ADDIS ABABA SCIENCE AND

TECHNOLOGY
UNIVERSITY
School of Electrical and Mechanical
Engineering
Department of Mechanical Engineering
LECTURE NOTE
ON
Engineering Mechanics II: Dynamics
Topic: Kinematics of Particles (Chapter 2)
Part - I
Prepared by- Mechanical Department
 Kinematics of Particles Mechanical Engineering Department

July, 2021
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
CHAPTER TWO
KINEMATICS OF PARTICLES
2.1 INTRODUCTION
Kinematics: - is the branch of dynamics which describes the motion of bodies without reference
to the forces which either cause the motion or are generated as a result of the motion.
- Is often described as the "geometry of motion."
Particle Motion
If the particle is confined to a specified path, as with a bead sliding along a fixed wire, its motion
is said to be constrained. If there are no physical guides, the motion is said to be unconstrained.

Figure 2/1
Choice of Coordinates
The position of particle P at any time t can be described by specifying its rectangular coordinates
x, y, z, its cylindrical coordinates r,θ , z, or its spherical coordinates R,θ , ∅ . The motion of P can
also be described by measurements along the tangent t and normal n to the curve. The direction
of n lies in the local plane of the curve. These last two measurements are called path variables.

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The motion of particles (or rigid bodies) can be described by using coordinates measured from
fixed reference axes (absolute-motion analysis) or by using coordinates measured from moving
reference axes (relative motion analysis).

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2.1. RECTILINEAR MOTION

Figure 2/2

Consider a particle P moving along a straight line, Fig. 2/2. The position of P at any instant of
time t can be specified by its distance s measured from some convenient reference point 0 fixed
on the line. At time t + ∆t the particle has moved to P' and its coordinate becomes s+∆s. The
change in the position coordinate during the interval ∆t is called the displacement ∆s of the
particle. The displacement would be negative if the particle moved in the negative s-direction.
Velocity and Acceleration
The average velocity of the particle during the interval ∆t is the displacement divided by the time
interval or v av=∆ s/ ∆ t . As ∆t becomes smaller and approaches zero in the limit, the average velocity

∆s
approaches the instantaneous velocity of the particle, which is v= lim or
∆t→0 ∆t
ds
v= = ṡ………………………………………………………2.1
dt
Thus, the velocity is the time rate of change of the position coordinate s.
The velocity is positive or negative depending on whether the corresponding displacement is
positive or negative.
The average acceleration of the particle during the interval ∆t is the change in its velocity divided
by the time interval or a av=∆ v/ ∆ t . As ∆t becomes smaller and approaches zero in the limit, the
average acceleration approaches the instantaneous acceleration of the particle, which is

∆v
a= lim or
∆t→0 ∆t
dv d2 s
a= =v̇= 2 =s̈……………………………………………..2.2
dt dt
The acceleration is positive or negative depending on whether the velocity is increasing or
decreasing.

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dv dv
a= , adt =dv , dt = similarlly
dt a
ds ds
v= , vdt =ds ,dt= t h en by elliminating dt
dt v
ds dv
=
v a
vdv=ads……………………………………..…………….2.3
Equations 2.1, 2.2, and 2.3 are the differential equations for the rectilinear motion of a particle.
Problems in rectilinear motion involving finite changes in the motion variables are solved by
integration of these basic differential relations.
Graphical Interpretations
a) S-t curve

 By constructing the tangent to the curve at any time t, we obtain the slope, which is the
velocity v = ds/dt.
b) v-t curve

 The slope dv/dt of the v-t curve at any instant gives the acceleration at that instant
 The area under the v-t curve during time dt is vdt, which from Eq. 2.1 is the displacement
ds. Consequently, the net displacement of the particle during the interval from t1 to t2 is
the corresponding area under the curve, which is

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s1 t1

∫ ds=∫ vdt Or s1-s2 = (Area under v-t curve)

s2 t2

c) a-t curve

 The area under the a-t curve during time dt is adt, which, from the first of Eqs. 2/2, is dv.
 Thus, the net change in velocity between tl and t2 is the corresponding area under the
curve, which is
v1 t1

∫ dv=∫ adt or v1-v2=(Area under a-t curve )

v2 t2

d) a-s curve

 When the acceleration a is plotted as a function of the position coordinate s, the area
under the curve during a displacement ds is a ds, which, from Eq. 2/3, is vdv = d(v2/2).
Thus, the net area under the curve between position coordinates S1 and S2 is
v1 s1
1
∫ vdv=∫ ads∨ 2 (v ¿ ¿ 2 ¿ ¿ 2−v 12)=( Areaunder a−s curve) ¿¿
v2 s2

e) v-s curve

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When the velocity v is plotted as a function of the position coordinate s, the slope of the curve at
any point A is dv/ds. By constructing the normal AB to the curve at this point, we see from the
similar triangles that CB/v = dv/ds. Thus, from Eq. 2/3, CB = v(dv/ds) = a, the acceleration. It is
necessary that the velocity and position coordinate axes have the same numerical scales so that
the acceleration read on the position coordinate scale in meters (or feet), say, will represent the
actual acceleration in meters (or feet) per second squared.
Analytical Integration
(a) Constant Acceleration.
When a is constant, the first of Eqs. 2.2 and 2.3 can be integrated directly s = so, v = vo,
and t = 0 designated at the beginning of the interval, then for a time interval t the
integrated equations become
For Eqs. 2.2
v t

∫ dv=a ∫ dt ∨v=v o+ at
vo 0

Substitution of the integrated expression for v into Eq. 2/1 and integration with respect to t give
s t

∫ ds=∫ (v o+ at )dt∨s=s o+ v o t+ 12 a t 2
so 0

For Eqs. 2.3

v s

∫ vdv=a∫ dso ∨v 2=v o2+ 2 a(s−s o)

vo so

(b) Acceleration Given as a Function of Time, a = f(t).

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v t t

Eqn 2.2 Becomes ∫ dv=∫ f (t) dt ∨v=v o +∫ f (t)dt

vo 0 0

s t t

Eqn 2.1. Becomes ∫ ds=∫ vdt∨s=s o +∫ vdt

so 0 0

(c) Acceleration Given as a Function of Velocity, a = f (v).

dv
Eqn 2.2 becomes f ( v )=
dt
t
dv
t=∫ dt =
0 f (v )
 This result gives t as a function of v. Then it would be necessary to solve for v as a
function of t so that Eq. 2/1 can be integrated to obtain the position coordinate s as a
function of t.
Eqn 2.3 becomes v dv = f(v) ds. Separating variables
v s v

∫ fvdv =∫ ds or s=s o +∫
vdv
v (v ) s
o ov f ( v) o

(d) Acceleration Given as a Function of Displacement, a = f (s).

v s s
2 2
∫ vdv=∫ f ( s)ds∨v =v o −2∫ f (s)ds
vo so so

Next we solve for v to give v = g(s), a function of s. Now we can substitute ds/dt for v,
separate variables, and integrate in the form
s t s

∫ g(dss) =∫ dt or t=∫
ds
g( s)
so 0 so

Examples
1. A girl rolls a ball up an incline and allows it to return to her. For the angle ɵ and ball
involved, the acceleration of the ball along the incline is constant at 0.25g, directed down the
incline. If the ball is released with a speed of 4 m/s, determine the distance s it moves up the
incline before reversing its direction and the total time t required for the ball to return to the
child's hand.

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Given

a=-0.25g,Vo=4m/s, V=0

Solution v 2=v o2 +2 a ( s−s o ) but v =0 , s o=0

−v o2
s=
2a

42
s= =3.26 m
2 ( 0.25 ) ( 9.81 )

∆v v −v o 0−4
For the upward motion of the balla= t 1= = =1.63 s
t a −0.25(9.81)

For the downward motion of the ball v o=0 , a=0.25 g , s=3.26 m

m
so v 2=v o2 +2 as=2 as=2 ( 0.25∗9.81 ) ( 0.25 ) (3.26 )=4
s

v−v o 4−0
t 2= = =1.63 s
a 0.25∗9.81

t total=t 1+t 2=3.26 s

2. The car is traveling at a constant speed Va = 100 km/h on the level portion of the road. When
the 6-percent (tan ɵ = 6/100) incline is encountered, the driver does not change the throttle
setting and consequently the car decelerates at the constant rate g sin ɵ. Determine the speed
of the car (a) 10 seconds after passing point A and (b) when s = 100 m.

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Solution

km 1000
v 0=100 = m/s = 27.778m/s
hr 3.6

θ=tan
−1
( 1006 )=3.43 ° ¿
¿

a=−gsinθ=−9.81 sin ( 3.43 )=−0.5875 m/ s2

Solution

a) t=10s, v=?

v=v o −at

¿ 27.778−9.81 ( sinθ )( 10 )

¿ 21.9 m/s

b) s=100m, v=?
v 2=v o2 +2 as

v=√ (27.778)2−2 ( 0.5875 ) (100)=25.6 m/s

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