06A: Acceleration

The Cheetah: A cat that is built for speed. Its strength and
agility allow it to sustain a top speed of over 100 km/h. Such
speeds can only be maintained for about ten seconds.
 Uniform Acceleration
in One Dimension:
• Motion is along a straight line (horizontal,
vertical or slanted).
• Changes in motion result from a CONSTANT
force producing uniform acceleration.
• The cause of motion will be discussed later.
Here we only treat the changes.
• The moving object is treated as though it
were a point particle.
 The Signs of Displacement
• Displacement is positive (+) or
negative (-) based on LOCATION.
Examples:
2m
The displacement is
the y-coordinate.
Whether motion is
-1 m
up or down, + or - is
based on LOCATION. -2 m

The direction of motion does not matter!

 Definition of Speed
• Speed is the distance traveled per unit of
time (a scalar quantity).

s 20 m
s = 20 m B v= =
t 4s
A
v = 5 m/s

Not direction dependent!

Time t = 4 s
 Definition of Velocity
• Velocity is the displacement per
unit of time. (A vector quantity.)

s = 20 m B D 12 m
v 
D=12 m t 4s
A
20o v = 3 m/s at 200 N of E

Time t = 4 s Direction required!

Example 1. A runner runs 200 m, east, then
changes direction and runs 300 m, west. If
the entire trip takes 60 s, what is the average
speed and what is the average velocity?

Recall that average

s2 = 300 m s1 = 200 m
speed is a function
only of total distance
and total time: start

Total distance: s = 200 m + 300 m = 500 m

total path 500 m Avg. speed

Average speed  
time 60 s 8.33 m/s
Direction does not matter!
Example 1 (Cont.) Now we find the average
velocity, which is the net displacement divided
by time. In this case, the direction matters.
t = 60 s
x f  x0 xf = -100 m
v x1= +200 m
t
x0 = 0 m; xf = -100 m xo = 0

Direction of final
100 m  0
v  1.67 m/s displacement is to
60 s the left as shown.
Average velocity: v  1.67 m/s, West

Note: Average velocity is directed to the west.

Example 2. A sky diver jumps and falls for
600 m in 14 s. After chute opens, he falls
another 400 m in 150 s. What is average
speed for entire fall?
14 s
Total distance/ total time:
xA  xB 600 m + 400 m A
v  625 m
t A  tB 14 s + 150 s
1000 m
v v  6.10 m/s
164 s B
Average speed is a function 356 m
only of total distance traveled
and the total time required. 142 s
 Examples of Speed
Orbit
2 x 104 m/s
Light = 3 x 108 m/s

Jets = 300 m/s Car = 25 m/s

 Speed Examples (Cont.)

Runner = 10 m/s

Glacier = 1 x 10-5 m/s

Snail = 0.001 m/s

 Average Speed and
Instantaneous Velocity
 The average speed depends ONLY on the
distance traveled and the time required.

s = 20 m B The instantaneous
C velocity is the magn-
A itude and direction of
the speed at a par-
ticular instant. (v at
Time t = 4 s point C)
 The Signs of Velocity
 Velocity is positive (+) or negative (-)
based on direction of motion.

+ - First choose + direction;

+ then v is positive if motion
is with that direction, and
negative if it is against that
+
- direction.
 Definition of Acceleration
 An acceleration is the change in velocity
per unit of time. (A vector quantity.)
 A change in velocity requires the
application of a push or pull (force).

A formal treatment of force and acceleration will

be given later. For now, you should know that:

• The direction of accel- • The acceleration is

eration is same as proportional to the
direction of force. magnitude of the force.
 Acceleration and Force

F
a

2F 2a

Pulling the wagon with twice the force

produces twice the acceleration and
acceleration is in direction of force.
 Example of Acceleration

+ Force
t=3s

v0 = +2 m/s vf = +8 m/s

The wind changes the speed of a boat

from 2 m/s to 8 m/s in 3 s. Each
second the speed changes by 2 m/s.

Wind force is constant, thus acceleration is constant.

 The Signs of Acceleration
• Acceleration is positive (+) or negative
(-) based on the direction of force.

+ Choose + direction first.

F a (-) Then acceleration a will
have the same sign as
that of the force F —
a(+) regardless of the
F direction of velocity.
 Example 3 (No change in direction): A constant
force changes the speed of a car from 8 m/s to
20 m/s in 4 s. What is average acceleration?

+ Force
t=4s

v1 = +8 m/s v2 = +20 m/s

Step 1. Draw a rough sketch.

Step 2. Choose a positive direction (right).
Step 3. Label given info with + and - signs.
Step 4. Indicate direction of force F.
 Example 3 (Continued): What is average
acceleration of car?

+ Force
t=4s

v1 = +8 m/s v2 = +20 m/s

Step 5. Recall definition 20 m/s - 8 m/s

a  3 m/s
of average acceleration. 4s
v v2  v1
aavg  
t t2  t1
a  3 m/s, rightward
Example 4: A wagon moving east at 20 m/s
encounters a very strong head-wind, causing it
to change directions. After 5 s, it is traveling
west at 5 m/s. What is the average
acceleration? (Be careful of signs.)

+ Force
E
vf = -5 m/s vo = +20 m/s

Step 1. Draw a rough sketch.

Step 2. Choose the eastward direction as positive.
Step 3. Label given info with + and - signs.
Example 4 (Cont.): Wagon moving east at 20 m/s
encounters a head-wind, causing it to change
directions. Five seconds later, it is traveling west at
5 m/s. What is the average acceleration?

Choose the eastward direction as positive.

Initial velocity, vo = +20 m/s, east (+)
Final velocity, vf = -5 m/s, west (-)
The change in velocity, v = vf - v0
v = (-5 m/s) - (+20 m/s) = -25 m/s
 Example 4: (Continued)
+ Force
E
vo = +20 m/s
vf = -5 m/s
v = (-5 m/s) - (+20 m/s) = -25 m/s

v vf - vo -25 m/s
aavg = = a=
t tf - to 5s

Acceleration is directed to
a = - 5 m/s2
left, west (same as F).
 Signs for Displacement
+ C Force
D E
A B
vf = -5 m/s vo = +20 m/s a = - 5 m/s2

Time t = 0 at point A. What are the signs

(+ or -) of displacement at B, C, and D?
At B, x is positive, right of origin
At C, x is positive, right of origin
At D, x is negative, left of origin
 Signs for Velocity
+ x=0
C Force
D E
A B
vf = -5 m/s vo = +20 m/s a = - 5 m/s2

What are the signs (+ or -) of velocity at

points B, C, and D?
 At B, v is zero - no sign needed.
 At C, v is positive on way out and
negative on the way back.
 At D, v is negative, moving to left.
 Signs for Acceleration
+ C Force
D E
A B
vf = -5 m/s vo = +20 m/s a = - 5 m/s2

What are the signs (+ or -) of acceleration at

points B, C, and D?
 At B, C, and D, a = -5 m/s, negative
at all points.
 The force is constant and always directed
to left, so acceleration does not change.
 Definitions
Average velocity:

x x2  x1
vavg  
t t2  t1

Average acceleration:

v v2  v1
aavg  
t t2  t1
 Velocity for constant a
Average velocity: Average velocity:


x x f  x0

v0  v f
vavg
t t f  t0 vavg 
2
Setting to = 0 and combining we have:

v0  v f
x  x0  t
2
Example 5: A ball 5 m from the bottom of an
incline is traveling initially at 8 m/s. Four seconds
later, it is traveling down the incline at 2 m/s. How
far is it from the bottom at that instant?

+ x F
vf
vo
5m -2 m/s
t=4s Careful
8 m/s

vo + vf 8 m/s + (-2 m/s)

x = xo + t =5m+ (4 s)
2 2
 (Continued)
+ F
x
vf
vo
5m -2 m/s
8 m/s t=4s

8 m/s + (-2 m/s)

x=5m+ (4 s)
2
8 m/s - 2 m/s
x=5m+ (4 s) x = 17 m
2
 Constant Acceleration
v v f  v0
Acceleration: a avg  
t t f  t0

Setting to = 0 and solving for v, we have:

v f  v0  at

Final velocity = initial velocity + change in velocity

 Acceleration in our Example
+ F
v f  v0  at x v
vo
v f  v0
a 5m -2 m/s
t 8 m/s t=4s

(2 m/s)  (8 m/s)

a  2 m/s 2

4s
The force
What is the
changing
meaning
a = -2.50 m/s2 of negative
speed for a?
signplane!
is down
Formulas based on definitions:
v0  v f
x  x0  t v f  v0  at
2
Derived formulas:
x  x0  v0t  at 1
2
2
x  x0  v f t  at
1
2
2

2a( x  x0 )  v  v
2
f
2
0

For constant acceleration only

Use of Initial Position x0 in Problems.

0 v0  v f If you choose the

x  x0  t origin of your x,y
2 axes at the point of
0 the initial position,
x  x0  v0t  at 1
2
2
you can set x0 = 0,
0 simplifying these
x  x0  v f t  at 1
2
2
equations.
0 The xo term is very
2a( x  x0 )  v  v 2
f
2
0 useful for studying
problems involving
v f  v0  at motion of two bodies.
 Example 6: An airplane flying initially at 400
ft/s lands on a carrier deck and stops in a
distance of 300 ft. What is the acceleration?

+400 ft/s
v=0 300 ft
F vo
+
X0 = 0

Step 1. Draw and label sketch.

Step 2. Indicate + direction and F direction.
 Example: (Cont.)
+400 ft/s
v=0 300 ft
vo
+ F
X0 = 0

Step 3. List given; find Given: vo = +400 ft/s

information with signs. v=0
x = +300 ft
List t = ?, even though
time was not asked for. Find: a = ?; t = ?
 Continued . . . +400 ft/s
x
v=0 300 ft
vo
+ F
X0 = 0

0 0
Step 4. Select equation
that contains a and not t. 2a(x -xo) = v2 - vo2
Initial position and
-vo2 -(400 ft/s)2
a= = final velocity are 2zero.
a = - 267 ft/s
2x 2(300 ft)
Why isForce
Because the acceleration negative?
is in a negative direction!
 Acceleration Due to Gravity
• Every object on the earth
experiences a common force: the
force due to gravity.
• This force is always directed
toward the center of the earth g W
(downward).
• The acceleration due to gravity is
relatively constant near the
Earth’s surface.
Earth
 Gravitational Acceleration
• In a vacuum, all objects fall
with same acceleration.
• Equations for constant
acceleration apply as usual.
• Near the Earth’s surface:

a = g = 9.80 m/s2 or 32 ft/s2

Directed downward (usually negative).
Experimental Determination
of Gravitational Acceleration. t

The apparatus consists of a

device which measures the time
required for a ball to fall a given
distance. y

Suppose the height is 1.20 m

and the drop time is recorded
as 0.650 s. What is the
acceleration due to gravity?
Experimental Determination of
Gravity (y0 = 0; y = -1.20 m) t
y = -1.20 m; t = 0.495 s

y  v0t  at ; v0  0
1
2
2

2 y 2(1.20 m) y
a 2  2
t (0.495 s) +

Acceleration
of Gravity: a  9.79 m/s
2

W
Acceleration a is negative
because force W is negative.
 Sign Convention:
avy==
A Ball Thrown
=-0
+
Vertically Upward
avy=
==-++ ya
v ==
=+-- • Displacement is positive
(+) or negative (-) based
UP = + on LOCATION.
Release Point vya==
=-0-
• Velocity is positive (+) or
negative (-) based on
direction of motion.

yv=
=-
a=-
Negative
Negative • Acceleration is (+) or (-)
based on direction of force
(weight).
Example 7: A ball is thrown vertically upward with
an initial velocity of 30 m/s. What are its position
and velocity after 2 s, 4 s, and 7 s?

Step 1. Draw and

label a sketch.
+
Step 2. Indicate + direction
a=g
and force direction.
Step 3. Given/find info.

a = -9.8 ft/s2 t = 2, 4, 7 s
vo = +30 m/s
vo = + 30 m/s y = ? v = ?
 Finding Displacement:
Step 4. Select equation
that contains y and not v. +
0 a=g
y  y0  v0t  at
1
2
2

y = (30 m/s)t + ½(-9.8 m/s2)t2

Substitution of t = 2, 4, and 7 s vo = 30 m/s
will give the following values:

y = 40.4 m; y = 41.6 m; y = -30.1 m

 Finding Velocity:
Step 5. Find v from equation
+
that contains v and not x:
a=g
v f  v0  at

v f  30 m/s  (9.8 m/s )t

2

vo = 30 m/s
Substitute t = 2, 4, and 7 s:

v = +10.4 m/s; v = -9.20 m/s; v = -38.6 m/s

Example 7: (Cont.) Now find
the maximum height attained:
Displacement is a maximum +
when the velocity vf is zero.
a=g
v f  30 m/s  (9.8 m/s )t  0
2

30 m/s
t 2
; t  3.06 s
9.8 m/s
vo = +96 ft/s
To find ymax we substitute t
= 3.06 s into the general
equation for displacement.

y = (30 m/s)t + ½(-9.8 m/s2)t2

Example 7: (Cont.) Finding the maximum height:

y = (30 m/s)t + ½(-9.8 m/s2)t2 t = 3.06 s

Omitting units, we obtain:

+
a=g y  (30)(3.06)  (9.8)(3.06)
1
2
2

y = 91.8 m - 45.9 m
vo =+30 m/s
ymax = 45.9 m
 Experiment 10
Uniformly Accelerated Motion
(Acceleration due to Gravity) 39
(06A)