Generoso, Ethyl C.

IE- 1201

Relative Motion in One Dimension

Relative motion is the calculation of the motion of an object with regard to some other
moving object. The motion is not calculated with reference to the earth, but is the velocity of the
object in reference to the other moving object as if it were in a static state. Relative motion’s
calculation occurs with relative speed, relative acceleration and relative velocity.
Relative motion in One Dimension means that the individual motions of the object and
observers are along a straight line with only two possible directions of motion. When the two
objects are moving along parallel straight lines in the same direction, the magnitude of relative
velocity of one object with respect the other is equal to the difference in magnitude of two
velocities. But when the two objects are moving along parallel straight lines in opposite
directions, the magnitude of relative velocity of one object with respect the other is equal to the
sum of the magnitude of their velocities.
The line used for this motion is often the familiar x-axis, or x number line. The object
may move forward or backward along the line. In terms of one dimensional motion, changes in
velocity can occur by a slowing down or speeding up. It follows that for one dimensional motion,
accelerations can only occur over the time intervals during which the object speeds up or slows
down.

Acceleration is the rate of change of velocity with time. The only two ways to accelerate
is by changing the speed or change in direction or change both. It is a vector quantity. If the
velocity of the object increases with time, its acceleration increases. If the velocity of an object
decreases with time, its acceleration is negative. The motion is uniformly accelerated motion or it
non-uniformly accelerated, depending on how the velocity changes with time. It is uniform for a
body if the velocity changes by equal amounts in equal intervals and if its velocity changes by
unequal amounts, it is non-uniform.

Instantaneous velocity is the rate of change of displacement of an object in a particular

direction is its velocity. Its S.I unit is meter per second. While instantaneous speed is always
greater than or equal to zero and is a scalar quantity. For uniform motion, instantaneous speed is
constant. To understand it in simple words we can say that instantaneous speed at any given time
is the magnitude of instantaneous velocity at that time. It is a limit of the average speed as the
time interval become very small.
Formulas :

∆𝑥 𝑥2 −𝑥1
Average x velocity : vav-x = =
∆𝑡 𝑡2 −𝑡1

𝑉2𝑥 − 𝑉2𝑦
Average acceleration : aav-x = 𝑡2 − 𝑡1

Δ𝑉𝑥 𝑑𝑉𝑥
Instantaneous acceleration : ax = =
Δ𝑡 𝑑𝑡

Vx = Vox + axt

X= Xo + Voxt + ½ axt2
𝑉𝑜𝑥 + 𝑉𝑥
X-XO = ( )𝑡
2

V2x = V2ox + 2ax (X-Xo)

Example :

A car is speeding at a constant 25 m/s (=90km/h≈ 56 mi/h) n a school zone. A police car starts
from rest just as the speeder passes by it and accelerates at a constant rate of 5.0m/s2.

(a) When does the police car catch the speeding car?

(b) How fast is the police car traveling when it catches up with the speeder?

Answer :
1
a) xs = vsxt and xp = 2 apx t2

1 1
vsxt = 2 𝑎𝑝𝑥 𝑡 2 => vsx = = 2 apx t

2𝑣𝑠𝑥
t= 𝑎𝑝𝑥

2 (25𝑚/𝑠)
t= 5.0 𝑚/𝑠2

t= 10 s

b) vpx = apxt
vpx = (5.0 m/s2) (10s)
vpx = 50 m/s
A shelter island ferry boat moves with constant velocity Vox = 8.0 m/s for 60s. It then shuts off
𝑉𝑜𝑥 𝑡 2
its engines and coasts. Its coasting velocity is given by Vx= when t= 60s. What is the
𝑡2
displacement of the boat for the interval 0<t<∞.

Answer:

∆X1 = Vox ∆t

∆X1 = Voxt1

∆X1 = (8.0 m/s)(60 s)

∆X1 = 480 m

t1 to t∞
∞
∆X2 = ∫𝑡 𝑉𝑥 𝑑𝑡
1

∞ 𝑉𝑜𝑥 𝑡 2
∆X2 = ∫𝑡 𝑑𝑡
1 𝑡2

𝑡 −1 ∞
∆X2= Voxt2 −1 │𝑡
1

1 1
∆X2= - Voxt2 (∞ - 𝑡 )
1

∆X2= -1 (0-Vot1)

∆X2 = Vot1

∆X2= (8 m/s)(60 s)

∆X2 = 480 m

∆X = ∆X1 + ∆X2

∆X = 480 m + 480 m

∆X = 960 m
A particle is moving a straight line according to this equation of motion s(t) = 10t2 – 4t + 8
where t is measured in seconds and s in meters.

(a) What is its position at the end of 5 seconds?

(b) What is the equation for its velocity v at any time t?
(c) What is its velocity v at the end of 5 seconds?
(d) What is the equation for its acceleration at any time t?
(e) What is its acceleration at the end of 5 seconds?

Answer:

(a) s(t) = 10t2 – 4t + 8

s(5) = 10 (5)2 – 4(5) + 8
s(5) = 238 m

𝑑𝑠
(b) v(t) = 𝑑𝑡 = 10t2 – 4t + 8
= 20t – 4

(c) v(5) = 20t – 4

= 20 (5) – 4
= 96 m/s

𝑑2 𝑠 𝑑𝑣
(d) a(t) = 𝑑𝑡 2 = 𝑑𝑡 = 20t – 4
= 20

(e) a(5) = 20m/s2

Relative Motion in Two Dimensional

The motion of an object is called two dimensional, if two of the three coordinates are
required to specify the position of the object in space with respect to time.
Two-dimensional motion is the study of movement in two directions, including the study
of motion along a curved path, such as projectile and circular motion. A body moving at constant
velocity can be described by a sum of velocities in two directions, typically x and y co-ordinates.
The path of a projectile may combine constant speed in the horizontal direction with acceleration
due to gravity in the vertical direction.
Two dimensional motion is easier to describe and easier to deal with mathematically.
This makes two dimensional motion a good place for introducing concepts that are peculiar to
motion in more than one dimension. Any motion under constant acceleration can always be
described in terms of just two dimensions.
Projectile motion is, in general, two-dimensional motion that results from an object with
an initial velocity in one direction experiencing a constant force in a different direction. A good
example is a ball you throw to a friend. You give the ball an initial velocity when you throw it,
and then the force of gravity acts on the ball as it travels to your friend. The x-direction and y-
direction motions are independent in the sense that each of the one-dimensional motions occurs
as if the other motion is not happening. These motions are connected, though. The object’s
motion generally stops after a particular time, so the time is the same for the x-direction motion
and the y-direction motion.
Formulas :

Position Vector : 𝑟⃗ = 𝑥𝑖̂ + 𝑦𝑗̂ + 𝑧𝑘̂

Displacement Vector : ∆r = r2 – r1

∆𝑟
Average Velocity : Vav = ∆𝑡

∆𝑣
Average Acceleration : aav =
∆𝑡

⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗
𝑑𝑣
Instantaneous Acceleration : 𝑎⃗ = 𝑑𝑡

⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗
𝑑𝑟
Instantaneous Velocity : 𝑣⃗ = 𝑑𝑡

Magnitudes
Position Vector : |𝑟⃗| = √𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 + 𝑧 2
Instantaneous Velocity : |𝑣⃗| = √(𝑉𝑥)2 + (𝑉𝑦)2 + (𝑉𝑧)2
Instantaneous Acceleration : |𝑎⃗| = √(𝑎𝑥)2 + (𝑎𝑦)2 + (𝑎𝑧)2

Inclinations
𝑌
ϴ = Arctan |𝑋|
𝑉𝑦
α = Arctan |𝑉𝑥 |
𝑎𝑦
β = Arctan |𝑎𝑥 |
Example:

A car enters an intersection at 20 m/s where it collides with a truck. The impact rotates the
car 90° and gives it a speed of 15 m/s. Determine the average acceleration of the car if it was
in contact with the truck for 1.25 s.

∆𝑣 = √(20𝑚/𝑠)2 + (15𝑚/𝑠)2
∆𝑣 = 25 m/s

∆𝑣
𝑎⃗ =
∆𝑡
25𝑚/𝑠
𝑎⃗ =
1.25𝑠
𝑎⃗ = 20𝑚/𝑠 2

15𝑚/𝑠
ϴ =Arctan ( )
20𝑚/𝑠
ϴ = 143o

𝑚
𝑎⃗ = 20 𝑎𝑡 143𝑜
𝑠2
 The position of an object is given by r= 3ti + 2t2j+ 11k, where t is in second and coefficients
havie the proper units for r to be in centimeters.
a) Find v(t) and a(t) of the object.
b) Find the magnitude and direction of the velocity at t=3 sec.

a) r= 3t𝑖̂ + 2𝑗̂ + 11𝑘̂

⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗
𝑑𝑟 ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗
∆𝑟
𝑣⃗(𝑡) = =
𝑑𝑡 ∆𝑡
𝑣⃗(𝑡) = 3𝑖̂ + 4t𝑗̂

⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗
𝑑𝑣 ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗
∆𝑣
𝑎⃗(𝑡) = =
𝑑𝑡 ∆𝑡
𝑎⃗(𝑡) = 4𝑗̂
= 4cm/s2 across y axis

b) t= 3s
v(t) = 3 𝑖̂ + 4𝑡𝑗̂
v(t) = 3𝑖̂ + 4(3)𝑗̂
v(t) = 3𝑖̂ + 12 𝑗̂

|𝑣⃗| = √(𝑉𝑥)2 + (𝑉𝑦)2

|𝑣⃗| = √(3)2 + (12)2
|𝑣⃗| = 12.4 cm/s

𝑉𝑦
∝ = Arctan|𝑉𝑥 |
12
∝ = Arctan| 3 |
∝ = Arctan (4)
∝ = 76o
A rabbit runs across a parking lot on which a set of coordinate axes has, strangely enough, been
drawn. The coordinates of the rabbit’s position as functions of time t are given by
X= -0.31t2 + 7.2t + 28
Y= 0.22t2 – 9.1t + 30
Find the velocity v arrow at time t=15s.

𝑑𝑥 𝑑
Vx = 𝑑𝑡 = 𝑑𝑡 (-0.31t2 + 7.2t + 28)
= -0.62 + 7.2

At t=15 s
= -0.62 (15s) + 7.2
= -2.1

𝑑𝑦 𝑑
Vx = = 𝑑𝑡 (-0.22t2 – 9.1 t + 30)
𝑑𝑡
= -0.44t – 9.1

At t=15 s
= 0.44 (15s) + 7.2
= -2.5 m/s

𝑣⃗ = (−2.1𝑚/𝑠) 𝑖̂ + (−2.5𝑚/𝑠)𝑗̂
|𝑣⃗| = √(𝑉𝑥)2 + (𝑉𝑦)2
|𝑣⃗| = √(−2.1)2 + (−2.5)2
|𝑣⃗| = 3.3 𝑚/𝑠

𝑉𝑦
ϴ = Arctan |𝑉𝑥 |
−2.5
ϴ = Arctan | |
−2.1
ϴ = 50 o
References :

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