motion in a plane

physics 111N
position & displacement vectors
! the position vector points
y�m from the origin to the object

t�2.83 s

15

10

x�m
0 5 10 15

we’re plotting the plane

(e.g. billiard table viewed from above)
physics 111N 2
position & displacement vectors
y�m y�m

t�2.83 s t�4.24 s

15 15

10 10

5 5

x�m x�m
0 5 10 15 0 5 10 15

! the displacement vector

points from where the object
was to where it is now

easier to visualize as

physics 111N 3
position & displacement vectors - components
y�m y�m

t�2.83 s t�4.24 s

15 15

10 10

5 5

x�m x�m
0 5 10 15 0 5 10 15

physics 111N 4
average velocity
y�m

! the average velocity vector is

t�4.24 s defined to be the rate of change of
15 displacement vector

10

5 ! the components of the average

velocity vector are the rate of
change of the components of the
0 5 10 15
x�m
displacement vector

physics 111N 5
instantaneous velocity

! the instantaneous velocity vector is

defined analogously to one-dimension

physics 111N 6
instantaneous velocity

! the instantaneous velocity vector is

defined analogously to one-dimension

! instantaneous velocity vector

points along the tangent of the x-y path

physics 111N 7
instantaneous velocity
! the instantaneous velocity vector can be expressed via components

15
y�m

15

1010

x�m
0 5 10 15
5
physics 111N 8
dragonfly
A dragonfly follows the path shown, moving from point A to point B in 1.50 s.

Find the x & y components of the average velocity between A & B

Find the magnitude and direction of the average velocity between A & B
Indicate the direction of the instantaneous velocity at A and B on the diagram

physics 111N 9
acceleration in a plane

! the definitions of average and instantaneous acceleration are the obvious extensions

y�m

15

10

x�m
0 5 10 15

physics 111N 10
acceleration in a plane

! the definitions of average and instantaneous acceleration are the obvious extensions

y�m

15

10

x�m
0 5 10 15

physics 111N 11
acceleration in a plane
! acceleration parallel to the velocity changes the magnitude of velocity
but not the direction

physics 111N 12
acceleration in a plane
! acceleration perpendicular to the velocity changes the direction of velocity
but not the magnitude

physics 111N 13
acceleration in a plane
! a general acceleration vector can change both the magnitude and direction of the
velocity

physics 111N 14
acceleration in a plane
! a general acceleration vector can change both the magnitude and direction of the
velocity

! but we can understand the effect

by breaking into components parallel
and perpendicular to the velocity

physics 111N 15
projectile motion

we’d like to to be able to describe why

the ball takes this path

physics 111N 17
projectile motion - independence of horiz. & vertical motion

! another experimental observation is useful

notice that the vertical motion is identical

not affected by the horizontal motion

great news! we can consider x & y separately

! the y-motion is just free-fall

! the x-motion a constant velocity

physics 111N 18
projectile motion

! our theory of projectile motion is that

! and the constant acceleration equations apply to x & y separately

physics 111N 19
projectile motion

! our theory of projection motion is that

! and the constant acceleration equations apply to x & y separately

physics 111N 20
projectile motion
! e.g. a cannonball fired from ground level (y=0m) at x=0m with an initial speed of
20.0 m/s at an angle of 45° to the horizontal

note that it’s very similar to the kicked football

physics 111N 21
projectile motion
! e.g. a cannonball fired from ground level (y=0m) at x=0m with an initial speed of
20.0 m/s at an angle of 45° to the horizontal
show the velocity vector & the acceleration

physics 111N 22
projectile motion
! e.g. a cannonball fired from ground level (y=0m) at x=0m with an initial speed of
20.0 m/s at an angle of 45° to the horizontal
show the velocity vector components

physics 111N 23
projectile motion

! we can analyse this motion using our equations

! prove that the shape of the path is a parabola

eliminate t from the equations to give y as a function of x
(choose x0=0, y0=0 for simplicity)

physics 111N 24
projectile motion

! we can analyse this motion using our equations

! at t=0

physics 111N 25
projectile motion
! e.g. a cannonball fired from ground level (y=0m) at x=0m with an initial speed of
20.0 m/s at an angle of 45° to the horizontal

Find the time when the ball reaches the highest point of its flight and that height, h .
Find the horizontal range, R, the horizontal distance travelled before hitting the ground

physics 111N 26
projectile motion
! e.g. a cannonball fired from ground level (y=0m) at x=0m with an initial speed of
20.0 m/s at an angle of 45° to the horizontal

Find the time when the ball reaches the highest point of its flight and that height, h .
y�m

10
t�1.44 s
at the highest point

5 h

x�m
10 20 30 40

�5

�10

physics 111N 27
projectile motion
! e.g. a cannonball fired from ground level (y=0m) at x=0m with an initial speed of
20.0 m/s at an angle of 45° to the horizontal

Find the time when the ball reaches the highest point of its flight and that height, h .
y�m

10
t�1.44 s
at the highest point

5 h

x�m
10 20 30 40

�5

�10

physics 111N 28
projectile motion
! e.g. a cannonball fired from ground level (y=0m) at x=0m with an initial speed of
20.0 m/s at an angle of 45° to the horizontal
Find the horizontal range, R, the horizontal distance travelled before hitting the ground
y�m

t�2.89 s
10 ball hits the ground when
5

x�m
10 20 30 40
R
�5

�10

hmmm, twice the time

to reach the apex ?

physics 111N 29
uniform circular motion

an object moving around a circle at

a constant rate

must have an acceleration always

perpendicular to the velocity (else
the speed would change)

the velocity is clearly tangent to the

circle (or it would move off the
circle)

hence the acceleration points

always toward the center of the
circle - “centripetal acceleration”

physics 111N 34
uniform circular motion

the triangles are ‘similar’

physics 111N 35