Motion in two and three dimension

Two dimension motion

one dimension motion

Motion along st- line Motion along curved path 1

Position, velocity and acceleration in three dimension

In order to describe the motion of particle in space consider an object at

point “p”at certain instant t.
The position vector “r “ of this particle at certain instant at point
“p” is a vector that goes from origin to point p. While the Cartesian
coordinate axis x, y and z are the components of vector r. Using the unit
vectors we can express the position vector “r” as
r = xi + yj + zk (1)
zk
y
p
a
v r yi
p
r xi
x
o
2
z
Position, velocity and acceleration in three dimension

As the particle moves through space, the path that it follows is a

curve. Suppose the particle move from position r1 at time t1 to
position r2 at time t2.
The displacement of particle in the interval Δt = t2- t1 is the vector
given as Δr = r2 – r1 (2)
Where, Δr = (x2 – x1)i+ (y2 – y1)j + (z2 – z1)k (3)
The average velocity in the interval Δt = t2- t1 is the displacement
divided by this interval of time i.e. y v
r2 – r1 Δr r2
v = t – t = Δt (4) Δr
2 1 r1
In the above equation vector Δr is multiplied x
o
by scalar 1/ Δt to give the vector v. thus v
must have the same direction as Δr. z 3
From the figure it is clear that r2 is the sum of Δr and r1 i.e.
r2 = r1 + Δr or Δr = r2 - r1
Instantaneous velocity is just the limit of average velocity when the
time interval Δt is reduced, so that it approaches to zero and the
displacement vector Δr become tangent to the path. y Δr
v = lim Δr or Δr r2
Δt 0 Δt
r1
dr (5)
v = dt x
o
z
Similar to Δr in the time limit, Δt 0 the vector v is tangent to the path
of the particle and has the same direction as Δr. At every point along the
path instantaneous velocity vector is tangent to the path at that point.

4
We can write the instantaneous velocity in the components form by
substituting values of v, and r in equation 5
vxi +vyj +vzk = d/dt( xi + yj +zk)
= dx/dti + dy/dtj +dz/dtk or

vx = dx/dt component of velocity along x -axis

vy = dy/dt component of velocity along y- axis (6)
vz = dz/dt component of velocity along z- axis
The magnitude of the instantaneous velocity is given as
v = (vx2 + vy2 + vz2)1/2

5
 v1
We can extend the concept of velocity in three v2
dimension to acceleration, and the average y
acceleration of particle can be given as
v2 – v1 Δv
a = t – t = Δt (7) r2
2 1
The instantaneous acceleration is obtained r1
from the limit as the time interval vanishes. x
0
a = lim Δv or
Δt 0 Δt
Δv
dv (8) v1
a = dt
ax = dvx/dt component of acceleration along x -axis v2

ay = dvy/dt component of acceleration along y- axis (9)

az = dvz/dt component of acceleration along z- axis
6
Sample problem 1
A particle moves in an xy- plane in such a way that its x and y
components vary with time according to x(t) = t3 – 32t and y(t) = 5t2 +
12. Find the position, velocity, acceleration of the particle when t = 3s
Solution
The position is given by r = xi +yj where x(t) and y(t) are give
r = (t3 – 32t )i + (5t2 +12)j
= [33 – 32(3)]i + [5(3)2 +12]j
r = -69i +57j

Velocity components are vx = dx/dt = d/dt(t3 – 32t) = 3t2-32

= dy/dt = d/dt(5t2 +12) = 10t
v = vxi +vyj = (3t2 – 32)i +10tj
7
v = -5i +30j
The acceleration components are given as

ax = dvx/dt = d/dt(3t2 - 32) = 6t, where t = 3s

ax = 18 m/s2
ay = dvy/dt = d/dt(10t) = 10
ay = 10m/s2
The acceleration at t= 3s will be
a = axi +ayj
a = 18i + 10j

8
Motion with constant acceleration

As the particle moves the acceleration a doesn't vary either in direction

or magnitude, and the particle moves in general along a curved path. Let
one component of the acceleration say ax is zero then the corresponding
vx component of velocity is constant. An example of this motion is the
motion of projectile that follow a curved path in a vertical plane.
We can obtained equation of motion with constant acceleration by
setting ax = ay = az = constant.
Thus the equation of motion in three dimension can be given as
ro = xoi +yoj +zok
vo = vxo i +vyo j + vzo k
vx = vxo + axt, vy = vyo +ayt, vz = vzo + azt
r = ro + vot + 1/2at2 (10) 9
Projectile motion
Projectile motion is a combination of vy
horizontal motion with constant v
vx
velocity and vertical motion with
constant acceleration. vx

• The projectile is always confined to v vy v

a plane determined by the direction
of initial velocity. vy
¢o
• The acceleration due to gravity is vx
purely vertical, because the gravity
cannot move the projectile along a
horizontal.
• Velocity has a constant horizontal component and variable vertical
component but acceleration has only constant vertical component and
no horizontal component
10
Let choose the coordinate system with positive y- axis verticaly upward
and the particle is thrown in the xy- plane with initial velocity vo, then
the components of its velocity and accelerations are
ay = -g , ax = 0 , az = 0 (11)
The components of velocity are
vxo = vocos¢, vyo = vosin¢ (12)
vx = vxo + axt = vocos¢, because ax = 0 (13)
vy = vyo +ayt = vosin¢ - gt, (14)
The magnitude of resultant velocity at any time is
v = (vx2 + vy2)1/2 (14)
And the direction is tan¢ = vy/vx (15) 11
The position of the particle can be obtained from
x = xo +vxo t +1/2axt2 = (vocos¢)t (16)
y = yo + vyo + 1/2ayt2 = (vosin¢)t – 1/2gt2 (17)
Equations 16 and 17 give us x and y position as a function of time,
now to find the trajectory of the particle substitute equation 16 in 17
y = (tan¢)x – gx2/2(vo cos¢)2 (18)
This equation is similar to the equation of parabola
y = bx – cx2
Range of projectile can be obtained by substituting y = o in
equation 18 R = vo2/g (sin2¢)
(19)
12
o
Sample problem 4
A soccer player kicks a ball at an angle of 36o from horizontal with an
initial speed of 15.5m/s. Assuming that the ball moves in a vertical
plane, find (a) the time t1 at which the ball reaches the highest point of
its trajectory, (b) its maximum height, (c) its range and time of flight,
and its velocity when it strikes the ground.
Solution:
(a)Time at highest point t1
From equation 14 when the particle reaches at highest point its vertical
component of velocity become zero. i.e. vy = vosinө - gt

vy = 0 at highest point
So t1 = vosinө/g = 15.5m/s sin36o/9.8m/s2 or
t1 = 0.93s 13
(b) The maximum height reaches at t1 = 0.93s and the following
equation can be used to find its height.
y = (vosinө)t – 1/2gt2
y = (15.5 sin36o) 0.93s -1/2 (9.8m/s2)(0.93)2
ymax = 4.2m
(c) The range can be obtained from the following equation
R = vo2sin2 ө/g
R = (15.5m/s)2 sin72o/9.8m/s2
R = 23.3m
Its total time of flight can be obtained from equation No 17 by putting y
= 0;
14
y = (v sin¢)t – 1/2gt2
 t2 = 2vosinө/g
t2 = 2x15.5xsin36o/9.8m/s2
t2 = 1.86s
(d) Velocity v, when it hits the earth is given as v = vx +vy and can be
find from the following equations.
vx = vocosө = 15.5xcos36o
vx = 12.5m/s
vy = vosin¢ - gt = 15.5 x sin36o – 9.8x 1.86s
vy = -9.1m/s
Thus v = 12.5i -9.1j
V = (vx2 + vy2)1/2 = [(12.5m/s)2 + (-9.1)2]1/2 15
Uniform circular motion
In projectile motion acceleration is constant both in magnitude
and direction, while velocity is changing in magnitude and direction
both. The acceleration and velocity of a car moving along a circle, are
constant in magnitude but varying in direction. This situation is called
uniform circular motion. Examples of such motions are earth satellites,
points on spinning rotors and computer discs.
In uniform circular motion there is no component of acceleration
parallel to the path of the particle motion, but acceleration is only
perpendicular to the path, which changes the direction of velocity on
each point along the path.
The acceleration at each point in the circular path is directed to
the centre of the circle and is therefore called centripetal acceleration.
The centripetal acceleration is along the radius of the circular path,
that’s why it is called radial acceleration and some time written as
arad . 16
 v1
Let us consider a particle moving in a p1
circular path changes its position from p1 to p2 p2
Δs
in the time interval Δt, thus the vector change v2
r ө r
in its velocity is Δv.
0
The angles ө and Ф are same because the
velocity vectors v1 and v2 are perpendicular to
line OP1 and OP2 , Hence the triangle OP1P2 and Δv q2
q2
Oq1q2 are similar. Therefore the ratio of the v1
corresponding sides will also be equal, so Δv v2 Ф

Δv Δs 0
v1 = or
r
v1
Δv = r Δs (20)
17
Multiplying equation No “20” by 1/Δt, it will give us average
acceleration i.e.
Δv v1 Δs
aave = = r Δt
Δt
For a very small interval of time so that Δt approaches zero we can
rewrite the above equation with limits as
v Δs
aave =
r Δtlim 0 Δt

Δs
But the limit of is the speed at any point along the path, thus we
Δt
can rewrite the above equation as
v v2
arad = .v or arad = r (21)
r
18
The subscript rad in equation “21” means that the direction of the
instantaneous acceleration at each point is always along the radius of the
circle i.e. toward the centre of the circle.
The acceleration is always perpendicular to the instantaneous velocity as
shown in the figure. We can conclude that “in uniform circular motion
the magnitude a of the instantaneous acceleration is equal to the square
of the speed divided by the radius of the circle.
v
Units of the centripetal acceleration are the
same as those for an acceleration due the a v
change in the magnitude of a velocity.
0 a
Dimensions of centripetal acceleration are
a
given as
[v2] [L2/T2] [L]
[a] = = = [T2] v
[r] [L] 19
Sample problem 5
The moon revolves around the earth, making a complete
revolution in 27.3 days. Assume that the orbit is circular and has a radius
of 238,000 miles. What is the magnitude of the acceleration of the moon
toward the earth?
Solution;
r = 238,000miles = 3.82x108m and time for one complete revolution
t = 27.3 days = 2.36x106s,The speed of the moon is
v = 2πr/T = 2 π (3.82X8m)/2.36x106
= 1018m/s and the centripetal acceleration is
a = v2/r = (1018m/s)2/2.36x106
= 2.71x10-3 m/s2

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