CHAPTER 1

KINETICS OF PARTICLES

RECTILINEAR MOTION
SECTION 1. Position, Velocity and Acceleration HISTORICAL
PERSPECTIVE

Rectilinear motion is a motion for which a particle moves along a straight line. At Galileo Galilei (1564-1642)
any given instant, t, the particle will occupy a certain position on the straight line. To was one of the first major
define the position of a particle, P, we choose a fixed origin, O, on the straight line. contributors to the
The distance, s, from O to P, with an appropriate sign, completely defines the position development of the
of the particle; it is called position coordinate. For example, refer to FIG. 1.1, if P moves
principles of dynamics. His
7 units to the right of O and P 2 units to the left of O; the position coordinate
works consisted of
corresponding to P is s=+7 units; the coordinate corresponding to P is s=-2 units.
experiments using
pendulums and falling
bodies.

Isaac Newton (1642-1727)

The average velocity of the particle over the time interval, t, is defined as the made the most significant
quotient of the displacement, s, and the time interval, t, and is expressed by; contributions to the field of
dynamics, he is noted for
=
his formulation of the three
The instantaneous velocity, v, of the particle at the instant, t, is obtained from fundamental laws of
average velocity by choosing shorter and shorter time intervals, t, and motion and the law of
displacements, s. The magnitude of v is known as speed of the particle. universal gravitational
attraction.
=

The average acceleration of the particle over the time interval, t, is defined as
Shortly after these laws
the quotient of v and t.
were postulated,

= important techniques for

their application were
The instantaneous acceleration, a, of a particle at the instant, t, is obtained from
developed by Euler,
the average acceleration by choosing smaller and smaller values for t and v.
(1.4) DAlembert, Lagrange and
2

= = 2= others.

SECTION 2. Determination of The Motion

SAMPLE PROBLEM 1.1 of a Particle.
The position of a particle which moves along a 1. The acceleration is a given function of time,t.
= ()
straight line is defined by the relation,
= ()
= 3 6 2 15 + 40
where s is expressed in meters and t in seconds. = ()
0
Determine the following: 2. The acceleration is a given function of distance, s.
= ()
(a) The time at which the velocity will be zero. = ()

(b) The position and distance traveled by the 1 2 2
( ) = ()
particle at the time the velocity is zero. 2
(c) The distance traveled by the particle from t=4s 3. The acceleration is a given function of velocity, v.
= () = ()
and t=6s.
= () = ()

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 SECTION 3. Uniform Rectilinear Motion.
SAMPLE PROBLEM 1.2 Uniform rectilinear motion is a type of straight-line motion. In
this motion, the velocity the acceleration of the particle is zero
A ball is tossed with a velocity of 10m/s directed for every value of time. The velocity is therefore constant.
vertically upward from a window located 20m
below the ground. Knowing that the acceleration
= =

of the ball is constant and equal to 9.81m/s2 =
downward. Draw the velocity-time and distance-
SECTION 4. Uniformly Accelerated
time diagram. Determine the following:
(a) The velocity and elevation of the ball above Rectilinear Motion.
the ground at any time. Uniformly accelerated rectilinear motion is a motion for

(b) The highest elevation reached by the ball which the acceleration of the particle is constant.

and the corresponding time.

= =
(c) The time when the ball hit the ground and
the corresponding velocity. = +
1
= + + 2
SAMPLE PROBLEM 1.3 2
2 2
= + 2( )
A sprinter in a 400-m race accelerates uniformly
for the first 130m and then runs with constant
velocity. If the sprinters time for the first 130 m is SECTION 5. Motion of Several Particles.
25 seconds. Determine the following: When several particles move independently along the
(a) Acceleration. same line, independent equations of motion can be written for

(b) Final velocity. each particle.

(c) Time for the race.

INDEPENDENT MOTION. Or the Relative Motion. Consider
two particles A and B moving along the same straight line. If the
position coordinates of sA and sB are measured from the origin,
SAMPLE PROBLEM 1.4
the difference defines relative position coordinate of B with
Collar A and block B are connected by a cable respect to A and is denoted as sB/A.
passing over three pulleys C, D, and E as shown.
/ =
Pulleys C and E are fixed, while D is attached to a
The rate of change of sB/A is known as relative velocity of B
collar which is pulled downward with a constant
with respect to A.
velocity of 75 mm/s. At t=0, collar A starts moving
/ =
downward from position K with a constant
The rate of change of sB/A is known as relative velocity of B
acceleration and no initial velocity. Knowing that
with respect to A.
the velocity of collar A is 300mm/s as it passes
/ =
through point L, determine the change in
DEPENDENT MOTION. Sometimes the position of the
elevation, the velocity, and the acceleration of
particle will depend upon the position of another particle or
block B when the collar passes through L.
several other particles. The motion is said to be dependent.
When the relation existing between the position
coordinates of several particles is linear, a similar relation holds
between the velocities and accelerations of the particles.

SECTION 6. GRAPHICAL SOLUTION OF

RECTILINEAR-MOTION PROBLEMS.
It was observed from the previous section that the
fundamental formulas have a geometric significance.

= =

The velocity is equal to the slope of the distance-time curve,
and the acceleration is the slope of the velocity-time curve.

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= 2 = 2
1 1
SAMPLE PROBLEM 1.4 The change in the distance is the area measured under
the velocity-time curve within the given interval, and the
A subway car leaves station A; it gains speed at the
change in velocity is the area measured under the
rate of 1.2m/s2 for 6 seconds and then at the rate
acceleration-time curve within the given interval.
of 1.8m/s2 until it has reached the speed of 14.6m/s.
the car maintains the same speed until it
approaches station B; breaks are then applied, Assignment 1. Rectilinear Motion

giving a car a constant deceleration and bringing

1. The motion of a particle is defined by the
it to a stop in 6 seconds. The total running time from
relation = 3 6 2 + 9 + 5, where s is
A to B is 40 seconds. Draw the acceleration-time, expressed in meter and t in seconds.
velocity-time and distance-time curves and Determine (a) when the velocity is zero, (b) the
position, acceleration, and total distance
determine the distance between stations A and B. traveled when t=5s.
2. The acceleration of a particle is defined by a
relation = , where k is a constant.
SAMPLE PROBLEM 1.5 Knowing that s=0 and v=25m/s at t=0, and that
v=12m/s when x=6m. Determine (a) the
Cars A and B are 60m apart and are traveling velocity of the particle when x=8m, (b) the
respectively at constant speeds of 32km/h and time required for the particle to come to rest.
3. Automobile A starts from O and accelerates
24km/h on ice-covered road. Knowing that 45
at the constant rate of 0.75m/s2. A short time
seconds after driver A applies his breaks to avoid later it is passed by bus B which is traveling in
overtaking car B the two cars collide, determine:
the opposite direction at a constant speed of
6m/s. Knowing that the bus B passes point O
(a) The uniform deceleration of car A, 20 seconds after automobile A started from
(b) The relative velocity of car A with respect to B there. Determine when and where the
vehicles passed each other.
when they collide.
4. Block C moves downward with a constant
velocity of 0.6m/s. Determine (a) the velocity
of block A, (b) the velocity of block D.
SAMPLE PROBLEM 1.6
A particle moves in a straight line with the velocity
shown. Knowing that x=-14.6m at t=0. Determine
the following:
(a) Maximum value of position coordinate of the
particle.
(b) Time for which the particle is at a distance 33m
from the origin.

5. An elevator starts from rest and rises 40m to its

maximum velocity in T(seconds) with the
acceleration record shown in the figure.
Determine (a) the required time, T, (b) the
maximum velocity, (c) the velocity and
position of the elevator at t=T/2.

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