-Relative Motion

-Vector Addition and Subtraction

-Motion in Two Dimensions Intro

Physics
Mrs.
Coyle
Part I
Relative Velocity
Vector Addition and Subtraction
(Graphical)
Relative Velocity
Velocity of A relative to B:
VAB=VA-VB

vAB : v of A with respect to B

vB : v of B with respect to a
reference frame (ex.: the ground)
vA : v of A with respect to a
reference frame (ex.: the ground)
 Example 1

The white speed boat has a velocity

of 30km/h,N, and the yellow boat a
velocity of 25km/h, N, both with
respect to the ground. What is the
relative velocity of the white boat
with respect to the yellow boat?

Answer: 5km/h, N
 Example 2-
The Bus Ride

A passenger is seated on a bus that is

traveling with a velocity of 5 m/s, North.
If the passenger remains in her seat,
what is her velocity:
a) with respect to the ground?

b) with respect to the bus?

 Example 2 -continued
The passenger decides to approach
the driver with a velocity of 1 m/s, N,
with respect to the bus, while the bus
is moving at 5m/s, N.

What is the velocity of the passenger

with respect to the ground?

Answer: 6m/s, N
Resultant Velocity
The resultant velocity is the net
velocity
of an object with respect to a
reference
frame.
Example 3- Airplane and
Wind
An airplane has a velocity of 40
m/s, N, in still air. It is facing a
headwind of 5m/s with respect to
the ground.
What is the resultant velocity of
the airplane?
What if you have motion in
two dimensions?
Motion in Two Dimensions
Constant velocity in each of two
dimensions (example: boat & river,
plane and wind)
Projectiles (constant velocity in one
dimension and constant
acceleration in the other
dimension)
Graphical Addition of
Vectors
Head-to-Tail Method

Parallelogram Method
Some rules to use for
vector addition:
Vectors can be moved parallel to
themselves. Their magnitude and
direction is still the same.
The order of vector addition does
not effect the resultant
(commutative property).
 Head-to-Tail Method of
Method Addition
Move one vector parallel to itself, so
that its head is adjacent to the tail of
the other vector.
Draw the resultant by starting at the
first tail and ending at the last head.
B
A

Resultant
Add vectors A+B using the
head to tail method:

A B

Resultant
 Parallelogram Method of
Vector Addition
Place the vectors tail to tail
forming a parallelogram.
Draw the diagonal from the two

tails. This is the resultant.

A
Resultant

B
Note
If the drawing is done to scale,
measure the resultant.
Convert the value of the resultant
using the scale of the drawing.
Add vectors A+B using the
parallelogram method:
B

A Resultant

B
Add the following vectors
using the head-to-tail
method:

Resultant
Graphical Vector
Subtraction
When subtracting A-B :

Invert vector B to get -B

Add A+(-B) normally
 Subtract vectors A-B
graphically:

Resulta A
nt B

-B
Part II
Constant velocity in each of two
dimensions (example: boat & river,
plane and wind)
Velocity
of Boat
Velocity in Still
of River Water
with
respect
to the
ground
Adding vectors that are at
900 to each other.
Draw the vector diagram and draw
the resultant.
Use the Pythagorean Theorem to
calculate the resultant.
Use =tan-1(y/x) to find the angle
between the horizontal and the
resultant, to give the direction of the
resultant. (00 is along the +x axis)
 Example 4-Airplane and
Wind
An airplane is traveling with a velocity
of 50 m/s, E with respect to the wind.
The wind is blowing with a velocity of
10 m/s, S. Find the resultant velocity of
the plane with respect to the ground.

Answer: 51m/s, at 11o below the + x axis

(E).
Independence of Vector
Quantities
Perpendicular vector quantities are
independent of one another.
Independence of Vector
Quantites
Example: The constant velocities in each of
the two dimensions of the boat & river
problem, are independent of each other.

Velocity
of Boat
Velocity in Still
of River Water
with
respect
to the
ground
 Example 5- Boat and River
A boat has a velocity of 4 m/s, E, in still
water. It is in a river of width 150m, that
has a water velocity of 3 m/s, N.
a) What is the resultant velocity of the boat
relative to the shore.
b) How far downstream did the boat travel?

Answer: a) 5m/s, @ 37o above + x axis (E)

b) 113m