to 4 Motion along a straight line
Displacement, speed, velocity and acceleration.
v = Δs / Δt and a = Δv / Δt
Representation by graphical methods of uniform and non-uniform acceleration;
interpretation of velocity-time and displacement-time graphs for uniform and
non uniform acceleration; significance of areas and gradients.
Equations for uniform acceleration;
v = u + at , v2 = u2 + 2as
s = ½ (u + v) t , s = ut + ½ at2
Acceleration due to gravity, g; detailed experimental methods of measuring g are
not required.
5&6 Projectile motion
Independence of vertical and horizontal motion; problems will be soluble from
first principles. The memorising of projectile equations is not required.
Distance (x) and Displacement (s)
Distance (x)
– the length of the path moved by an object
– scalar quantity
– SI unit: metre (m)
Displacement (s)
– the length and direction of the straight line
drawn from object’s initial position to its final
position
– vector quantity
– SI unit: metre (m)
 Speed (v)
average speed = distance change
time taken
vav = Δx / Δt
scalar quantity
SI unit: ms -1

Instantaneous speed (v) is the rate of

change of distance with time: v = dx / dt
 Velocity (v)
average velocity = displacement change
time taken
vav = Δs / Δt
vector quantity
direction: same as the displacement change
SI unit: ms -1

Instantaneous velocity (v) is the rate of change of

displacement with time: v = ds / dt
 Speed and Velocity Conversions
1 kilometre per hour (km h-1)
= 1000 m h-1
= 1000 / 3600 ms-1
1 km h-1 = 0.28 ms-1
and 1 ms-1 = 3.6 km h-1

Also:
100 km h-1 = 28 ms-1 = approx 63 m.p.h
 Complete
distance time speed
60 m 3s 20 ms-1
1400 m 35 s 40 ms-1
300 m 0.20 s 1500 ms-1
80 km 2h 40 km h-1
150 x 10 6 km 88 min 20 s 3.0 x 108 ms-1
1 km 3.03 s 330 ms-1
 Speed and Velocity Question
Two cars (A and B)
travel from Chertsey car A: distance = 6km
to Weybridge by the
routes shown
opposite. If both cars Chertsey displacement = 2km EAST
take 30 minutes to
complete their
journeys calculate Weybridge

their individual
average speeds and car B: distance = 4km
velocities.
Car A Car B
speed speed
= 6km / 0.5h = 4km / 0.5h
= 12km h-1 = 8km h-1

velocity velocity
= 2km EAST / 0.5h = 2km EAST / 0.5h
= 4km h-1 EAST = 4km h-1 EAST
 Acceleration (a)
average acceleration = velocity change
time taken
aav = Δv / Δt
vector quantity
direction: same as the velocity change
SI unit: ms -2

Instantaneous acceleration (a) is the rate of

change of velocity with time: a = dv / dt
Notes:
1. Change in velocity:
= final velocity (v) – initial velocity (u)
so: aav = (v – u) / Δt
2. Uniform acceleration:
This is where the acceleration remains
constant over a period of time.
3. Deceleration:
This is where the magnitude of the velocity
is decreasing with time.
 Acceleration due to gravity (g)
An example of uniform acceleration.
In equations ‘a’ is substituted by ‘g’

On average at sea level:

g = 9.81 ms-2 downwards

g is often approximated to 10 ms -2
YOU ARE EXPECTED TO USE 9.81 IN
EXAMINATIONS!!
 Question
Calculate the average acceleration of a car
that moves from rest (0 ms-1) to 30 ms-1 over
a time of 8 seconds.
aav = (v – u) / Δt
= (30 – 0) / 8
average acceleration = 3.75 ms-2
 Complete
Velocity / ms-1 Time Acceleration
Initial Final /s / ms-2
45
0 45 15 3
3
0 24 3 8
30
30 90 10 6
20 5 3 -5
0 - -60
60 20 -3
 Distance-time graphs
The gradient of a distance-time graph is
equal to the speed
 Displacement-time graphs
The gradient of a
displacement-time graph is
equal to the velocity

The graph opposite shows

how the displacement of an
object thrown upwards varies
in time.
Note how the gradient falls
from a high positive value to
zero (at maximum height) to a
large negative value.
Estimate the initial velocity of the object.
Initial gradient = (5 – 0)m / (0.5 – 0)s = 10 ms-1
Initial velocity = 10 ms-1
 Question
Describe the motion shown by the displacement-time graph below:

s/m C D O → A: acceleration from rest

B A → B: constant velocity
E B → C: deceleration to rest
C → D: rest (no motion)
D → E: acceleration from rest
back towards the
starting point
A
t/s
 Velocity-time graphs
velocity
With velocity-time graphs:

gradient
= acceleration
a = (v – u) / t

The area under the ‘curve’

= displacement
s = [u x t] + [½ (v – u) x t]
 Question 1
Describe the motion shown by the velocity-time graph below:

v / ms-1 O → A: UNIFORM POSITIVE

A acceleration from rest to velocity v1.
v1 B
A → B: constant velocity v1.
B → C → D : UNIFORM NEGATIVE
acceleration from v1 to
t/s negative velocity v2.
C
F At C: The body reverses direction
v2 D → E: constant negative velocity v2.
D E
E → F: NON-UNIFORM POSITIVE
acceleration to rest
 Question 2
v / ms-1 The graph shows the velocity-
time graph of a car. Calculate
12
or state:
(a) the acceleration of the car
during the first 4 seconds.
T t/s (b) the displacement of the car
4 6 11 after 6 seconds.
(c) time T.
(d) the displacement after 11
-10
seconds.
(e) the average velocity of the
car over 11 seconds.
 Question 2
v / ms-1
a) the acceleration of
12
the car during the first
4 seconds.
T t/s acceleration = gradient
4 6 11
= (12 - 0)ms-1 / (4 – 0)s
= 12 / 4
-10
acceleration = 3 ms-2
 Question 2
v / ms-1
(b) the displacement of
12
the car after 6
seconds.
area area
A B
T t/s displacement = area
4 6 11
= area A + area B
= ½ (12 x 4) + (12 x 2)
-10
= 24 + 24
displacement = 48 m
 Question 2
v / ms-1 (c) time T.
By similar triangles:
12 (T - 6):(11 - T) = 12:10
i.e. (T - 6) / (11 - T) = 12 / 10
(T - 6) / (11 - T) = 1.20
area area (T - 6) = 1.20 (11 – T)
A B
T t/s T - 6 = 13.2 – 1.2T
4 6 11 2.2T = 19.2
T = 19.2 / 2.2
T = 8.73 seconds
-10
Note: T can also be found by scale
drawing or by using the equations of
uniform acceleration (see later).
 Question 2
v / ms-1 (d) the displacement after
12 11 seconds.
displacement = area
area area
= area A + area B + area C
A B area
C T t/s – area D
4 6 11
= 24 + 24 + ½ (12 x 2.73)
area
D – ½ (10 x 2.27)
-10
= 24 + 24 + 16.38 – 11.35
= 53.03
displacement = 53.0 m
 Question 2
v / ms-1
(e) the average velocity
12
of the car over 11
seconds.
area area
A B area
C T t/s average velocity
4 6 11
= displacement / time
area
D
= 53.03 / 11
-10
average velocity
= 4.82 ms-1
 Question 3
s / ms-1
Sketch the displacement-
time graph for the car of 64
question 2.
53
48
displacement-time
co-ordinates:
t/s s/m 24
0 0
4 24
6 48
4 6 T 11
8.73 64.4 t/s
11 53.0
 Question 4
Sketch displacement and velocity time graphs for a bouncing ball.
Take the initial displacement of the ball to be h at time t = 0.
Use the same time axis for both curves and show at least three
bounces.

displacement
velocity
h

time

gradients = - 9.8 ms-2

 The equations of uniform
acceleration
v = FINAL velocity
u = INITIAL velocity
v = u + at
a = acceleration v2 = u2 + 2as
t = time for the velocity s = ½ (u + v) t
change
s = displacement during
s = ut + ½ at2
the velocity change

THESE EQUATIONS ONLY APPLY

WHEN THE ACCELERATION
REMAINS CONSTANT
 Question 1
Calculate the final velocity of a car that
accelerates at 2ms -2 from an initial velocity
of 3ms -1 for 5 seconds.
v = u + at
v = 3 + (2 x 5)
= 3 + 10
final velocity = 13 ms-1
 Question 2
Calculate the stopping distance of a car that
is decelerated at 2.5 ms -2 from an initial
velocity of 20 ms -1.
v2 = u2 + 2as
0 = 202 + (2 x - 2.5 x s)
0 = 400 + - 5s
- 400 = - 5s
- 400 / - 5 = s
stopping distance = 80 m
 Question 3
A stone is dropped from the edge of a cliff. If
it accelerates downwards at 9.81 ms -2 and
reaches the bottom after 1.5s calculate the
height of the cliff.
s = ut + ½ at2
s = (0 x 1.5) + ½ (9.81 x (1.5)2)
s = ½ (9.81 x 2.25)
cliff height = 11.0 m
 Question 4
Calculate the time taken for a car to
accelerate uniformly from 5 ms -1 to 12 ms -1
over a distance of 30m.
s = ½ (u + v) t
30 = ½ (5 + 12) x t
30 = 8.5 x t
30 ÷ 8.5 = t
time = 3.53 s
 Question 5
A ball is thrown upwards against gravity with
an initial speed of 8 ms -1. What is the
maximum height reached by the ball?
v2 = u2 + 2as
where:
s = height upwards
u = 8 ms -1 upwards
v = 0 ms -1 (at maximum height)
a = - 9.81 ms -2 (acceleration is downwards)
 Question 5 continued
v2 = u2 + 2as
0 = (8)2 + 2 (-9.81 x s)
0 = 64 - 19.62 x s
- 64 = - 19.62 x s
- 64 / - 19.62 = s
maximum ball height = + 3.26 m
 Calculate the ? quantities
u / ms-1 v / ms-1 a / ms-2 t/s s/m
2 14 0.75 ?
16
0 0.4 15 ?
45
16 0 -8 ?
16
4 6 4? 20
 Calculate the other quantities
u / ms-1 v / ms-1 a / ms-2 t/s s/m
2 14 0.75 16 128
0 6 0.4 15 45
16 0 -8 2 16
4 6 0.5 4 20
 Projectile motion
This is where a body is moving in two
dimensions. For example a stone being
thrown across a stretch of water has both
horizontal and vertical motion.

The motion of the body in two such

mutually perpendicular directions can be
treated independently.
 Example 1
A stone is thrown
horizontally at a speed of
8.0 ms-1 from the top of a height
vertical cliff. of fall

If the stone falls vertically by

30m calculate the time path of
taken for the stone to reach stone
the bottom of the cliff and
the horizontal distance
travelled by the stone
(called the ‘range’).
Neglect the effect of air
resistance.
range
 Example 1
Stage 1
height
Consider vertical motion only of fall
s = ut + ½ at2
30 = (0 x t) + ½ (9.81 x (t)2)
30 = ½ (9.81 x (t)2) path of
stone
30 = 4.905 x t2
t2 = 6.116

time of fall = 2.47 s

range
 Example 1
Stage 2
Consider horizontal motion only height
of fall
During the time 2.47 seconds the
stone moves horizontally at a
constant speed of 8.0 ms-1
path of
speed = distance / time
stone
becomes:
distance = speed x time
= 8.0 x 2.47
= 19.8
range = 19.8 m

range
 Further Questions
(a) Repeat this example this
time for a cliff of height 40m
with a stone thrown height
horizontally at 20 ms-1. of fall
time of fall = 2.83 s
range = 56.6 m
path of
stone
(b) How would these values
be changed if air resistance
was significant?
time of fall - longer
range - smaller
range
 Example 2
A shell is fired at 200 ms-1 at an angle of 30 degrees to the
horizontal. Neglecting air resistance calculate:
(a) the maximum height reached by the shell
(b) the time of flight
(c) the range path of
shell

maximum
height
30°

range
 Example 2
Stage 1 - Part (a)
Consider vertical motion only
At the maximum height, s
The final VERTICAL velocity, v = 0.
v2 = u2 + 2as
0 = (200 sin 30°)2 + (2 x - 9.81 x s) [upwards +ve]
0 = (200 x 0.500)2 + (-19.62 x s)
0 = (100)2 + (-19.62 x s)
0 = 10000 - 19.62s
- 10000 = - 19.62s
s = 10000 / 19.62
s = 509.7
maximum height = 510 m
 Example 2
Stage 2 – Part (b)
Consider vertical motion only
v = u + at
0 = (200 sin 30°) + (- 9.81 x t)
0 = 100 - 9.81t
-100 = - 9.81t
t = 100 / 9.81
t = 10.19
Time to reach maximum height = 10.19 s
If air resistance can be neglected then this is also the time
for the shell to fall to the ground again.
Hence time of flight = 2 x 10.19
time of flight = 20.4 seconds
 Example 2
Stage 3 – Part (c)
Consider horizontal motion only
During the time 20.38 seconds the shell moves horizontally
at a constant speed of (200 cos 30°) ms-1
speed = distance / time
becomes:
distance = speed x time
= (200 cos 30°) x 20.38
= (200 x 0.8660) x 20.38
= 173.2 x 20.38
= 3530
range = 3530 m (3.53 km)
 Question
Repeat example 2 this time for a firing angle of 45°.
sin 45° = 0.7071; 200 x sin 45° = 141.4
maximum height = 1020 m
time of flight = 28.8 s
range = 4072 m (4.07 km)
Note: 45° yields the maximum range in this situation.

path of
shell

maximum
height
45°

range
 Internet Links
• The Moving Man - PhET - Learn about position, • Two dogs running with graphs- NTNU
velocity, and acceleration graphs. Move the little man
• Motion graphs test - NTNU
back and forth with the mouse and plot his motion. Set
the position, velocity, or acceleration and let the • BBC KS3 Bitesize Revision: Speed
simulation move the man for you. - includes formula triangle applet
• Maze Game - PhET - Learn about position, velocity, and • Projectile Motion - PhET- Blast a Buick out of a cannon!
acceleration in the "Arena of Pain". Use the green arrow Learn about projectile motion by firing various objects.
to move the ball. Add more walls to the arena to make Set the angle, initial speed, and mass. Add air resistance.
the game more difficult. Try to make a goal as fast as you Make a game out of this simulation by trying to hit a
can. target.
• Motion in 2D - PhET - Learn about velocity and • Projectile motion - with or without air drag - NTNU
acceleration vectors. Move the ball with the mouse or let • Projectile motion - NTNU
the simulation move the ball in four types of motion (2 • Projectile motion x- with variable height of projection -
types of linear, simple harmonic, circle). See the velocity netfirms
and acceleration vectors change as the ball moves. • Projectile Motion - Fendt
• Motion with constant acceleration - Fendt • Projectile motion - Virgina
• Bouncing ball with motion graphs - netfirms • Golf stroke projectile challenge - Explore Science
• Displacement-time graph with set velocities - NTNU • Shoot the monkey - Explore Science
• Displacement & Aceleration-time graphs with set velocit • Canon & target projectile challenge- Sean Russell
ies
- NTNU • Slug projectile motion game - 7stones
• Displacement & Velocity-time graphs with set • Bombs released from an aeroplane- NTNU
accelerations - NTNU
• Football distance-time graphs - eChalk
• Motion graphs with tiger- NTNU