AP Physics

Mechanics for Physicists and Engineers

Agenda for Today

1-D Kinematics (review).

Average & instantaneous velocity and acceleration
Motion with constant acceleration
Introduction to calculus applications
derivatives and slopes
Integrals and area

Physics II: Lecture 1, Pg 1

Kinematics Problems

1-D Kinematics
Average & instantaneous velocity (Chapter2 1,4,5,1113,15-17)
and acceleration (18,21)
Motion with constant acceleration(23,24,27,31,35,37,39,401,43)
Free Fall (44,47,49,51,53,56,61,63)
Motion Graphs (66,67,69,70)
Review Phun!!

Physics II: Lecture 1, Pg 2

Kinematics

Location and motion of objects is described using

Kinematic Variables:
Some examples of kinematic variables.
position
r
vector
velocity
v
vector
Kinematic Variables:
Measured with respect to a reference frame. (x-y axis)
Measured using coordinates (having units).
Many kinematic variables are Vectors,
Vectors which means
they have a direction as well as a magnitude.
magnitude

v
Vectors denoted by boldface V or arrow

Physics II: Lecture 1, Pg 3

See text : 2-1

Motion in 1 dimension

In general, position at time t1 is usually denoted r(t1).

In 1-D, we usually write position as x(t1 ).

Since its in 1-D, all we need to indicate direction is + or .

Displacement in a time t = t2 - t1 is
x = x(t2 ) - x(t1 ) = x2 - x1

x
some particles trajectory
in 1-D

x2
x
x1
t1

t2

t
Physics II: Lecture 1, Pg 4

See text : 2-1

1-D kinematics

Velocity v is the rate of change of position

Average velocity vav in the time t = t2 - t1 is:

vav

x (t 2 ) x (t1 ) x

t 2 t1
t

x
x2
x
x1

trajectory
Vav = slope of line connecting x1 and x2.
t1 t t2

Physics II: Lecture 1, Pg 5

See text : 2-2

1-D kinematics...

Instantaneous velocity v is defined as:

v (t )

dx ( t )
dt

so V(t2 ) = slope of line tangent to path at t2.

x2
x
x1
t1

t2

Physics II: Lecture 1, Pg 6

See text : 2-3

1-D kinematics...

Acceleration a is the rate of change of velocity

Average acceleration aav in the time t = t2 - t1 is:

a av

v (t 2 ) v (t1 ) v

t 2 t1
t

And instantaneous acceleration a is defined as:

dv (t ) d 2 x ( t )
a (t )

dt
dt 2

Physics II: Lecture 1, Pg 7

Recap

If the position x is known as a function of time, then we can find both velocity v and acceleration a as a function of time!

x
x x( t )

dx
v
dt
dv
d 2x
a

dt
dt 2

t
t

Physics II: Lecture 1, Pg 8

More 1-D kinematics

60

We saw that v = x / t
so therefore x = v t ( i.e. 60 mi/hr x 2 hr = 120 mi )
In calculus language we would write dx = v dt, which we
can integrate to obtain:
t2

x ( t 2 ) x ( t 1 ) v ( t )dt
t1

Graphically, this is adding up lots of small rectangles:

v(t)

+ +...+
= displacement
t
Physics II: Lecture 1, Pg 9

See text : 2-4

1-D Motion with constant acceleration

High-school calculus:

dv
a

Also recall that

dt

1 n 1
t
const
t dt
n 1
n

Since a is constant, we can integrate this using the above

rule to find:
v adt a dt at v 0

dx
v

Similarly, since
dt we can integrate again to get:
x vdt ( at v 0 )dt

1 2
at v 0 t x 0
2

Physics II: Lecture 1, Pg 10

See text : Table 2-1 (p. 33)

Recap

So for constant acceleration we find:

x x 0 v 0t
v v 0 at

1 2
at
2

a const

From which we can derive:

v 22 v 12 2a( x 2 x 1 )
1
v av ( v 1 v 2 )
2

Physics II: Lecture 1, Pg 11

Problem 1

A car traveling with an initial velocity vo. At t = 0, the driver

puts on the brakes, which slows the car at a rate of ab

vo
ab

x = 0, t = 0

Physics II: Lecture 1, Pg 12

Problem 1...

A car traveling with an initial velocity vo. At t = 0, the driver

puts on the brakes, which slows the car at a rate of ab. At
what time tf does the car stop, and how much farther xf
does it travel ??
vo

ab

x = 0, t = 0
v=0

x = x f , t = tf

Physics II: Lecture 1, Pg 13

Problem 1...

1 2
x

v
t

at
0
0
Above, we derived:
2
v v 0 at

Realize that a = -ab

Using (b), realizing that v = 0 at t = tf :

(a)
(b)

find 0 = v0 - ab tf or tf = vo /af

Plugging this result into (a) we find the stopping distance:

xf

v
v
1
v o o ab o
2
ab
ab

v o2

ab

Physics II: Lecture 1, Pg 14

Problem 1...

So we found that

tf

vo
1 v o2

, xf
ab
2 ab

Suppose that vo = 65 mi/hr x .45 m/s / mi/hr = 29 m/s

Suppose also that ab = |g| = 9.8 m/s2.

Find that tf = 3 s and xf = 43 m

Physics II: Lecture 1, Pg 15

Tips:

Read !
Before you start work on a problem, read the problem
statement thoroughly. Make sure you understand what
information in given, what is asked for, and the meaning of all
the terms used in stating the problem.

Watch your units !

Always check the units of your answer, and carry the units
along with your numbers during the calculation.

Understand the limits !

Many equations we use are special cases of more general
laws. Understanding how they are derived will help you
recognize their limitations (for example, constant acceleration).

Physics II: Lecture 1, Pg 16

Recap of kinematics lectures

1-D Kinematics
Average & instantaneous velocity (Chapter3- 1,3,7,9,11)
and and acceleration
Motion Graphs (14,15,17,19)
Motion with constant acceleration(Ch3 21,23,27,29,31,35,37
41)
Free Fall (Ch3-41,43,47,49,51,52
)
(Ch3Review Phun!! (67,69,70
)
(

Physics II: Lecture 1, Pg 17