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A PARTICLE
MOVING IN A
STRAIGHT LINE
Introduction
This chapter you will learn the SUVAT
equations
These are the foundations of many of
the Mechanics topics
You will see how to use them to use
many types of problem involving motion
TEACHINGS FOR
EXERCISE 2A
s = Displacement (distance)
u = Starting (initial) velocity
v = Final velocity
a = Acceleration
t = Time
Multiply by t
Add u
This is the
usual form!
Replace
with the
appropriate
letters
2A
s = Displacement (distance)
u = Starting (initial) velocity
v = Final velocity
a = Acceleration
t = Time
2.5ms-1
6ms-1
Q
4m
3m
For particle P:
The particle is to the left of
the point O, which is the
negative direction
The particle is moving at 2.5ms1
in the positive direction
The particle is to
the right of the
point O, which is
the positive
direction
For particle Q:
2A
2ms-1
Start with a
diagram
Fill in the
values you
know
Remember to
include units!
2A
2ms-1
Fill in the
values you
know
Show
calculations
Remember
the units!
2A
4ms-1
7.5ms-1
Sub in the
values you
know
Draw a diagram
(model the cyclist as
a particle)
Write out suvat and
fill in what you know
We are calculating s,
and we already know
u, v and t
Remember
units!
2A
4ms-1
7.5ms-1
Sub in the
values you
know
Draw a diagram
(model the cyclist as
a particle)
Write out suvat and
fill in what you know
For part b, we are
calculating a, and we
already know u, v and
t
Subtract 4
Divide by
40
2A
8ms-1
2ms-1
Draw a diagram
Sub in the
values you know
Subtract 8
Divide by -1.5
2A
8ms-1
2ms-1
Draw a diagram
Sub in the
values you know
Calculate the
answer!
2A
8ms-1
2ms-1
Update the
diagram
Write out
suvat using
points A and C
Sub in the
values
Work it
out!
2A
8ms-1
2ms-1
Update the
diagram
Write out
suvat using
points A and C
Sub in the
values
Work it
out!
2A
A car moves from traffic lights along a straight road with constant
acceleration. The car starts from rest at the traffic lights and 30
seconds later passes a speed trap where it is travelling at 45 kmh -1. Find:
a) The acceleration of the car
b) The distance between the traffic lights and the speed-trap.
0ms-1
45kmh-1
Draw a diagram
Lights
Trap
Standard units to use are metres and seconds, or kilometres and hours
In this case, the time is in seconds and the speed is in kilometres
per hour
We need to change the speed into metres per second first!
2A
A car moves from traffic lights along a straight road with constant
acceleration. The car starts from rest at the traffic lights and 30
seconds later passes a speed trap where it is travelling at 45 kmh -1. Find:
a) The acceleration of the car
b) The distance between the traffic lights and the speed-trap.
0ms-1
Draw a diagram
Lights
45kmh-1 = 12.5ms-1
Trap
Sub in the
values
Divide by
30
2A
0ms-1
s = Displacement (distance)
u = Starting (initial) velocity
v = Final velocity
a = Acceleration
t = Time
45kmh-1 = 12.5ms-1
Draw a diagram
Lights
Trap
Sub in
values
Work it
out!
2A
TEACHINGS FOR
EXERCISE 2B
Subtract u
Divide by a
Multiply by 2a
Add u2
2B
Replace v with u + at
Group terms on the
numerator
Divide the numerator
by 2
Multiply out the
bracket
2B
Subtract at
Replace u with v - at
from above
Multiply out the
bracket
Group up the at2
terms
2B
3ms-1
Draw a diagram
18ms-1
Replace v, u and a
2B
8ms-1
Pillar
Box
Draw a diagram
Lamp
Post
We are
calculating s,
using u, a and t
Replace u, a
and t
Calculate
2B
8ms-1
Pillar
Box
Draw a diagram
Lamp
Post
Replace u, a
and t
Calculate
2B
Draw a diagram
13ms-1
Replace s, u
and a
Simplify terms
Rearrange and set equal to 0
Factorise (or use the quadratic formula)
2B
Draw a diagram
13ms-1
2B
Draw a diagram
13ms-1
The particle
returns to O
when s = 0
Replace s, u and a
Simplify
Rearrange
Factorise
2B
15ms-1
Draw a diagram
Replace v,
u and a
Simplify
We are
calculating s,
using u, v and a
Add 5s
Divide by 5
45m is the distance from O
to X. Double it for the total
distance travelled
2B
TEACHINGS FOR
EXERCISE 2C
2C
Draw a diagram
12ms-1
Replace v, u and a
Simplify
Add 19.6s
2C
12ms-1
Draw a diagram
Replace s, u and a
Factorise
Choose the
appropriate answer!
2C
0ms-1
1.4m
Draw a diagram
Replace s, u and a
Simplify
Divide by 4.9
2C
1.4m
0ms-1
Draw a diagram
2C
7m
21ms-1
Replace s, u
and a
We are calculating t,
using s, u and a
Simplify
2C
21ms-1
7m
Replace a, b and c
(using brackets!)
Calculate and be careful with
any negatives in the previous
step!)
2C
62.5m
Draw a diagram
u ms-1
We are calculating u,
using s, v and a
Replace v, a and s
Simplify
Rewrite
Find the positive square root
2C
62.5m
Draw a diagram
50m
u ms-1
We are calculating t,
using s, u and a
Replace s, u and a
Simplify
2C
62.5m
Draw a diagram
50m
u ms-1
We are calculating t,
using s, u and a
2C
63m
s1
s2
21ms-1
Sub in s, u,
a and t for
Ball A
Simplify
Draw a diagram
In this case we need to consider
each ball separately.
We can call the two distances
s1 and s2
The time will be the same for
both when they collide, so we
can just use t
Make sure that acceleration
is positive for A as it is
travelling downwards and
negative for B as it is
travelling upwards
Sub in s, u,
a and t for
Ball B
Simplify
2C
63m
s1
s2
1)
2)
Draw a diagram
In this case we need to consider
each ball separately.
We can call the two distances
s1 and s2
The time will be the same for
both when they collide, so we
can just use t
Make sure that acceleration
is positive for A as it is
travelling downwards and
negative for B as it is
travelling upwards
21ms-1
Divide by 21
2C
63m
s1
s2
2)
21ms-1
Draw a diagram
2C
TEACHINGS FOR
EXERCISE 2D
Final velocity v
v-u
Initial velocity
t
u
On a speed-time graph,
the Area beneath it is
the distance covered!
t
Time taken
On a speed-time graph,
the gradient of a section
is its acceleration!
2D
Acceleration
(ms-2)
5
20
40
60
80
Time (s)
-5
Distance
(m)
40
60
80
Time (s)
2D
v(ms-1)
6
0
12
12 t(s)
2D
The diagram below shows a speed-time graph for the motion of a cyclist
moving along a straight road for 12 seconds. For the first 8 seconds, she
moves at a constant speed of 6ms-1. She then decelerates at a constant
rate, stopping after a further 4 seconds. Find:
a) The distance travelled by the cyclist 60m
b) The rate of deceleration of the cyclist
v(ms-1)
-6
0
12 t(s)
Calculate
2D
Sub in
values
5T
6T + 40
40
t(s)
Simplify
fraction
Divide
by 8
Subtract 20
Divide by 5.5
2D
10
T
5T
50
40
t(s)
-0.2
20
40
60
80
100
t(s)
First section
Last section
2D
v(ms-1)
20
17.5
T - 15
D
C
17.5
0
15
20
T t(s)
Sub in
values
Sub in
values
Simplify
fraction
Multiply
bracket
2D
v(ms-1)
20
17.5
D
C
Set these
equations equal to
each other!
15
T t(s)
Subtract
17.5T
Add
150
Divide
by 2.5
Sub
in T
Calculate!
2D
Summary
This chapter we have seen how to solve problems involving
the motion of a particle in a straight line, with constant
acceleration
We have extended the problems to vertical motion
involving gravity
We have also seen how to solve problems involving the
motion of two particles
We have also used graphs to solve some more complicated
problems