Linear Motion

Linear Motion Details With Diagram (Part 1)

Introduction:
In the universe, matter and energy are the most fundamental things. Physics deals with the
inter-relationship between matter and energy. In physics we study about the nature of
matter and energy and we study the relationship between the two. Hence, physics is
considered to be the most fundamental science.

Rest:

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When the body does not change its position with respect to the surroundings, the body is
said to be at rest.

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Example:

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A person, sitting inside a moving bus, is at rest with respect to the person sitting next to him
as he is not changing his position.

Motion:

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When the body changes its position with respect to its surrounding, the body is said to be in
motion.

Example:

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Considering Sun as reference point, planets change its position, so, planets are in motion.

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Velocity:

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The rate of change of displacement is called velocity. Velocity is the speed of an object and
a specification of its direction of motion. Speed describes only how fast an object is moving;
whereas velocity gives both how fast and in what direction the object is moving. The velocity
of a moving body is defined as its rate of displacement. The velocity may be uniform or

variable. It is donated by v . It is a vector quantity and its unit is ms-1.

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Velocity, v lim
t o t

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Uniform Velocity:
A body is said to move with uniform velocity if it has no acceleration. This implies that the
body moves with a constant speed along a straight line path. This also means that the body
moves with equal displacements in equal intervals of time, however small the time intervals

may be. "Uniform velocity" means zero acceleration, that is, constant speed in a straight
line, The Rate of change of velocity is zero. The velocity of sound, the velocity of light etc. are
the example of uniform velocity.

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Variable Velocity:
If the velocity of body of a body is different at different time then that velocity is called
variable velocity. Velocity in which the space described varies from instant to instant,

either increasing or decreasing; in the former case called variable velocity.

Instantaneous Velocity:

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The velocity of an object at a particular instant or at a particular point of its path is called
instantaneous velocity. In another word, the instantaneous velocity of an object is defined
as the limiting value of the average velocity of the object in a small time interval around that
instant, when the time interval approaches zero.

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Speed:

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The rate of change of distance or position of a particle is called speed. It is a scalar quantity.
Speed is always positive. It's unit is ms-1.

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Acceleration:

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Acceleration is the rate of change of velocity as a function of time. It is vector. In calculus

terms, acceleration is the second derivative of position with respect to time or, alternately,
the first derivative of the velocity with respect to time.

v
If the change of velocity is v , time variation t, then the acceleration will be a lim
t 0 t

Uniform Acceleration:

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If an object's speed (velocity) is increasing at a constant rate then we say it has uniform

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acceleration.The rate of accelerations constant. If a car speeds up then slows down then
speeds up it doesn't have uniform acceleration.

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Displacement:

The minimum distance between two points is known as Displacement. The vector distance
between two points is known as Displacement. It is denoted by r or s or d. It is a vector
quantity. It's unit is meter. Displacement, s = v t, where, v = velocity and t = time.

Relative Velocity:
Relative velocity is a measurement of velocity between two objects moving in different
frames of reference. Relative velocity is an essential area of both classical and modern
physics, since nearly all non-trivial problems in physics deal with the relative velocity of two
or more particles. It is especially important in special relativity where there is no such thing
as absolute motion, thus making all motion and therefore velocities relative. Since velocity is

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the change in position with respect to time, two velocities, v and w could be alternatively
written as the derivative of the position with respect to time.

Distinction between Speed and Velocity:

Sl. No
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Speed
The rate of change of distance or
position of a particle is called speed.
It is a scalar quantity.
It is measured by speedometer.
Speed is always positive.
The addition, substraction of it is done
by algebraic rules.

Velocity
The rate of change of displacement is
called velocity.
It is a vector quantity.
It is measured by velatometer.
Velocity may be positive or negative.
The addition, substraction of it cannot
be done by algebraic rules.

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2.
3.
4.

Acceleration:
Acceleration is the rate of change of
velocity as a function of time.
Acceleration is donated by a or f.
Unit of acceleration is ms-2
Dimension of acceleration = [LT -2].

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Velocity
The rate of change of displacement is
called velocity.
Velocity is donated by v.
Unit of velocity is ms-1.
Dimension of velocity = [LT -1].

(a) Derivation of equation, vx = vxo + axt

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Distinction between Velocity and Acceleration:

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Let, a body moves with uniform acceleration ax, Let, at time t = 0 then initial position x = 0
and Initial velocity vx = vxo, Again at time t = t then final position x = x and final velocity

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vx = vx.

dvx = ax dt

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In physics, acceleration is the rate at which the velocity of a body changes with time.
dv
So, acceleration, a x x
dt

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When, t = 0, then vx = vxo and when, t = t then vx = vx , in this range, Integrate the above
equation,
vx
t
a x constant
dv x a x dt
vxo
o
vx
t
v x
a x t
vxo
o

vx - vxo = ax (t - o)
vx = vxo + axt

(b) Derivation of equation, x = xo + (vxo+vx)t

Let, a body moves along X -axis with uniform acceleration. Let, at initial time t = 0 then initial
position
x = x0 and Initial velocity vx = vxo, Again final at time t = t then final position x = x0 and final
velocity vx = vxo
So, after t second the average velocity of the particle

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1t
is v x , v x v x dt
t0
1 t dx
vx
dt
t 0 dt

dx

v x dt

x xo vx t
1
(v xo v x )t
2
x = xo + (vxo + vx)t

(v

v
)
x
xo
x

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(c) Derivation of equation, x = xo +vxot+axt2

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Let, a body moves along X -axis with uniform acceleration ax. Let, at time t=0 then initial
position x = x0 and Initial velocity vx = vxo, Again at time t = t then final position x = x and final
velocity vx = vx.
In physics, acceleration is the rate at which the velocity of a body changes with time.
dv
Acceleration, a x x
dt

vx
t
dv x a x dt
v xo
0

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a x

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v x v xxo ax t o

Constant

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equation we get,

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dvx = ax dt
When, t = 0, then vx = vxo and when, t = t then vx = vx in this range, Integrate the above

vx - vxo = ax (t- o)
vx = vxo + axt ... ... ... (1)

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Since, the velocity of a moving body is defined as its rate of displacement so by the
definition,
dx
dx
vx
By putting, v x
in equation (1)
dt
dt

dx
v xo ax t
dt
dx = vxo dt + axt dt
When, t = 0, then x = x0, and when, t= t then x = x, in this range, Integrate the above equation

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We get,

we get,
x

xo

dx v xo dt a x t dt
t

t 2
x v xo t ax
2 o
x - xo = vxo (t-o) + ax (t2 - 0)
x = xo + vxo t + ax t2 (Answer)
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x
xo

t
o

S = vxo t + ax t2 [ x - xo = S]
2 2a (x x )
(d) Derivation of equation, v x2 v xo
x
o

Let, a body moves along X -axis with uniform acceleration ax. Let, at time t = 0 then initial
position x = 0 and Initial velocity vx = vxo, Again at time t = t then final position x = x and final
velocity vx = vx.
In physics, acceleration is the rate at which the velocity of a body changes with time.

Accelerati on, ax

dv x
dt

dv x dx

dx dt
dv
dx

ax x vx

vx

dx
dt

vx dvx = ax dx
When, x = xo then vx = vxo, and when, x = x then vx = vx, in this range, Integrate the above

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ax

vx

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equation we get,
x
x

v xo

a x dx

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v dv

xo

vx

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2
v x2 v xo
a x (x x o )
2

Laws of falling bodies:

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2
v x2 v xo
2ax (x x o )

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v x2
a x x
x x
2 vxo
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During free fall, the bodies obey three laws. These laws are known as laws of falling bodies.
In 1589 A.D, Galileo was the first to demonstrate and then formulate these equations.

1st law:

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2nd law:

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All the freely falling bodies traverse equal distance at equal interval of time.

The velocity of the freely falling bodies is proportional to the time taken to fall. If the velocity
of the falling bodies is v and time taken to fall t then according to 2nd law, v t

3rd law:
The distance traversed by the freely falling bodies is proportional to the square of the time
of fall. If the distance traversed by the falling bodies h and time taken to fall is t, then
according to 3rd law ht2

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Guinea and feather experiment:

Newton proved the first law of freely falling bodies by this experiment.
He removed air from a tall hollow glass tube which contained a guinea
and a feather. On inverting the tube he found that both the feather and
the guinea reach the bottom of the tube at the same time. It is proved
that, in vacuum all bodies travel equal distance in equal interval time.
In 1971, astronaut R. Scott released a hammer from one hand and a
feather from the other on the moon and observed that both fall together.

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Derivation of the equations of motion by (v - t) graphical method

(1) Derivation of v = vo+at

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The velocity-Time graph of a body shown in (fig. X) the initial velocity of the body is v0 at
point A. From A to B the velocity changes at a uniform rate that means; there is a uniform
acceleration a from A to B in time t its final velocity becomes v which is equal to BC in the
graph (fig. X). The perpendicular is drawn from point C. AD parallel to OC and perpendicular
BE from point B to OE is drawn. From (fig. X)
Initial velocity,
vo = OA = DC.... .... .... ... (1)
Final velocity,
v = BC ..... .... ..... ... ... .. (2)
But, BC = BD + DC ... ... ..(3)
So, v = BD+DC
Or, v = BD+ vo ... ... ... ... (4)
We know, acceleration, a = slope of line AB from (fig. X)
BD
a
AD
But, AD = OC= t
BD
So, a
t
Or, BD = at
Now we get from the equation (4)

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v = at + v0 v = v0 + at

(2) Derivation of equation, s = vo t + at2

Let the body travel a distance s in time t. In (fig. X) the distance travelled by the body is given
by the area of the space between AB and OC= area OABC
Distance travelled = Area OABC

s = Area of the rectangle OACD + Area of the triangle ABD

Or, s = OA OC+ AD BD
Or, s = (vo t) + t at [ AD=t and BD = at]
s = vo t + at2 ... ... ... (5)

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3. Derivati on of v 2 v02 2as

From (fig. X) we have seen that, distance (s) travelled by the body in time
t = area of the trapezium OABC

(sum of parallel sides) height

2

(OA CB) OC
2
(v v) t
s o
... ... ... (6)
2
Now, we eliminate t from equation (6)
v v
v v
o
o
We know, a
t
t
a
Putting the value of t in equation (6)
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(v v) (v v )
o

v v 2as
o

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2as v v

bd

2a

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