Motion

Physics.
Grade 12
Objectives
• Explain displacement, speed, velocity, and acceleration;
• Use graphs to represent displacement, speed, velocity, and acceleration in a
single dimension;
• Use the gradient of and area under motion graphs to solve problems;
• Derive equations representing uniformly accelerated motion in a single
dimension;
• Use the equations of motion to solve problems, on uniformly accelerated motion;
• Solve problems involving bodies undergoing projectile motion;
• Show that projectile motion is parabolic; Include horizontal projection.
• State Newton’s laws of Motion
Resolving a vector into two perpendicular
components

y F 𝑦
• sin 𝜃 = 𝑦 = 𝐹 sin 𝜃
𝐹
𝑥
• cos 𝜃 = 𝑥 = 𝐹 cos 𝜃
𝐹
𝜃
x

If 𝜃 = 30° 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐹 = 40𝑁

𝑦 = 40𝑁 sin 30° = 20𝑁

𝑥 = 40𝑁 cos 30° = 35𝑁
 Dynamics

Distance- Length between two points, a scalar quantity

Displacement- Distance moved in a stated direction, a vector quantity

Speed- distance travelled in unit time

𝒅𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒎𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒅(𝒎)
𝑨𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒈𝒆 𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒆𝒅 (𝒎𝒔−𝟏 ) =
𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆 𝒕𝒂𝒌𝒆𝒏 (𝒔)

Velocity- distance travelled in unit time in a stated direction.

Speed
• Average speed the total distance divided by the total time taken
• Instantaneous speed the actual speed given at an instant in time
• Uniform speed occurs if an object covers equal distances in equal
time intervals
Velocity
• Average Velocity change in displacement divided by time taken
• Instaneous velocity the average velocity during an extremely tiny
time intervals
• Uniform velocity is the rate of change of position in a straight line in
which equal displacements are occurring in equal times.[
Nomenclature
• S- distance
• U- initial velocity
• V- final velocity
• A- acceleration
• T- time
Distance-time graphs
Velocity –time graphs

Uniform velocity (1)

Uniform acceleration (2)
Non-uniform acceleration
Acceleration (0-A)
Retardation (A-B)
Maximum velocity (A)

Acceleration is the 'rate of change of velocity', i.e. the

change of velocity per second. The acceleration of the
train at any instant is given by the gradient to the
velocity-time graph at that instant.
Area under graph =distance
• Area OADC = u.t
•+
• Area of triangle ABD
• = ½ AD.BD
• = ½ t. BD
• = ½ t. (at)

1
• 𝑠 = 𝑢𝑡 + 𝑎𝑡 2
2
Equations of motion
• 𝒗 = 𝒖 + 𝒂𝒕……………………………….……..1
𝟏
• 𝑨𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒈𝒆 𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒆𝒅 = (𝒖 + 𝒗)…………………2
𝟐
• 𝒔 = 𝟏Τ𝟐 𝒖 + 𝒗 𝒕…………………….3
• Substituting 1 in 3

• 𝑠 = 1Τ2 𝑢 + (𝑢 + 𝑎𝑡) 𝑡
• 𝒔 = 𝒖𝒕 + 𝟏Τ𝟐 𝒂𝒕𝟐……………………4
𝑣−𝑢
• Substituting 1 in 3 with t as the subject ie (𝑡 = )
𝑎
𝑣−𝑢
•𝑠= 1Τ (𝑢
2 + 𝑣)( )
𝑎
• 𝑠 = 1Τ2𝑎 (𝑢 + 𝑣)(𝑣 − 𝑢)
• 𝑠 = 1Τ2𝑎 (𝑣 − 𝑢)²
• ∴ 𝒗𝟐 = 𝒖𝟐 + 𝟐𝒂𝒔……………….5
Equations of Motion

• 𝒗 = 𝒖 + 𝒂𝒕……………………………….……..1

𝟏
• 𝑨𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒈𝒆 𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒆𝒅 = 𝟐
(𝒖 + 𝒗)…………………2

• 𝒔 = 𝟏Τ𝟐 𝒖 + 𝒗 𝒕…………………….3

• 𝒔 = 𝒖𝒕 + 𝟏Τ𝟐 𝒂𝒕𝟐 ……………………4

• 𝒗𝟐 = 𝒖𝟐 + 𝟐𝒂𝒔……………….5
Motion under gravity
• Suppose that an object is dropped
from a height of 20 m above the
ground. Then the initial velocity u = 0,
and the acceleration a = g = 10 m s-2 . •
• Substituting in • When the object hit the ground s =20 m
1
• 𝑠 = 𝑢𝑡 + 𝑎𝑡 2 • (20) = 5𝑡 2
2
• the distance fallen s, meters is: • 4 = 𝑡2
1
• 𝑠 = (0)𝑡 + 𝑔𝑡 2 • 2𝑠 = 𝑡
2
1
• 𝑠 = 𝑔𝑡 2
2
1
• 𝑠 = 10𝑡 2
2
• 𝑠 = 5𝑡 2
Review- Motion graphs
• Eg. A ball thrown upwards
• If thrown at ground level, y=0
• Gravity acts downward
• Up is defined as positive
Maximum
height occurs
at t1= ½ t2
 Velocity and acceleration
time graphs
Velocity graph is given by: v= u + at

The ball is heading upwards,

with diminishing speed up to time t1

The ball stops momentarily (v = 0) at t1

The ball increases its downward speed linearly (velocity is

negative as the ball
moves in the downward direction).

The only acceleration is that due

to gravity while the ball is in the air,
t = 0 to t = t2
The graph is a horizontal straight line given by a = −g.
 A bouncing ball
The ball is in free fall. The equation for displacement is

The initial velocity is zero.

The graph of v versus t is linear.
The negative velocities indicate that the ball is travelling
downwards.

Since the ball is in free fall between time t = 0 and t = tA

the acceleration is −g, a constant

At the first bounce, the ball encounters a normal contact

force with the ground. A large, brief positive acceleration
results, giving the ball an upward rebound velocity, vA.
However, because the ball loses some energy during
contact with the ground at time tA, the rebound speed
corresponding to the rebound velocity, vA, is less than the
earlier maximum speed when the velocity was v1
Projectile Motion
A projectile is any object that moves through the air and is subject to
two forces only:
• the force of gravity and the
• force of friction (drag) through the air.
In this treatment of projectile motion we assume that the force of
friction is negligible, unless otherwise stated.
The projectile moves both forward, or horizontally (i.e. in the x-
direction), and vertically (i.e. in the y-direction) at the same time.

NB: We treat up and to the right as POSITIVE

The horizontal component
The horizontal (forward) component of the projectile
• velocity is constant,
since there are no forces (assumed) acting on the projectile in the
horizontal direction.
• v=u= constant
• s=vt
The vertical component
The vertical motion, is affected by gravity and is always characterized
by a downward
• acceleration of magnitude, g = 9.8 m s-².
• v=u +at
• s=ut + ½ at²
• v² = u² + 2as
Projectile motion

Horizontal
suvat
• Vertical s=?
u= 15m/s
• suvat
v=_
• s= 20m a=
• u= 0 t= 2s
• v= 𝑠
v=
• a= 9.8m/s2 𝑡
• t= 𝑠 = 15 × 2
𝑠 = 30 𝑚
1 2 1
20= 2 (9.8)𝑡 2
𝑠 = 𝑢𝑡 + 𝑎𝑡
2

𝑡 =2.02s
parabola

1 2
𝑦= 𝑔𝑡
2

𝑥 = 𝑢𝑡

𝑦 = 1ൗ2 𝑔 𝑥Τ𝑢 2
A tennis ball is hit horizontally from above shoulder height, h = 2.5 m
above the ground, with a velocity of 6.8 m s‐¹.
(a)How long is the ball in the air?
(b)How far away from the player who hit the ball does the ball land?
• Finding time, t and horizontal distance travelled, s. Horizontal
s= ?
• Vertical distance acts downward =-2.5m Vertical u = 6.8ms-¹
• Vertical a, g= - 9.8 ms‐² s= -2.5m v =u
u =0 a =0
• u= 6.8 ms‐¹ v t=
a= 9.8ms‐²
t= ?
Vertical Horizontal
s= -2.5m s= ?
u =0 u = 6.8ms-¹
v v =u
a= 9.8ms‐² a =0
t= ? t = 0.71 s
s= ut + ½ at² The time taken for the horizontal
motion is the time taken for the
-2.5 =(0)t + ½ (9.8) t² vertical motion up to the point of
t= (2.5/4.9)‐½ landing of the ball. Since the
horizontal movement is
unaffected by gravity, then
t = 0.71s s = v*t
s = 6.8 m s−1 × 0.714 s
s ≈ 4.9 m
At what angle to the horizontal must a soccer ball be kicked from the
ground at 15 m s−1 to land 9.0 m away from the point of the kick?
(Assume a level playing field.)
How long does the ball remain in the air?
• Considering the ball is projected from one level and landing on the same
horizontal level.
• The initial velocity, u, has a vertical component
• uy= usinθ ; ux = ucosθ
• The time of flight can be found using the equation
• s= uy t + ½ (-g)t² (vertical motion) ….

• s=0 object starts at ground level and ends at ground level.

0 = u.sinθ. t + ½ (-g)t² The horizontal component is given
by
u.sinθ.t = ½ gt²
s= R = ux.t
R = u.cosθ. t ...................(2)
t = (2 u.sinθ)/g ……………(1)

Substituting eq. (1) into eq (2)

R = (u² sin 2θ)/g

R = u.cosθ x (2 u.sinθ)/g

Since 2sinθcosθ = sin 2θ

R = (u² sin 2θ)/g
• the angle of projection of the ball, θ = ?
• time ball remains in the air, t = ?
• velocity of projection, u = 15 m s‐¹
• horizontal displacement, s= R = 9.0 m
R = (u²sin 2θ)/g Since there are two possible angles
• sin 2θ= for θ
(9.0 m × 9.8 m s−²)/15²(m s‐¹)²
sin 2θ = 0.392
t = (2 u.sinθ)/g
2θ = 23° or 157°
θ = 11.5° or 78.5°.
θ ≈ 12° or 79°

Note that there are two possible angles that have the
same value of sine, sin x and sin (180° − x)
A shot leaves a shot putter’s hand at a height of 2.0 m with a velocity of 13
m s‐¹ and angle of 36° to the horizontal.
(a)How long the shot is in the air?
(b)What is the horizontal distance travelled by the shot?
• time taken, t = ?
• horizontal distance, sx = ?
• Initial velocity of shot, u = 13 m s‐¹
• Angle of projection, θ= 36°
• Vertical displacement, sy = −2.0 m (note the negative sign)
• The initial velocity, u, has a vertical component
• uy= usinθ ; ux = ucosθ
Time taken
s = ut + ½ at²
-2.0 = u. sinθ t + ½ -gt²
-2.0 = 13. sin36° t + (½ (-9.81)t²
-2.0 = 7.64t + 4.9t²
4.9t² + 7.64t - 2.0 = 0
• Horizontal distance

s = u.t
s = u.cosθ. t
s = 13cos36°x 1.77s
s = 18.6 m
s = 19 m
Newton’s three laws of motion
• Law I
• Every body continues in its state of rest or uniform motion in a straight line,
unless impressed forces act on it.
• Law II
• The change of momentum per unit time is proportional to the impressed
force, and takes place in the direction of the straight line along which the
force acts.
• Law III
• Action and reaction are always equal and opposite.

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