RULES ON DIFFERENTIATION:

⃗)
POSITION (𝒔 VELOCITY (𝒗⃗) ⃗)
ACCELERATION (𝒂
Instantaneous:
⃗
𝒅𝒔
⃗ =
𝒗
𝒅𝒕
Components:
𝒅 𝒔𝒙 𝒅 𝒔𝒚 𝒅 𝒔𝒛
Instantaneous:
𝒗𝒙 = ; 𝒗𝒚 = ; 𝒗𝒛 = ⃗
𝒅𝒗
𝒅𝒕 𝒅𝒕 𝒅𝒕
Change in position: ⃗ =
𝒂
𝒅𝒕
⃗ =𝒔
∆𝒔 ⃗𝟐−𝒔
⃗𝟏 Magnitude:
⃗ | = 𝒗 = √𝒗𝒙𝟐 + 𝒗𝒚𝟐 + 𝒗𝒛𝟐
|𝒗

Average: Average:
⃗
∆𝒔 ⃗
∆𝒗
⃗ 𝒂𝒗𝒆
𝒗 = 𝒂𝒂𝒗𝒆 =
∆𝒕 ∆𝒕

EXAMPLE on derivatives, position and velocity vectors

A robotic vehicle, or rover, is exploring the surface of Mars. The stationary Mars lander is the origin of
coordinates, and the surrounding Martian surface lies in the xy-plane. The rover, which we represent as
a point, has x- and y-coordinates that vary with time:

sx = 2.0 m – (0.25 m/s2) t2

sy = (1.1 m/s) t + (0.025 m/s3) t3

(a) Find the rover’s coordinates and distance from the lander at t = 2.0 s.

(b) Find the rover’s displacement and average velocity vectors for the interval t = 0.0 s to t = 2.0 s.

(c) Find a general expression for the rover’s instantaneous velocity vector v. Express at t = 2.0 s in
component form and in terms of magnitude and direction.
PRACTICE PROBLEMS:

1. A web page designer creates an animation in which a dot on a computer screen has position
r̅ = [ 4.4 cm + ( 2.8 cm/s2 )t2 ] î + ( 5.5 cm/s )t ĵ
(a) Find the magnitude and direction of the dot’s average velocity between t = 0 and t = 2.0 s.
(b) Find the magnitude and direction of the instantaneous velocity at t=0, t = 1.0 s, and t = 2.0 s.

2. A kuto has x- and y-coordinates (1.1 m, 3.4 m) at time t1 = 0 and coordinates (5.3 m, -0.50 m) at
time t2 = 3.0 s. For this time interval, find
(a) the components of the average velocity, and
(b) the magnitude and direction of the average velocity.

3. The position of a dog running in a park is given by

r̅ = [( 0.280 m/s )t + ( 0.0360 m/s 2 )t2 ] 𝑖̂ + ( 0.0190 m/s3 )t3 𝑗̂
(a) What are vx(t) and vy(t), the x- and y-components of the velocity of the dog as functions of time?
(b) At t = 5.00 s, how far is the dog from its initial position?
(c) At t = 5.00 s, what are the magnitude and direction of the dog’s velocity?

4. A squirrel has x- and y-coordinates 11.1 m, 3.4 m2 at time t1 = 0 and coordinates 15.3 m, -0.5 m2 at
time t2 = 3.0 s. For this time interval, find
(a) the components of the average velocity, and
(b) the magnitude and direction of the average velocity.
ANSWERS:
1. (a) 7.1 cm/s, 45° ; (b) 5.0 cm/s, 90°; 7.1 cm/s, 45°; 11 cm/s, 27°
2. (a) 𝑣𝑥 = 1.4 𝑚/𝑠 ; 𝑣𝑦 = −1.3 𝑚/𝑠 ; (b) 𝑣 = 1.9 𝑚/𝑠 ; 𝜃 = −43° (fourth quadrant)
𝑚 𝑚 𝑚
3. (a) 𝑣𝑥 (𝑡) = 0.280 + (0.0720 2) 𝑡 ; 𝑣𝑦 (𝑡) = (0.0570 3) 𝑡 2 ; (b) ∆𝑠 = 3.31 𝑚 ; (c) 𝑣 = 1.56 𝑚/𝑠 ; 𝜃 = 66°
𝑠 𝑠 𝑠
4. (A) 1.4 m/s ; -1.3 m/s; (b) 1.9 m/s, 317