Kinematic Equations Objectives: Students will use kinematic equations to describe and represent the motion of objects by determining: the distance traveled by an object with constant acceleration. the velocity of an object with constant acceleration. the distance traveled or time of travel for falling objects. You have learned there are a variety of quantities associated with the motion of objects displacement (and distance), velocity (and speed), acceleration, and time. Knowledge of these quantities provides descriptive information about an object s motion. For example, if a car is known to move with a constant velocity of 22.0 m/s north for 12.0 seconds for a northward displacement of 264 meters, then the motion of the car is fully described. And if a second car is known to accelerate from a rest position with an eastward acceleration of 3.0 m/s 2 for a time of 8.0 seconds, providing a final velocity of 24 m/s east and an eastward displacement of 96 meters, then the motion of this car is fully described. These two statements provide a complete description of the motion of an object. However, such completeness is not always known. It is often the case that only a few parameters of an object s motion are known, while the rest are unknown. For example, as you approach the stoplight, you might know that your car has a velocity of 22 m/s east and is capable of a skidding acceleration of 8.0 m/s 2 west. However you do not know the displacement that your car would experience if you were to slam on your brakes and skid to a stop; and you do not know the time required to skid to a stop. In such an instance as this, the unknown quantities can be determined using the kinematic equations. The kinematic equations are a set of four equations that can be used to predict unknown information about an object s motion, if other information is known. The equations can be used for any motion that can be described as being either constant velocity motion (an acceleration of 0 m/s 2 ) or a constant acceleration motion. They can never be used over any period of time during which the acceleration is changing. The Kinematic Equations!!!!!!!!!!!!!!d! =!v i t! +! 1 2 at 2!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!v f 2 =!v i 2 +!2ad!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!v f =!v i +!at!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!d! =! v i +!v f 2!!t (d!is!also!sometimes!represented!with!δx,!change!in!distance)
Each of these equations can be used to predict unknown information about an object s motion if the other information is known. Example Problem 1 Using the Kinematic Equations Ima Hurryin is approaching a stoplight moving with a velocity of 30.0 m/s. The light turns yellow, and Ima applies the brakes and skits to a stop. If Ima s deceleration is 8.00 m/s 2, then determine the displacement of the car during the skidding process. Solve the Problem: displacement: d initial velocity: v i = 30.0 m/s (positive direction) final velocity: v f = 0 m/s (came to a stop) acceleration: a = 8.00 m/s 2 (slowing down) v f! = v i! + 2ad rearrange: v f!! v i! 0 m s!a 2 30.0 m s 2 = d!!8.00 m s 2 = 56. 25 m forward The sign is positive, which reinforces the idea that Ima will skid in the same direction she was originally traveling. Check the Answer: The magnitude of the displacement (56.25 m, approximately half the length of a football field) is reasonable for a car traveling at 30.0 m/s (approximately 65 mi/hr) to come to a stop. The displacement is in the same direction as the velocity, which is expected when stopping at a light.
Example Problem 2 Using the Kinematic Equations Ben Rushin is waiting at a stoplight. When it finally turns green, Ben accelerated from rest at a rate of 6.00 m/s 2 for a time of 4.10 seconds. Determine the displacement of Ben s car during this time period. displacement: d initial velocity: v i = 0 m/s (sitting at rest) acceleration: a = 6.00 m/s 2 time: t = 4.10 s d = v i t + 1 2 at2 Solve the Problem: Check the Answer: d = 0 m 4. 10 s + 1 6. 00 m 4. 10 s 2 s 2 s 2 = 50. 43 m forward The sign is positive, which shows forward motion. The magnitude of the displacement (50.43 m approximately half the length of a football field) is reasonable for a car accelerating at 6.00 m/s 2 for 4.10 s as the car will reach a speed of 24 m/s in this time (approximately 50 mi/hr). Free Fall A free- falling object is an object that is falling solely under the influence of gravity. Any object that is moving and being acted upon only by the force of gravity is said to be in a state of free fall. Such an object will experience a downward acceleration of 9.8 m/s 2. Whether the object is falling downward or rising upward toward its maximum height, if it is under the sole influence of gravity, then its acceleration value is 9.8 m/s 2. Like any moving object, the motion of an object in free fall can be described by the four kinematic equations. Applying Free Fall Concepts to Problem- Solving The acceleration of an object that is falling is +9.8 m/s 2, whereas the acceleration of an object that has been thrown into the air is 9.8m/s 2. Remember, the negative sign refers to the direction of the acceleration. This also makes sense; as an object thrown into the air will slow down, i.e. decelerate.
If an object is merely dropped (as opposed to being thrown) from an elevated height, then the initial velocity of the object is 0 m/s. If an object is thrown upwards, then it will slow down as it rises upward. The instant at which it reaches its maximum height, its final velocity is 0 m/s. If an object is thrown upwards, then the velocity at which it is thrown is equal in magnitude and opposite in sign to the velocity that it has when it returns to the same height. That is, a ball thrown upward with a velocity of +30 m/s will have a velocity of 30 m/s when it returns to the same height. These four principles and the four kinematic equations can be combined to solve problems involving the motion of free falling objects. Example Problem 3 Solving Free Fall Problems Luke Autbeloe drops a pile of roof shingles from the top of a roof located 8.52 meters above the ground. Determine the time required for the singles to reach the ground. time: t distance: d = 8.52 m (height of roof) initial velocity: v i = 0 m/s (being dropped) acceleration: a = 9.8 m/s 2 (gravity) d = v i t + 1 2 at2 recognize: v i t = 0 simplify: d =!! at! rearrange: t =!d a Solve the Problem: t =! 8.52 m 9.8 m/s 2 = 1. 319 s Check the Answer: The shingles are falling a distance of approximately 10 meters; it seems that an answer between 1 and 2 seconds would be highly reasonable. The calculated time easily falls within this range of reasonability.
Example Problem 4 Solving Free Fall Problems Rex Things throws his mother s crystal vase vertically upwards with an initial velocity of 26.2 m/s. Determine the height to which the vase will rise above its initial height. Solve the Problem: distance: d initial velocity: v i = 26.2 m/s acceleration: a = 9.8 m/s 2 (thrown upward) final velocity: v f = 0 m/s (reached max height) v f! = v i 2 + 2ad rearrange: v f!! v i!!a = d 0 m/s! 26.2 m/s!!!9.8 m/s 2 = 35. 02 m Check the Answer: The vase is thrown with a speed of approximately 50 mi/hr. Such a throw would never make it further than one football field in height (approximately 100 m), yet will surely make it past the 10-yard line (approximately 10 meters). The calculated answer certainly falls within this range of reasonability. Watch the following videos and then try the practice problems given below. Kinematic Equations: Distance a Ferrari Travels Kinematic Equations: Height Required to Drop a Car Kinematic Equations: One Dimensional Flight Time and Max Height Kinematics: Free Fall Gravity Problem
Practice Problems 1. An airplane starts at rest and accelerates down the runway at 3.20 m/s2 for 32.8 s until it finally lifts off the ground. Determine the distance traveled before takeoff. 2. A bike accelerates uniformly from rest to a speed of 7.10 m/s over a distance of 35.4 m. Determine the acceleration of the bike. 3. An engineer is designing the runway for an airport. Of the planes that will use the airport, the lowest acceleration rate is likely to be 3 m/s 2. The takeoff speed for this plane will be 65 m/s. Assuming this minimum acceleration, what is the minimum allowed length for the runway? 4. The observation deck of a tall skyscraper is 370 m above the street. Determine the time required for a penny to free fall from the deck to the street below. 5. A kangaroo is capable of jumping to a height of 2.62 m. Determine the takeoff speed of the kangaroo. 6. A baseball is popped straight up into the air and has a hang- time of 6.25 s. Determine the max height for the baseball. (Hint: the time to rise to the max height is one- half the total hang time.) 7. Challenge A car starts from rest and accelerates uniformly over a time of 5.21 seconds for a distance of 110 m. Determine the acceleration of the car. 8. Challenge A race car accelerates uniformly from 18.5 m/s to 46.1 m/s in 2.47 seconds. Determine the acceleration of the car and the distance traveled. 9. Challenge Upton Chuck is riding the Giant Drop at Great America. If Upton free falls for 2.60 seconds, what will be his final velocity and how far will he fall? 10. Challenge A feather is dropped on the moon from a height of 1.40 meters. The acceleration of gravity on the moon is 1.67 m/s2. Determine the time for the feather to fall to the surface of the moon.