Introduction of mechanics

Lecture notes 2
 Displacement – time graph
 Velocity – time graph
 Acceleration – time graph
 Equations of motion
 Acceleration due to gravity
 Free fall
 Free fall motion with a change in direction
1 Displacement−time graph

A displacement−time graph or s
−t graph ( 位移―時間關係線圖 )

shows the displacement of a

moving object at different times.
1 Displacement−time graph
Consider: A car is travelling at a
constant or uniform velocity of 10
m ss–1/. m
40
⇒ moves 10
30 m every 1 s
20
10

0 1 2 3 4 t/s
1 Displacement−time graph
Slope of s −t graph
s
s2 s2 − s1
s1 slope = = velocity
t2 − t 1

t
t1 t2
The slope of the s −t graph
gives the velocity of the body.
2 Velocity−time graph

A velocity−time graph or v −t
graph
( 速度— 時間關係線 圖 )
gives the velocity of a moving
object at different times.
2 Velocity−time graph
The v −t graph for the car travelling
at a constant velocity of 10 m s–1:
v / m s–1

1
0 a horizontal line:
the velocity stays
the same all the
time.
t/s
2 Velocity−time graph
a Slope of v −t graph
The slope of the v −t graph gives
the acceleration of the body.
v
v1
v2 − v1
v2 slope =
t2 − t 1
= acceleration
t
t1 t2
a Slope of v−t graph

The v −t graph is
v / m s–1 a horizontal line
⇒ it has a zero
10 slope
⇒ the car is
travelling at a
constant velocity
t / s⇒ with no
acceleration
 b Area under v−t graph

The area under a v −t graph is the

displacement (s) during the time interval.
This area
v = displacement
v

0 t
t
3 Acceleration−time graph

The acceleration−time graph or a

−t graph ( 加速度—時間關係線圖 )

gives the acceleration of the

car at different times.
3 Acceleration−time graph
The a −t graph for the car
travelling at a constant velocity of
10 m s–1: The graph is exactly zero all
a / m s–2 the time,
since the car is moving at
constant velocity: zero
acceleration.
Acceleration = 0 m
s–2
t/s
4 Graphs for uniformly accelerated motion

a Uniformly accelerated motion

along a straight line
Consider a car speeding up.
a Uniformly accelerated motion
along a straight line

1
area = vt
2

slope = ∆v/∆t
a Uniformly accelerated motion
along a straight line

s −t graph

area slope

v −t graph

slope

a −t graph
b Uniformly accelerated motion
with a change in direction

If the acceleration and the

initial velocity point in opposite
direction is,
what do the motion graphs look
like?
b Uniformly accelerated motion with a
change in direction
If the acceleration and the
initial velocity point in opposite
direction is,
1 Equations of motion for
uniform accelerating objects

v = u + at
 s : displacement
 t : time duration
1  u : initial velocity
s = ut + at 2
2  v : final velocity
v 2
–u 2
= 2as
 a : acceleration

(u + v)
s=
t 2
 Example 1
Blackbird (Lockheed SR-71A) was
the fastest jet in the world
Its max. speed
is 894 m s–1 and
its max.
acceleration is
3.75 m s−2.
Estimate the shortest distance it travelled
when it accelerates from the rest to its
top speed.
 Example 1
Its max. speed is 894 m s–1 and its max.
acceleration is 3.75 m s−2.
Estimate the shortest distance it
travelled when it accelerates from the
rest to its top speed. Answer:
u = 0 , a = 3.75, v = 894 , s = ?
V 2 = u 2+ 2 a s
8942= 0 + 2 (3.75) s
s = 106564.8 m
2 Acceleration due to gravity
If resistance is negligible,
a body falls freely under gravity
with uniform acceleration.
acceleration due to
gravity, g

Accepted value = 9.8 m s–2

Take g ≈ 10 m s–2 for simplicity.

2 Acceleration due to gravity
a Free fall
If a ball is dropped from 20 m…
a Free fall
b Free fall motion with a change
in direction
If a ball is thrown vertically
upwards with v = 30 m s−1…
b Free fall motion
with a change in direction
After it reaches the highest
point…
b Free fall motion
with a change in direction
b Free fall motion
with a change in direction
b Free fall motion
with a change in direction