ANALYSING LINEAR

MOTION

Prepared by:
Physics Department
 Distance and displacement
Linear motion
- motion along a straight line path
Distance
- the total path length travelled from one location to
another
Displacement
- the distance between two locations measured along
the shortest part connecting them, in specific direction

TOWN X TOWN Y
KEY:
Distance
Displacement
 Difference between distance and displacement

Distance Displacement
The total distance of the path The distance of an object
which is travelled in a fixed
travelled by and object direction
Vector quantity
Scalar quantity

Equation:
SI unit for distance
and displacement:
metre (m)
 X Y Z

200 m 200 m

Base on the diagram, explain the difference between

distance and displacement
Distance YZ and YX are 200m each
The displacement YX is not the same as the displacement YZ
WHY?
because YX is headed westward whereas YZ is headed
eastwards

If and object begins to move from one

point to another point and then returns to
the starting point once again, its
displacement is zero even though the
distance travelled is not zero
SI unit, is
metres
per
Speed and velocity
second, Speed
m s-1 - The distance travelled per unit time (rate of change of
distance)
- is scalar quantity
distance, s(m) total distance, s(m)
speed or average speed
time, t(s) time taken, t(s)
Velocity
- The rate of change of displacement in a fixed direction
- It is vector quantity

displacement, s(m)
velocity
time, t(s)
 Different between speed and
velocity
Speed Velocity
Rate of change of distance Rate of change of displacement
Speed = distance Velocity = displacement
time time
Scalar quantity Vector quantity

EQUATION
SI unit : metres per second (m s-1)
 Example
Figure below shows the path travelled by a cyclist. He
started his journey from O, moved
SOLUTION : a distance of 150 m to
east towards A and then moved a distance 200 m to North
towards B. TheOA 150m,
cyclist tookAB 200m,
about t complete
25 s to 25s his
journey.
(a) Total distance
Determine: 150m 200m 350 m
B (a) total distance
(b) Displaceme
(b) nt 150 2
200 2
the displacement from O
(c) the average speed of the
250 m
cyclist
(d) the average
350m velocity of
(c) Average speed thecyclist 14m s -1

O A
25s
250m 1
(d) Average velocity 10m s
25s
 Acceleration and deceleration
Acceleration
- The rate of change of velocity
- It can be written as

change of velocity
Acceleration
time taken
final velocity, v - initial velocity, u

time taken, t
v-u
or a
t
- It is a vector quantity
- SI unit: metre per second per second , m s-2
- Acceleration is positive.if velocity increases with time
- Acceleration is negativeif velocity decreases with time
.called as deceleration or retardation

Example
A stationary car achieves a velocity of 40 m/s in 10 seconds. Calculate
the acceleration of the car. [assume that the acceleration of the car is
uniform throughout the journey]

SOLUTION: u 0, v 40, t 10s

change of velocity
Acceleration
time taken
final velocity, v - initial velocity, u

time taken, t
v-u
a
t
40m s -1 - 0m s -1
4m s - 2
10s
 TICKER - TIMER
Is a device used to study motion in a short time interval
It is connected to alternating current (a.u) power supply of
frequency 50 HZ
When it is turned on,the iron strip will vibrate at 50 times per
second.
The time interval between two adjacent dot is 1/50s or 0.02 s

The distance between two adjacent dots on ticker tape represent

for 1 tick
 Types of motion recorded on the ticker tape
(a) Constant speed: the separation between dots stays the same

(b) Increasing speed or acceleration: the separation between dots

increases

(c) Decreasing speed or deceleration: the separation between

dots decreases
Constant speed Increasing speed or acceleration

Decreasing speed or deceleration

Info gallery

A ticker-tape records:
(a) the distance and displacement
(b) the time interval
the acceleration can be determine as shown :
from the tape chart, the total
(a) initial velocity, u
displaceme
4.0 cm nt and velocity
20cm s
-1

can be0.2s
determine
(b) final velocity, v
(a) total displacement
14 cm

46 70cm
8 10s -1 12 14
0.2
(c) 54 cmof velocity v - u
change
(b) total time taken, t70 -1.2
20 s
50cm s -1 s
(d)(c)time
the taken
average changevinvelocity
velocity,
for the
t
time interval between the 1 and 6 th
st
54cm
(6 - 1) x 0.2s 1.0 s
(e) therefore, acceleration, a 1.2s
50cm s -1 -1
50cm s -2 45 cm s
1.0s
 Example

Figure above shows a part of a SOLUTION

ticker tape which records the
1.5cm
motion of a trolley down an (a) u 75cm s 1
inclined runway. The ticker time is 0.02 s
operating at a frequency of 50 Hz. 4.5cm
Calculate the acceleration of the v 225cm s 1
trolley. 0.02 s
t (6 1) 0.02s 0.1s
225cm s 1 75cm s 1
a
0.1s
1500cm s 2
 The equations of motion
For an object in linear motion with uniform acceleration, problem
involving displacement, velocity, acceleration and time of motion can be
solve by using the equation of motion;
u = initial velocity
v u at v = final velocity

1 t = time interval
s ut at 2
s = displacement
2
a = acceleration
v 2
u 2
2as
1
s u v t
2 Have to memorize
it

Example
A car begins to move from rest and accelerates with an
acceleration of 12 m s-2 for 10s. Calculate the distance
travelled.

solution :
u 0, a 12 m s , t 10s, s ?
-2

1 2
s ut at
2
1
s 0 12 10
2

2
600m
THE END