Kinematics Equations

INPHYS1
 Recall:
• Displacement:

(1) x  x f  xi
• Average velocity
x f  xi x
(2) v 
t f  ti t
• Average acceleration
v f  vi v
(3) a 
t f  ti t
 Motion with Constant Acceleration
• The simplest accelerated motion is straight-line
motion with constant acceleration.
• For this case, velocity changes at the same rate
throughout the motion.
• We will derive key equations for straight-line
motion with constant acceleration
1
x  x0  v t  x0  (v f  vi )t
2
1
x  x0  v0 x t  a x t 2 vx  v0 x  at
2
vx  v0 x  2ax ( x  x0 )
2 2
• The motion diagram shows the position,
velocity, and acceleration at five different
times for a
particle moving
with
constant
acceleration
• Since acceleration ax is
constant, the ax-t graph
shows a horizontal line.

• The graph of velocity vs.

time has a constant slope
because the acceleration
is constant.
• We replace average acceleration by the
constant (instantaneous) ax,
v2  v1
ax  (4)
t 2  t1
• Now we let t1 = 0 and t2 be any arbitrary
later time t. We use ox at the later time t is
x. Then (4) becomes
vx  v0 x
ax  or
t 0
 x  vox  axt (5)
The equation for the position of x of a particle
moving with constant acceleration.

• Firstly, we use Eqn (2), the initial position where

time t = 0 and denoted by x0.
• The position at the later time t is simply x. Thus
for time interval ∆t = t  0 and ∆x = x  x0

x  x0
 6
t
• We can also obtain a second expression
for  that is valid for constant acceleration
only.
 x  0 x
 7
2
• Substitute Eqn (5) into above equation,

  0 x  0 x  a xt 
1
2
1
 0 x  a xt 8
2
• Finally, equating Eqns (6) and (8) and
simplifying the result:

1 2
x  x0  0 xt  axt 9
2

• This method is always valid even if the

acceleration is not constant.
• Solving Eqn (5) for t, then substitute resulting
expression into Eqn (9),
 x  0 x
t
ax
2
  x  0 x  1   x  0 x 
x  x0  0 x    a x  
 ax  2  ax 
2a x  x  x0   20 x x  20 x 2   x 2  20 x x  0 x 2

• Simplifying,
 x  0 x  2ax x  x0 
2 2
(10)
• Equating Eqns (6) and (7), multiply by t,

 0 x   x 
x  x0   t (10)
 2 

x  x0  v t
vx  v0 x  at
1
x  x0  v0 x t  a x t 2 vx  v02x  2ax ( x  x0 )
2
2

• These equations can be used to solve ANY kinematics

problems involving straight-line motion of a particle with
constant acceleration.
 Steps in Problem Solving
1. Read the entire problem carefully.
2. Draw a diagram of the physical situation.
3. Identify the variables given and quantity in
question.
4. Find a mathematical relationship between the
known and the unknown quantities.
5. Solve the equation by substituting numerical
values.
6. Consider whether your answer is reasonable.
 Examples
1. A Boeing 777 airliner, initially at rest, undergoes a
constant acceleration of 2.3 m/s2 down the runway for
34 s before it lifts off. How far does it travel down the
runway before taking of?
(x =1.3 km)

2. 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 skids to a stop. If Ima's
acceleration is -8.00 m/s2, then determine the
displacement of the car during the skidding process.
(x = 56.3 m )
 Free Fall
There are a few conceptual characteristics of free fall
motion that will be of value when using the
equations to analyze free fall motion.
1. An object in free fall experiences an acceleration
of -9.8 m/s2.

2. If an object is merely dropped from an elevated

height, then the initial velocity of the object is 0
m/s.

3. If an object is projected upwards in a perfectly

vertical direction, then it will slow down as it rises
upward.

4. If an object is projected upwards in a perfectly

vertical direction, then the velocity at which it is
projected is equal in magnitude and opposite in
sign to the velocity that it has when it returns to
the same height.
 Examples
1. 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
shingles to reach the ground.
(t = 1.32 s)

2. 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.
(d = 35.0 m )
 Exercises
1. You are driving your new sports car at a
velocity of 90 km/hr, when suddenly see a dog
step into the road 50 m ahead. You hit the
breaks hard to get maximum deceleration of
7.5 m/s2. How far will you go before stopping?
Can you avoid hitting the dog?

2. If Michael Jordan has a vertical leap of 1.29 m,

then what is his takeoff speed and his hang
time (total time to move upwards to the peak
and then return to the ground)?