10/23/2012

Scope of Physics 111

Mechanics for Physicists and Engineers

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Agenda for Today

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Advice
Scope of this course
Measurement and Units
Fundamental units
Systems of units
Converting between systems of units
Dimensional Analysis
1-D Kinematics (review)
Average & instantaneous velocity and acceleration

Classical Mechanics:
Mechanics: How and why things work
Classical:
Not too fast
(v << c)
Not too small (d >> atom)

Most everyday situations can be described in these terms.

Path of baseball
Orbit of planets
etc...

Motion with constant acceleration

Physics 111: Lecture 1, Pg 1

Length:

Units
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How we measure things!

All things in classical mechanics can be expressed in terms
of the fundamental units:
Length
Mass
Time

Physics 111: Lecture 1, Pg 2

L
M
T

For example:
Speed has units of L / T (i.e. miles per hour).
Force has units of ML / T2 etc... (as you will learn).

Distance
Radius of visible universe
To Andromeda Galaxy
To nearest star
Earth to Sun
Radius of Earth
Sears Tower
Football field
Tall person
Thickness of paper
Wavelength of blue light
Diameter of hydrogen atom
Diameter of proton

Physics 111: Lecture 1, Pg 3

Length (m)
1 x 1026
2 x 1022
4 x 1016
1.5 x 1011
6.4 x 106
4.5 x 102
1.0 x 102
2 x 100
1 x 10-4
4 x 10-7
1 x 10-10
1 x 10-15

Physics 111: Lecture 1, Pg 4

Mass:
Time:
Interval
Age of universe
Age of Grand Canyon
32 years
One year
One hour
Light travel from Earth to Moon
One cycle of guitar A string
One cycle of FM radio wave
Lifetime of neutral pi meson
Lifetime of top quark

Time (s)
5 x 1017
3 x 1014
1 x 109
3.2 x 107
3.6 x 103
1.3 x 100
2 x 10-3
6 x 10-8
1 x 10-16
4 x 10-25

Physics 111: Lecture 1, Pg 5

Object
Milky Way Galaxy
Sun
Earth
Boeing 747
Car
Student
Dust particle
Top quark
Proton
Electron
Neutrino

Mass (kg)
4 x 1041
2 x 1030
6 x 1024
4 x 105
1 x 103
7 x 101
1 x 10-9
3 x 10-25
2 x 10-27
9 x 10-31
1 x 10-38

Physics 111: Lecture 1, Pg 6

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Units...

Converting between different systems of units

SI (Systme International) Units:

mks: L = meters (m), M = kilograms (kg), T = seconds (s)
cgs: L = centimeters (cm), M = grams (gm), T = seconds (s)

British Units:
Inches, feet, miles, pounds, slugs...

We will use mostly SI units, but you may run across some
problems using British units. You should know how to convert
back & forth.

Useful Conversion factors:

1 inch
= 2.54 cm
1m
= 3.28 ft
1 mile
= 5280 ft
1 mile
= 1.61 km

Example: convert miles per hour to meters per second:

mi
mi
ft
1 m
1 hr
m
=1
5280

= 0.447
hr
hr
mi 3.28 ft 3600 s
s

Physics 111: Lecture 1, Pg 7

Physics 111: Lecture 1, Pg 8

Dimensional Analysis
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This is a very important tool to check your work

Its also very easy!

Example:
Doing a problem you get the answer distance
d = vt 2 (velocity x time2)

Lecture 1, Act 1
Dimensional Analysis
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The period P of a swinging pendulum depends only on

the length of the pendulum d and the acceleration of
gravity g.
Which of the following formulas for P could be
correct ?

Units on left side = L

Units on right side = L / T x T2 = L x T
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P = 2p (dg)2

(a)

(b)

P = 2p

d
g

(c)

P = 2p

d
g

Left units and right units dont match, so answer must be

wrong!!
Given: d has units of length (L) and g has units of (L / T 2).
Physics 111: Lecture 1, Pg 9

Physics 111: Lecture 1, Pg 10

Lecture 1, Act 1
Solution
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Realize that the left hand side P has units of time (T

T)
Try the first equation

Try the second equation

L
L
(a)
L 2 = 4 T

(a)

Lecture 1, Act 1
Solution

P = 2 p (dg )

(b)

(b)

Not Right !!

P = 2p

d
g

(c)

P = 2p

d
g

Physics 111: Lecture 1, Pg 11

(a)

L
=T2 T
L
2
T

P = 2 p (dg )

Not Right !!

(b)

P = 2p

d
g

(c)

P = 2p

d
g

Physics 111: Lecture 1, Pg 12

10/23/2012

Lecture 1, Act 1
Solution

Motion in 1 dimension
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In 1-D, we usually write position as x(t1 ).

Try the third equation

(c)

L
= T 2 =T
L
2
T

Since its in 1-D, all we need to indicate direction is + or -.

Displacement in a time Dt = t2 - t1 is
Dx = x(t2) - x(t1) = x2 - x1

This has the correct units!!

x

This must be the answer!!

some particles trajectory

in 1-D

x
Dx

x
(a)

P = 2 p (dg )

(b)

P = 2p

d
g

(c)

P = 2p

d
g

t1

t2

Dt

Physics 111: Lecture 1, Pg 13

Physics 111: Lecture 1, Pg 14

1-D kinematics
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1-D kinematics...
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Velocity v is the rate of change of position

Average velocity vav in the time D t = t2 - t1 is:
v av

Consider limit t1 t2
Instantaneous velocity v is defined as:

x ( t2 ) - x( t1 ) D x
=
t 2 - t1
Dt

v( t ) =
x

x
Dx

Dx

Vav = slope of line connecting x1 and x2.

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

trajectory

dx ( t )
dt

x
1

t1

t2

t1

t2

Dt

Dt
Physics 111: Lecture 1, Pg 15

Physics 111: Lecture 1, Pg 16

1-D kinematics...
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Acceleration a is the rate of change of velocity

Average acceleration aav in the time Dt = t2 - t1 is:
aav

Recap
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

v ( t 2 ) - v ( t1 ) D v
=
t 2 - t1
Dt

x = x(t )

And instantaneous acceleration a is defined as:

a( t ) =

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

dx
dt
dv
d 2x
a =
=
dt
dt 2

v =

dx ( t )
using v ( t ) =
dt

Physics 111: Lecture 1, Pg 17

t
t

Physics 111: Lecture 1, Pg 18

10/23/2012

More 11-D kinematics

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1-D Motion with constant acceleration

We saw that v = dx / dt
In calculus language we would write dx = v dt, which we
can integrate to obtain:
t2

High-school calculus: t n dt =

Also recall that a =

Since a is constant, we can integrate this using the above

rule to find:
v = a dt = a dt = at + v 0

x ( t 2 ) - x ( t1 ) = v (t )dt
t1

Graphically, this is adding up lots of small rectangles:

dv
dt

dx
Similarly, since v =
dt
get:

v(t)

1
t n +1 + const
n +1

+ +...+
= displacement

we can integrate again to

1
x = v dt = ( at + v 0 )dt = at 2 + v 0 t + x0
2

Physics 111: Lecture 1, Pg 19

Physics 111: Lecture 1, Pg 20

Recap
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So for constant acceleration we find:

Lecture 1, Act 2
Motion in One Dimension

Plane
w/ lights

x = x0 + v 0t +

1 2
at
2

v = v 0 + at
a = const

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?

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

(b) v 0, but a = 0.
0.

(c) v = 0,
0, but a 0.

Physics 111: Lecture 1, Pg 21

Physics 111: Lecture 1, Pg 22

Lecture 1, Act 2
Solution

Useful Formula

Going up the ball has positive velocity, while coming down

it has negative velocity. At the top the velocity is
momentarily zero.
x

Since the velocity is

continually changing there must
v
be some acceleration.
In fact the acceleration is caused
by gravity (g
(g = 9.81 m/s2).
(more on gravity in a few lectures) a

The answer is (c) v = 0,

0, but a 0.

v = v 0 + at
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Solving for t:

1
x = x0 + v 0 t + at 2
2
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Plugging in for t:
2

t=

v - v0
a

v - v 0 1 v - v 0
x = x0 + v 0
+ a

a 2 a

t
v 2 - v 0 2 = 2a( x - x0 )
t

Physics 111: Lecture 1, Pg 23

Physics 111: Lecture 1, Pg 24

10/23/2012

Alternate (Calculus(Calculus-based) Derivation

dv dv dx
(chain rule)
a= =
dt dx dt
dv
a = v
dx
x

a dx = a dx =

x0

x0

Recap:
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Washers

For constant acceleration:

a dx = v dv

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

a = const

v dv

(a = constant)
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v0

From which we know:

1
a( x - x0 ) = (v 2 - v20 )
2

v 2 - v 02 = 2a(x - x 0 )
1
v av = (v 0 + v)
2

v 2 - v 0 2 = 2a( x - x0 )
Physics 111: Lecture 1, Pg 25

Physics 111: Lecture 1, Pg 26

Problem 1
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Problem 1...

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

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?

vo
ab

v0
ab

x = 0, t = 0

x = 0, t = 0
v=0

x = xf , t = t f

Physics 111: Lecture 1, Pg 27

Physics 111: Lecture 1, Pg 28

Problem 1...
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Above, we derived: v = v0 + at

Realize that a = -ab

Also realizing that v = 0 at t = tf :

find 0 = v0 - ab tf or

Problem 1...
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To find stopping distance we use:

v 2 - v 02 = 2a(x - x 0 )
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In this case v = vf = 0, x0 = 0 and x = xf

- v 0 2 = 2( -ab )x f

tf = v0 /ab

xf =

Physics 111: Lecture 1, Pg 29

v0
2ab

Physics 111: Lecture 1, Pg 30

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Problem 1...
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So we found that

Tips:

2
1 v0
tf =
, xf =
ab
2 ab

v0

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

Suppose also that ab = g = 9.81 m/s2

Read !
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.

Watch your units !

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

Understand the limits !

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).

Find that tf = 3 s and xf = 43 m

Physics 111: Lecture 1, Pg 31

Physics 111: Lecture 1, Pg 32

Recap of todays lecture

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Scope of this course

Measurement and Units
Systems of units
Converting between systems of units
Dimensional Analysis
1-D Kinematics
Average & instantaneous velocity
and acceleration
Motion with constant acceleration
Example car problem

Physics 111: Lecture 1, Pg 33