Kinematics in One Dimension

Displacement, velocity, acceleration

Graphs
A special case: constant acceleration
Bodies in free fall

Physics 1D03 - Lecture 2

1-D motion can be described by scalars (real numbers

with units) as functions of time:
Position

x(t) (displacement from the origin)

Velocity

v(t) (rate of change of position)

Acceleration a(t) (rate of change of velocity)

The sign (positive or negative) keeps track of direction (in 1-D).

Algebraic relations involving position, velocity, and acceleration

come from calculus.
The same relations can be seen from graphs of position, velocity,
and acceleration as functions of time.

Physics 1D03 - Lecture 2

 Kinematics : the description of motion

One dimension : motion along a straight
line (e.g., the x-axis)
Examples - sprinter running 100 meters in a straight line
- ball falling straight down, and bouncing back up

Physics 1D03 - Lecture 2

Displacement : x x 2 x 1
x

position x as a function of time t

x2

x1
t

t1

t2

Average velocity : v

x / t

(slope of the line)

Physics 1D03 - Lecture 2

Instantaneous velocity is the average over an

infinitesimal time interval :

x dx
t 2 t 1 , t 0 and
v
t
dt

derrivative of x relative to y

v is the slope of the tangent to the x vs. t graph.

Physically, v is the rate of change of x, hence dx/dt.
Physics 1D03 - Lecture 2

Acceleration is the rate of change of velocity:

Average Accelerati on : a

v v2 v1

t t 2 t1

dv
Instantane ous Accelerati on : a
dt

Physics 1D03 - Lecture 2

Graphs of x(t), v(t), a(t)

-ive

position x

constant slop e at start

steeper = larger dx

steep -ive

acceleration a

time
velocity v

Physics 1D03 - Lecture 2

Quiz
A rubber ball is dropped and bounces twice from the floor
before it is caught. (Take x to be upwards, and x=0 at the
floor.)
At the highest point of the first bounce, v and a are:
a) both nonzero

V= 0
but a is always acting on objects

b) one is zero, one is not zero

c) both zero
d) other (explain)
Suggestion: Sketch graphs of x, v, a vs. time.
Physics 1D03 - Lecture 2

10

Quiz
A particle (in one dimension) is initially moving.
A few seconds later it has stopped (not moving).
During that time interval:
a) The particles average acceleration is positive
b) The particles average acceleration is negative

c) Not enough information to tell

+ive and -ive are based on perspe

ctive

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11

A Special Case: Constant Acceleration

dv
dx
, v
Use the definitions a
and derive
dt
dt

a constant

Caution: These assume

acceleration is constant.

v(t ) at v0
x(t )

2
v0t x0
a
t
2
derravitive if you up
integral if you go down

Exercise: eliminate t or a to show that

v 2 v0 2a( x x0 )

QUESTION ???

v v0 x x0= d

v
2
t

These are sometimes convenient,

but not necessary. They are valid
only for constant acceleration.

Physics 1D03 - Lecture 2

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Example: Free Fall.

(Free fall means the only force is gravity; the motion can
be in any direction).
All objects in free fall move with constant downward
acceleration,

a g 9.80 m / s 2 [downwards]
This was demonstrated by Galileo around 1600 A.D.
g is called the acceleration due to gravity or the
gravitational field of the Earth.

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The free-fall acceleration is the same for all

objects; size and composition dont matter.

But:
g varies slightly with location and height, about
0.03 m/s2 over the surface of the Earth, and up to
higher speed = more air
a few kilometers above
displacment
if air resistance is significant, we dont really have
so fast air friction so large acelleration ceses and you reach terminal V
free fall.

Physics 1D03 - Lecture 2

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Quiz
A block is dropped from rest. It takes a time t1 to
fall the first third of the distance. How long does it
take to fall the entire distance?
a) 3t1

A
because it accelerates thus b and c are false

b) 3t1
c) 9t1

d) None of the above

Physics 1D03 - Lecture 2

15

Quiz
You throw a set of keys up to a window 4.9m above
you. If the keys just make it to your friend on a balcony
1.0s later, what was their initial velocity ?
B

a) 40 m/s
b) 9.8 m/s

c) 4.5 m/s

v v0 x x0= d

v
2
t

Physics 1D03 - Lecture 2

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