U

E H
-
2b-RELATIVE TFMOTION
Z
c s
s i
h y
P 1

Bibliography

U
Some of the contents that will be worked on this topic can be found in the
following book chapters:

Book
E HChapter

-
P.A. Tipler, G. Mosca. Physics for Scientists and Engineers.
6th ed., W.H. Freeman & Co Ltd, 2007.

TF
H.D. Young, R.A. Freedman, F. Sears, M. Zemansky.
University Physics with Modern Physics. Global Edition (14th
ed.), Pearson Education, 2015.
Z
W. Bauer, G.D. Westfall, University Physics with Modern

c s
Physics. McGraw-Hill Global Education, 2011.
P.M. Fishbane, S. Gasiorowicz, S.T. Thornton, Fisika 3

zerbitzua, 2008.
s i
zientzialari eta ingeniarientzat. UPV/EHU-ko argitalpen

h y
UEUko Fisika Saila. Fisika Orokorra. UEU, 1992.
UEUko Fisika Saila. Fisika Orokorra: Ariketak. UEU, 1989.
4
4

P
Some images appearing in the current document were taken from these
bibliographic sources. 2
 ● The concept of motion is relative.

U
●

E H
Physical events are individual,
although they appear to be different in

-
different frames of reference.
According to observer A

TF
There is no absolutely stationary
frame of reference (FR).

Z
c
According to observer B
s ● Every frame of reference must be

i
considered relatively.

y s ● It is very important to be able to

P h
According to observer C
compare measurements performed in
different frames of reference.
3

Observer A Observer A
U
E H
-
Observer B
TF Observer B

Z
c s
s i
h y
For the mother the
tricycle is at rest.
For the child the
tricycle is in motion.

P 4
 TRANSLATION

B' Uniform motion with respect to B V

U
y' ●


V

H
P ● r : Position vector measured by B
y r '
r

R
B'
0' x'
●

● t=t' - E
r ' : Position vector measured by B'

F
B
x
0
r =r '  
R T
x=x ' +V x⋅t Galileo's transformations

Z
 t y= y ' +V y⋅t ● Not applicable when V ∼c
r =r ' V
z=z ' +V z⋅t ● Suitable for Newtonian Mechanics
t =t '

c s ● Any two observers moving at

i
Take derivative with respect to t or t' constant speed and direction

v =v ' V

y s a =a '
with respect to each other
measure the same acceleration
(GALILEAN INVARIANCE).
●

P h
v ,a : velocity or acceleration measured by B
v ' ,a ' : velocity or acceleration measured by B'
● ⃗ ≠const . ⇒ ⃗a =⃗a ' + ⃗A
V
5
Exercises: 1,2,3

B' B Example:

U

v =v ' V

E H
-

v ' =v −V

TF
Measured by B
Z Measured by B'

A: vA = R i

c s
vA ' = R i−V j ∣vA '∣= 2 R 2 V 2

B: vB = R j
s i vB ' = R j−V j ∣v⃗B '∣=∣ω R−V∣

C: vC =− R i

h y vC '=− R i−V j ∣vC '∣= 2 R 2 V 2

D:
P
vD =− R j

Uniform circular motion

vD ' =− R j−V j ∣v⃗D '∣=∣ω R+V∣

Magnitude of the velocity changes

6
RELATIVE UNIFORM CIRCULAR MOTION

U
E H
Rotating one about the other,
but no translation.

● 0=0'
-
TF ● 0xyz: 'at rest'

● 0x'y'z': 
 angular velocity

Z with respect to B
● 
 is a constant vector and

c s passes through 0=0'.

POSITION VECTORS
s i r =r '

Measured by B

h y r =x i  y j z k

P
Measured by B' r ' =x ' i '  y ' j ' z ' k '
7

VELOCITIES

Measured by B: v =  
d r d dx dy dz
=  x i  y j z k = i  j k
U
H
dt B dt dt dt dt

E
  
i , j , k unit vectors are constant for B: d i = d j = d k =0

-
dt dt dt

 
d r ' d
 x ' i '  y ' j ' z ' k ' =
dx '  dy '  dz ' 

F
Measured by B': v ' = = i ' j' k'
dt ' dt dt dt dt

T
B'

  
i ' , j ' , k ' unit vectors are constant for B': d i ' = d j ' = d k ' =0
Z dt dt dt

s
Which is the relationship between the velocities measured by B and B'?

c
r =r '
s i (⃗
v and ⃗
v ')
Consider that observer B takes derivatives in this equation.

h y    
d r
=
d r '

P
dt B dt B

8
v above ??
 
d r '
dt
=
d
dt
 x ' i '  y ' j '  z ' k ' =

     U
B

=
dx '  dy '  dz ' 

dt
i '
dt
j'
dt
k ' x '
d i '
dt B
y'
d j '
dt  B
Hz '
d k '
dt B

v '

- E
With respect to B i ' , j ' , k ' are not constant,

i ' , j ' , k ' : rotate with 

TF
because their directions change.

Z
 constant angular velocity.
(Remember circular motion)



c s   d i '
dt
 ∧ i '
=

i
B

y s   d j '
dt
 ∧ j '
=

h
B
i '

P  
d k '
dt B
 ∧ k '
=
9

^
( )
d ⃗r '
dt
⃗ ∧^
= ⃗v ' + x ' ( ω ⃗ ∧^j ' )+ z ' ( ω
i ' )+ y ' ( ω ⃗ ∧k ' )

U
B
^
⃗∧x'^
= ⃗v ' + ( ω ⃗ ∧ y ' ^j ' )+ ( ω
i ' )+ ( ω ⃗ ∧z ' k ' )
= ⃗v ' + ω i ' + y ' ^j ' + z ' ^
⃗ ∧( x ' ^ k ') = ⃗ v ' +ω
⃗ ∧⃗r '

E H
   
d r d r ' -
dt B
=
dt B

TF
v
Z v ' ∧
 r '

c s
i v =v ' ∧
 r'

y s
P h 10
 ACCELERATIONS

Measured by B: a =   d v d dv dv dv
= v x i v y jv z k = x i  y j z k
dt B dt dt dt dt U
d v '
  dv ' dv ' dv '
= x i '  y j '  z k ' E H
-
Measured by B': a ' =
dt ' B' dt dt dt

TF
B takes derivatives to get the relationships between measurements done
by B and B' as follows:
v =v ' ∧
 r'
Z
    [ cs ]  
d v
=
d v '

d
 r' =
 ∧
d v '
∧
  
d r '
dt B dt

s i
B dt B dt B dt B

h y ⃗ =const .
ω v ' ∧
 r '

P a
??
11

 
d v '
dt
=
d
v ' i ' v y ' j ' v z ' k ' =
dt x

    U
B

dv x ' dv ' dv '  

 
i '  y j ' z k ' v x ' d i ' v y ' d j ' d k '

H
= v z ' =

dt dt dt dt B dt B dt B

=
= a
a ' v x '  ∧
 ∧v x ' i ' v y ' j ' v z ' k ' =
 '  -
 i ' v y '  ∧ E  ∧ k ' =
 j ' v z '  

a ' 
=   ∧v '

TF
Therefore, a =  
d v
dt B
= a ' ∧
Z
 v ' [ 
 ∧v ' ∧
 r ' ]

c s
s ia = a ' ∧
 ∧ r ' 2 ∧
 v '

h y
Absolute
P
acceleration
Centripetal acceleration
Relative acceleration
Coriolis acceleration
12
 a =a ' ∧  r ' 2 ∧
 ∧  v'

U
Absolute Centripetal acceleration
E H
Coriolis acceleration

-
acceleration
(measured by B) Relative acceleration

F
(Measured by B')

Z T
Centripetal and Coriolis accelerations are consequences of the
observers' relative rotation. If the centripetal acceleration is passed to the

s
left side of the equation (using a - sign), it is called centrifugal
acceleration.

i c
s
●Coriolis acceleration has to be considered only for bodies that are

y
moving (v') in the rotating frame of reference.

P h
Since we are on Earth and it rotates along its axis, Coriolis acceleration
should be taken into account.
13

Example: A circular platform rotates about its axis with an angular velocity
of 30 rpm. At a certain time a person A is located at 1.5 m from the origin

U
O and is moving on a radial direction at 2 m/s. Which are the velocity and
acceleration of A measured at this time by an observer B located outside
the platform at rest?

E H
-
TF
Z
c s
s i
h y
P 14
Example: The frame of reference O'x'y'z' rotates with respect to the Oxyz
frame of reference at a constant angular frequency. The frames of
reference are concentric (O=O') and at t=0 the reference frames' axes are
the same. U
E H
Find the equations of motion for a particle moving towards the positive x
direction at a constant velocity (v0) on both Oxyz (use the vectors i , j , k )
and O'x'y'z' frames of reference ( i ' , j ' , k ' ).
-
a) Applying geometry
TF
Z
b) Applying the equations of relative motion

c s y' y

s i x'

h y O=O' x

P
Exercises: 4,5,6,9
15

GENERAL RELATIVE MOTION

Z
U
r '
●

E H
0xyz: observer B

0XYZ: Translates

r 0' - with respect to B.

Parallel axes.

F
Y

R
X

Z T ●0'x'y'z': Observer B'.

Rotates with respect to
OXYZ.

c s
r = 
Rr '
s i Special cases:
● Uniform tanslation

h y v '  ∧

v =V  r'
● Uniform rotation

P a = Aa ' 
d

dt
∧r ' ∧
 ∧ r ' 2 ∧
 v '
Exercise: 7
16
 MOTION WITH RESPECT TO THE EARTH
Earth's angular velocity:
● Direction: Earth's rotation axis
=
2 −5
=7,292⋅10 rad / s U
● Orientation: From South to North

I
T

E H
-
A non-rotating observer measures: a = g0
A

r
TF
A rotating observer measures:

Z
a ' =a −  r ' −2 
 ∧ ∧  ∧v '


 a ' = g0 −∧
 ∧ r −2 
 ∧ v '

c s
Equatorial plane Dependent on position and velocity

s i
h y
Centrifugal acceleration: ~ 3,3⋅10 m/ s
−2 2

~ 7,3⋅10−5 v '
Very low; if velocity < 400 m/s

P
Coriolis acceleration: (1500 km/h). BUT IT HAS
IMPORTANT DIRECTIONAL
17
EFFECTS!

CENTRIPETAL/CENTRIFUGAL ACCELERATION

U
● g0 Radial towards the Earth's center
I
(assuming a spherical Earth)
∧
   ∧r 
r
A −∧
 ∧ r  g ' = g0 −∧
H
 r
 ∧

E
Centripetal acceleration is parallel to

-
●
g0
 r
x ∧ Equatorial plane



F
2
 ∣  r ∣ =  r cos =
∧∧

T
−2 2
= 3,34⋅10 cos  m/ s

Z
2
g '.
● A liquid's surface is perpendicular to  ≪ g 0=9,8 m/ s
● In practice it is considered that g
0 and g '
are in the same direction.

c s
I

s i A
2
 r cos  2 g ' =g 0 − 2 r cos 2 

y
 2 r cos 2 ~ 0,3 % g 0
 −  ∧r 
 ∧ 

P h


r


g0
 r
x ∧
18
CORIOLIS ACCELERATION

a ' =a − 2 ∧
 v ' Deviation: always perpendicular to the velocity
U


E H
v ' body in the northern hemisphere?
-
Example: What deviation will undergo a free-falling

F



Z T v '



c s 
N

s i W
 v '
−2 ∧
E




h y  v'
x ∧ S

P v '
∧v ' Rightwards / eastwards
− Exercise: 8
19

Example: Foucault pendulum.

The consequence of the Coriolis effect can be observed in a pendulum

How will a body moving horizontally in the North Pole deviate? U


  v'
x ∧


v '
E H
v '
 v '
−∧  ∧v '
− -  v '
−∧

F



T
v '
Rightwards

Z
s
The pendulum trajectory deviates rightwards in the northern hemisphere

c
4

s i Foucault (1851):

y
2 1 For a pendulum of

P h 3
67 m, a deviation
of 11º15' per hour
20
 Example: The difference of the level at the two banks of a river flowing
northwards in the northern hemisphere.

 v ' =10 m/ s
U
v '  v '
∧

x −∧
 v '
λ=45 º

E
d =1 kmH
 N - d
v '
E
TF  h
 v '
−∧
Z −2 ω ⃗ ∧⃗v '

c s g0  g '

s i
tan =
∣a coriolis∣ 2  v ' sin 
= ~ 10−4

y
g0 g0

h
h
tan = h=10−4⋅500 m=5 cm
d /2

P
⃗g ' = g⃗0 −2 ω
⃗ ∧⃗v '
2h=10 cm
21