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Chapter 2: Motion along a
Straight Line
Second Semester AY 2012-2013
On unit vectors (cross products)
Coordinate system These are by
convention!
Vector quantities
• Mathematical entities that has both
magnitude and direction.
• They can be added, subtracted, multiplied,
and transformed according to well-defined
mathematical rules.
A position vector can be
represented by an
arrow pointing from the
origin of a chosen
coordinate system to
the location of the
object.
Scalar quantities
• Values that are NOT dependent on the
orientation of any coordinate system and
has no direction associated with it.
• Mass, distance, length, area, temperature,
and volume are some examples.
Introduction to Vectors
• Vectors have magnitude and direction
Consider a vector Magnitude is
Components:
Definitions
• Speed – how fast a particle is moving;
scalar quantity
• Velocity – how fast AND in what
direction it’s moving; vector quantity
• Acceleration – rate of change of velocity
with time; vector quantity
Displacement, Time, and Average
Velocity
Direction is to the right
x
x0

x1 x2  x1  x
x
x2
x0 t1 t2

Displacement – change in the coordinate

Displacement, Time, and Average
Velocity

x2  x1 x
vav x  
t2  t1 t

Average Velocity – the x-component of the

displacement divided by the time interval during
which the displacement occurs.
Displacement, Time, and Average
Velocity

x1 x2  x1  x
x
x2
x0 t1 t2

x2  x1 x Average velocity
vav x   is ALWAYS
t2  t1 t POSITIVE
Displacement, Time, and Average
Velocity
Direction is to the left

x2 x2  x1  x
x
x1
x0 t2 t1

x2  x1 x Average velocity
vav x   is ALWAYS
t2  t1 t NEGATIVE
Displacement, Time, and Average
Velocity
• Whenever x is positive and increasing or
is negative and becomes less negative,
the particle is moving in the +x-direction
and vav x is positive
• Whenever x is positive and decreasing
or is negative and becomes more
negative, the particle is moving in the –
x-direction and vav x is negative
Graphical Picture
• Average velocity depends ONLY on the total
displacement Δx that occurs during the time
interval Δt and not on the details of what
happens during the time interval

x-t Graph of the

Dragster
Finding Velocity on an x-t Graph
• The velocity of a particle can be found
from the graph of the particle’s position
as a function of time.

Instantaneous
velocity
Finding Velocity on an x-t Graph
• Average velocity of a particle during a
time interval can’t tell us how fast, or in
what direction, the particle was moving
at any given time during the interval

Instantaneous Velocity – velocity at any specific

instant of time or specific point along the path.
 Finding Velocity on an x-t Graph

Motion diagram showing the position and velocity of the particle

Average and Instantaneous
Acceleration

x1 x2  x1  x
x
x2
x0 t1 t2
v2 x  v1x  vx

v2 x  v1x vx
aav x  
t2  t1 t
Graphical Picture

Note:
Instantaneous Acceleration –
same procedure that was used in
defining instantaneous velocity
Finding Velocity a vx-t Graph or
an x-t Graph
Finding Velocity a vx-t Graph or
an x-t Graph
Test you understanding
At which points P, Q, R, and S is
the velocity vx positive? At which
points is the velocity negative? At
which points is it zero? At which
point is the speed greatest?
 Thank you very much!
See you all next meeting.