Chapter 1

Acceleration

[Leaving Certificate Applied Mathematics Higher Level]

When a particle (like a car, bus or a person) is moving it is said to have an

Linear Motion

acceleration then it is said to be speeding up or slowing down (that is, its velocity
is increasing or decreasing).
The acceleration of a body is the rate of change of its velocity.

Introduction Speed, Velocity, Displacement, Acceleration & Time

In this section we consider how a body (or particle) moves. To do so we must first

For example, a car travelling at 10 m/s increases its speed to 12 m/s after one

consider some definitions.

second and then to 14 m/s after two seconds. The velocity (speed) of the car is
increasing by 2 m/s every second. Another way of stating this is that the

Speed & Velocity

When a particle (like a car, bus or a person) is moving it is said to have a velocity.
The velocity is of a body is its speed in a given direction whilst speed may be

acceleration of the car is 2 m/s2.

An acceleration can be negative and this occurs when a particle is slowing down.
A negative acceleration is sometimes referred to as a retardation.

defined as the rate at which the particle covers its path.

Speed is therefore a quantity which has magnitude only and is defined usually in
units of metres per second. Other units in everyday life are common. For example
in Ireland vehicle speeds on roads are measured in kilometres per seconds.

We usually let the acceleration of a particle be a m/s2.

Note that if a particle is moving with a constant acceleration this means that the
particles acceleration is unchanging.

Velocity is also usually measured in metres per second.

The acceleration due to gravity

We usually let the initial velocity of a particle be u m/s and its final velocity be v
m/s.
If a particle starts from rest then its initial velocity (u) is equal to 0 m/s.
If a particle returns to rest from a journey then its final velocity (v) is 0 m/s.
The average speed for a particle is the distance covered over a certain period of
time.

Average speed = Distance covered Time taken

So a car which covers 240 km in 4 hours will have an average speed of 60

kilometres per hour.

In physics gravitational acceleration is the acceleration of an object caused by

the force of gravity from another large object (usually the Earth). In the
absence of any other forces, any object will accelerate in a gravitational field
at the same rate, regardless of the mass of the object. On the surface of the
Earth, all objects fall with an acceleration of somewhere between 9.78 and
9.82 m/s.
On this course the acceleration due to gravity is taken to be 9.8 m/s2 and it is
represented by the letter g.
So for example a stone dropped from rest will have a speed of 9.8 m/s after 1
second and 19.6 m/s after 2 seconds and so on.

Displacement
The displacement of an object is its distance from a fixed point. Displacement is not
the same as the distance covered by a particle. However for a particle travelling in

Equation 2: Definition of Displacement

A body undergoes a displacement s in a time t.
Now:

Average Speed = Distance Travelled Time Taken

Distance travelled = Average Speed Time Taken

one direction only displacement and distance can be considered to be the same
thing. Both displacement and distance are measured in metres (m) and sometimes
represented by the letter s.

Consider a person marking an X on the ground to fix their position on the ground.
They walk 100 metres away from the point X. At this point both the displacement
and the distance covered are equal to 100 m. Then the person walks 100 m back to
the point X. At this point the displacement (from the point X) is 0 m whilst the

Equation 3: Definition of Displacement with reference to time

distance covered is equal to 200 m.

Now:
Squaring both sides:

Time
When a particle moves the time over which it moves is important. Time is usually
measured in seconds and is represented by the letter t.

The Equations of Motion

So the equations of motion are as follows:

We will now generate a set of equations which are used to solve everyday
mathematical problems. It is assumed that these equations represent particles
which are under a constant (unchanging) acceleration from a time of t = 0.
Equation 1: Definition of Acceleration
If a body changes its velocity from u to v during a time t, then the acceleration a is
represented by:
The derivation of these equations should be known.
Note that the acceleration (a) and the initial velocity (u) appear in all three
equations.

Exercises 1

9.

Four points a, b, c and d lie on a straight level road.

A car, travelling with uniform retardation, passes point a with a

1. A train starts from rest at a station and travels with uniform acceleration 1.2

speed of 30 m/s and passes point b with a speed of 20 m/s.

m/s2. What is the speed of the train after 30 s and how far has it travelled?

The distance from a to b is 100 m. The car comes to rest at d.

[36 m/s, 540 m]

2. A body starts from rest and moves with an acceleration of 5 m/s2. What is the

Find

(i)

the uniform retardation of the car

(ii)

the time taken to travel from a to b

[40 m/s, 160 m]

(iii)

the distance from b to d

3. A train starting from rest from a station reaches a velocity of 15 m/s in 40 s.

(iv)

the speed of the car at c, where c is the midpoint of

velocity after 8 s and what is its displacement in that time?

[bd].

Find the acceleration and distance travelled by the train in that time.

[(i) 2.5 m/s2, (ii) 4 s, (iii) 80 m, (iv) 10

[ m/s2, 300 m]

4. A body starts from rest with uniform acceleration and in 10 s acquires a speed
of 15 m/s. What is its acceleration and how far has the body travelled in the 10

10.

Three points a, b and c, lie on a straight level road such that

ab = bc = 100 m.

seconds?
[1.5 m/s2, 75 m]
5. A train travelling at 30 m/s is brought to rest in 10 s. Find its retardation and
in what distance is the train brought to rest?
[3 m/s2, 150 m]

A car, travelling with uniform retardation, passes point a with a speed

of 20 m/s and passes point b with a speed of 15 m/s.
(i)

Find the uniform retardation of the car.

(ii)

Find the time it takes the car to travel from a to b, giving your
answer as a fraction.

6. The brakes on a car reduce its speed from 30 m/s to 10 m/s in a distance of 70
metres. Calculate how much further the car will run before coming to rest and

(iii)

Find the speed of the car as it passes c, giving your answer in

the form

find the time interval involved.

[8.75 m, 1.75 s]
7. A body has an initial velocity of 100 m/s and is subject to a retardation of 2
m/s2. At what time will its velocity be zero and how far will it then have

(iv)

, where p, q N.

How much further, after passing c, will the car travel before
coming to rest?
Give your answer to the nearest metre.
[(i) 0.875 m/s2, (ii)

travelled?
[50 s, 2500 m]
8. A motor car travelling at 54 km/h is brought to rest with uniform retardation
in 5 s. Find its retardation and the distance it travelled in this time.
[3 m/s2, 37.5 m]

s, (iii)

m, (iv)

Velocity/Time Graphs

7.

This is a useful alternative formula for finding the total distance

The path taken by a particle can be represented on a velocity-time graph.

There are two main cases which need to be considered:

Area of a trapezium =

covered.
8.

If the rate of acceleration is equal to the rate of deceleration then the

times spent accelerating and decelerating are the same.

Case 1: From rest to constant velocity to rest

If a body starts from rest (u = 0) and then accelerates at a constant acceleration in
t1 seconds to reach a velocity of v m/s. It maintains this constant velocity for a
period of t2 seconds (acceleration = 0) and then decelerates at a constant
deceleration to rest over t3 seconds then the graph will look as follows:

9.

Remember Average speed = Distance covered Time taken

Case 2: From rest to acceleration to deceleration to rest

If a body starts from rest (u = 0) and then accelerates at a constant
acceleration in t1 seconds to reach a velocity of v m/s. It then immediately
decelerates at a constant deceleration to rest over t2 seconds then the graph
will look as follows:

velocity
(m/s)

velocity
(m/s)

(A)

(B)

(C)

(A)

t1

t2

t3

(B)

Time (s)

Important points to note:

1. Rate of acceleration = Tan

t1

t2

Time (s)

2. Rate of deceleration = Tan

The same points (1 to 9) apply here. This scenario is quite common in

3. Total distance covered whilst accelerating = Area (A) =

problems in which a particle is to cover a distance in the fastest time possible

4. Total distance covered whilst at constant speed = Area (B) =

as there is no period of constant acceleration.

5. Total distance covered whilst decelerating = Area (C) =

Graphs similar to cases 1 and 2 are also possible and so the same principles

6. Total distance covered = Area (A) + Area (B) + Area (C)

apply.

Exercises 2
11. A car travels from p to q along a straight level road.

(i)

(i)

Draw a speed-time graph of the motion of the particle from p

to q.

(ii)

Find the uniform acceleration of the particle.

It starts from rest at p and accelerates uniformly for 5 seconds to a speed of

(iii)

Find the uniform deceleration of the particle.

15 m/s. It then moves at a constant speed of 15 m/s for 20 seconds.

(iv)

Find pq, the distance from p to q.

Finally the car decelerates uniformly from 15 m/s to rest at q in 3 seconds.

(v)

Find the average speed of the particle as it moves from p to q,

(i)

Draw a speed-time graph of the motion of the car from p to q.

(ii)

Find the uniform acceleration of the car.

(iii)

Find the uniform deceleration of the car.

(iv)

Find |pq|, the distance from p to q.

(v)

Find the speed of the car when it is 13.5 metres from p.

giving your answer in the form , where a, b N.

[(ii) 2 m/s2, (iii) 1 m/s2, (iv) 600 m, (v)

14.

uniformly to rest. In travelling a total distance d metres the train

accelerates through a distance pd metres and decelerates through a

12. A car travels along a straight level road.

distance qd metres, where p < 1 and q < 1.

It passes a point p at a speed of 10 m/s and accelerates uniformly for 5

seconds to a speed of 30 m/s. It then moves at a constant speed of 30 m/s for
9 seconds. Finally the car decelerates uniformly from 30 m/s to rest at point q

the acceleration

(ii)

the deceleration

(iii)

pq , the distance from p to q

(iv)

the average speed of the car as it travels from p to q.

[(i) 4 m/s2, (ii) 5 m/s2, (iii) 460 m, (iv) 23 m/s]

(i)

Draw a speed-time graph for the motion of the train.

(ii)

If the average speed of the train for the whole journey is

v
, find the value of b. [b = 1] [LCH: 2007 Q1 (b)]
pqb

in 6 seconds.
(i)

A train accelerates uniformly from rest to a speed v m/s.

It continues at this speed for a period of time and then decelerates

[(ii) 3 m/s2, (iii) 5 m/s2, (iv) 360 m, (v) 9 m/s]

Find

m/s]

15.

Points p and q lie in a straight line, where |pq| = 1200 metres.

Starting from rest at p, a train accelerates at 1 m/s2 until it reaches the
speed limit of 20 m/s. It continues at this speed of 20 m/s and then
decelerates at 2 m/s2, coming to rest at q.
Find the time it takes the train to go from p to q.

13. A particle travels from p to q in a straight line. It starts from rest at p and
accelerates uniformly to its maximum speed of 20 m/s in 10 seconds. The
particle maintains this speed of 20 m/s for 15 seconds before decelerating
uniformly to rest at q in a further 20 seconds.

Find the shortest time it takes the train to go from rest at p to rest at q
if there is no speed limit, assuming that the acceleration and
deceleration remain unchanged at 1 m/s2 and 2 m/s2 , respectively.
[75 s, 60s]

[LCH: 2001 Q1 (a)]

16. A particle travels in a straight line with constant acceleration f for 2t seconds

19.

A lift starts from rest with constant acceleration 4 m/s2. It then travels

and covers 15 metres. The particle then travels a further 55 metres at

with uniform speed and finally comes to rest with constant

constant speed in 5t seconds. Finally the particle is brought to rest by a

retardation 4 m/s2.

constant retardation 3f.

The total distance travelled is d and the total time taken is t.

(i)

Draw a speed-time graph for the motion of the particle.

(i)

Draw a speed-time graph.

(ii)

Find the initial velocity of the particle in terms of t.

(ii)

Show that the time for which it travelled with uniform speed

(iii)

Find the total distance travelled in metres, correct to two decimal

is

t2 d.

[LCH: 1996 Q1 (b)]

places.
[(ii)

(iii) 75.76 m] [LCH: 1999 Q1 (b)]

20.

A particle starts from rest at a point p and accelerates at 2 m/s2 until

it reaches a speed v m/s. It travels at this speed for 1 minute before
decelerating at 1 m/s2 to rest at q.

17. A train accelerates uniformly from rest to a speed v m/s. It continues at this

The total time for the journey is 2 minutes.

constant speed for a period of time and then decelerates uniformly to rest. If
the average speed for the whole journey is

5v
, find what fraction of the
6

(i)

Calculate the distance pq.

(ii)

If a second particle starts from p at time t = 0 and moves

along pq with speed (2t + 50) m/s, find the time taken to

whole distance is described at constant speed.

[

reach q.

] [LCH: 1998 Q1 (a)]

[(i) 3600 m, (ii) 40s]

[LCH: 1991 Q1 (a)]

18. A particle, moving in a straight line, accelerates uniformly from rest to a speed

v m/s. It continues at this constant speed for a time and then decelerates

21.

A car accelerates uniformly from rest to a speed v m/s. It continues at

this constant speed for t seconds and then decelerates uniformly to

uniformly to rest, the magnitude of the deceleration being twice that of the
acceleration. The distance travelled while accelerating is 6 m. The total
distance travelled is 30 m and the total time taken is 6 s.

rest. The average speed for the journey is

3v
.
4

Draw an accurate speed-time graph and hence, or otherwise, prove

that the time for the journey is 2t seconds.

(i)
(ii)

Draw a speed-time graph and hence, or otherwise, find the value of v.

1
2

If the car driver had observed the speed limit of v , find the least

Calculate the distance travelled at v m/s.

[(i) v = 6.5 (ii) 21 m]

time the journey would have taken, assuming the same deceleration

[LCH: 1997 Q1 (a)]

and acceleration as (i).

[6t seconds]

[LCH: 1990 Q1 (b)]

Vertical motion under gravity

22. A body starts from rest at p, travels in a straight line and then comes to rest at
q, which is 0.696 km from p. The time taken is 66 seconds.
For the first 10 seconds it has a uniform acceleration a.

When a heavy body is falling towards the Earth it is well known that its speed

It then travels at constant speed and is finally brought to rest by a uniform

increases as it falls, or that it moves with an acceleration.

deceleration f acting for 6 seconds.

It has been known by numerous experiments that, if the body is free from air

Calculate the value of a and f.

resistance, this acceleration is constant. The earliest experiments were

If the journey from rest at p to rest at q had been travelled with no interval of

carried out by Galileo (1564 1642) and Newton (1642 1727). The

constant speed, but subject to a for a time t1 followed by f for time t2, show

acceleration of a body falling freely near the Earths surface is known as the

that the time for the journey is

acceleration due to gravity and is denoted by g which is equal to 9.8 m/s2.

seconds.
[(i) v = 6.5 (ii) 21 m]

A particle projected vertically upwards

[LCH: 1981 Q1]

When a body/particle is projected vertically upwards we regard the upward

23. A lift starts from rest. For the first part of its descent it travels with uniform
acceleration f. It then travels with uniform retardation 3f and comes to rest.

direction as the positive direction and the body will experience a retardation
or negative acceleration g.

The total distance travelled is d and the total time taken is t.

(i)

Draw a speed-time graph for the motion.

(ii)

Find d in terms of f and t.

It is important to note that the time to maximum height will occur when the
[d =

[LCH: 2006 Q1 (a)]

velocity of the body/particle is equal to zero. After this point the displacement
(s) and the distance travelled are no longer the same. The time to maximum
height is

24. A lift, in a continuous descent, had uniform acceleration of 0.6 m/s2 for the
first part of its descent and a retardation of 0.8 m/s2 for the remainder. The

Note also that the greatest height reached is

and the time of flight is

time, from rest to rest was 14 seconds.

A particle projected vertically downwards

Draw a time-velocity graph and hence, or otherwise, find the distance

descended.

[33.6 m ]

When a body is projected vertically downwards we regard the downward

[LCH: 1994 Q1 (a)]

direction as the positive direction and the body will experience an

acceleration g.

29.

Exercises 3

One second later, another ball is thrown vertically upwards from the
same point with an initial velocity of u m/s.

25. A body is projected vertically upwards with a velocity of 17.5 m/s.

Find

A ball is thrown vertically upwards with an initial velocity of 20 m/s.

(i)

how high it will go;

The balls collide after a further 2 seconds.

(ii)

what times elapse before it is at a height of 10 m.

[(i) 15.6 m, (ii)

(i)
s]

(i)

Show that u = 17.75.

(ii)

Find the distance travelled by each ball before the collision,

giving your answers correct to the nearest metre.
[(ii) 25 m & 16 m]

26. A body is projected vertically upwards with a velocity of 24.5 m/s.

Find

[LCH: 2004 Q1 (a)]

(i)

when its velocity will be 4.9 m/s;

(ii)

how long it takes to return to the point of projection.

(iii)

at what times it will be 19.6 m above the point of projection.

30.

A stone is thrown vertically upwards under gravity with a speed of u

m/s from a point 30 metres above the horizontal ground.

[(i) after 2 s, (ii) 5 s, (iii) 1 s and 4 s]

The stone hits the ground 5 seconds later.

27. A ball is thrown vertically upwards with an initial velocity of 39.2 m/s.
Find

(i)

the time taken to reach the maximum height

(ii)

the distance travelled in 5 seconds.

(i)

Find the value of u.

(ii)

Find the speed with which the stone hits the ground.
[(i) u = 18.5, (ii) 30.5 m/s]

[(i) 4 s, (ii) 83.3 m]

[LCH: 2002 Q1 (a)]

[LCH: 1994 Q1 (a)]

31.
28. A particle is projected vertically downwards from the top of a
tower with speed u m/s. It takes the particle 4 seconds to
reach the bottom of the tower. During the third second
of its motion the particle travels 29.9 metres.

A particle is projected vertically upwards with an initial velocity of u

m/s and another particle is projected vertically upwards from the
same point and with the same initial velocity T seconds later.
Show that the particles
(i)

Find

T
u
seconds from the instant of projection of
2 g

will meet

the first particle.

(i)

the value of u.

[u = 5.4]

(ii)

the height of the tower.

[Height = 100 m]
[LCH: 2007 Q1 (a)]

(ii)

will meet at a height of

4u 2 g 2T 2
metres.
8g
[LCH: 2001 Q1 (b)]

32. A stone projected vertically upwards with an initial speed of u m/s rises 70 m

35.

in the first t seconds and another 50 m in the next t seconds.

A particle P is projected vertically upwards with an initial velocity u

and two seconds later a second particle Q is projected vertically

Find the value of u.

upwards from the same point with initial velocity 1.5u.

[u = 56]

Calculate, in terms of u, how long Q is in motion before it collides with

[LCH: 2000 Q1 (a)]

P and prove that |u| > 9.8.

33. A juggler throws up six balls, one after the other at equal

intervals of time t, each to a height of 3 m. The first ball

2u 19.6
]
0.5u 19.6

[LCH: 1991 Q1 (b)]

returns to his hand tseconds after the sixth was thrown

up and is immediately thrown to the same height, and so

on continually. (Assume that each ball moves vertically).

Prove that t1 . t 2

(i)

the initial velocity of ball.

(ii)

the time t.

[t =

(iii)

the heights of the other balls when any one reaches the
jugglers hand.

A particle is projected vertically upwards with velocity u m/s and is at

a height h after t1 and t2 seconds respectively.

Find

36.

3m

m/s]

2h
g

[LCH: 1990 Q1 (b)]

[Heights = , ,

37.

A balloon ascends vertically at a uniform speed.

7.2 seconds after it leaves the ground a particle is let fall from the

[LCH: 1995 Q1 (b)]

balloon.
The particle takes 9 seconds to reach the ground.
Calculate the height from which the particle was dropped.
[Height = 176.40 m]

34. A particle P is projected vertically upwards from the ground with an initial
velocity of 47 m/s. Two seconds later another particle Q is projected vertically
upwards from the same point with initial velocity 64.6 m/s.

[LCH: 1992 Q1 (a)]

Motion of a body in successive stages

Calculate
(i)

how long Q is in motion before it collides with P.

[2 s]

We must make ourselves familiar with problems involving a body or particle

(ii)

the height at which the collision occurs.

[109.6 m]

moving with constant acceleration through successive distances.

From this information simultaneous equations in u and a can be formed.

[LCH: 1993 Q1 (b)]

It is sometimes useful to draw a line graph to represent this information.

Exercises 4

43.

A particle starts from rest and moves in a straight line with uniform
acceleration. It passes three points a, b and c where |ab| = 105 m and
|bc| = 63 m. If it takes 6 seconds to travel from a to b and 2 seconds to

38. A particle moving in a straight line travels 21 m, 56 m and 115 m in successive

intervals of 3, 4 and 5 s.

travel from b to c find

(i)

Verify that the particle is travelling with uniform acceleration.

(i)

its acceleration.

(ii)

Draw an accurate speed/time graph of the motion

(ii)

the distance from a from the starting position.

[(i) a = 2 m/s2]

[(i) 3.5 m/s2, (ii) 7 m]

[LCH: 1996 Q1 (a)]

39. A train travelling along a straight line with constant acceleration is observed
to travel consecutive distances of 1 km in times of 30 s and 60 s respectively.
Find the retardation of the train.

44.

A particle, with initial speed u, moves in a straight line with constant

acceleration.

m/s2]

During the time interval from 0 to t, the particle travels a distance p.

During the time interval from t to 2t, the particle travels a distance q.

40. A body moving in a straight line of 153 m, 215 m and 217 m in successive time

During the time interval from 2t to 3t, the particle travels a distance r.

intervals of 3, 5 and 7 s, respectively. Show that these facts indicate a uniform

retardation. Find the total time and total distance traversed when the body
comes to rest.

[27 s, 729 m]

(i)

Show that 2q = p + r.

(ii)

Show that the particle travels a further distance r

q in the

time interval from 3t to 4t.

[LCH: 2002 Q1 (a)]

41. A particle moving in a straight line covers distances of 12 m, 18 m and 42 m in

successive intervals of 3, 2 and 3 s. Prove that the particle is moving with
45.

constant acceleration.

The points p, q and r all lie in a straight line.

A train passes point p with speed u m/s. the train is travelling with

42. A particle moving in a straight line travels 30 m, 54 m, and 51 m in successive

uniform retardation f m/s2. The train takes 10 seconds to travel from

p to q and 1 seconds to travel from q to r, where pq

intervals of 4, 3 and 2 seconds.

(i)

Verify that the particle is moving with uniform acceleration.

(ii)

Draw an accurate speed-time graph of the motion.

[LCH: 1993 Q1 (a)]

qr

metres.
(i)

Show that f = .

(ii)

The train comes to rest s metres after passing r.

Find s, giving your answer correct to the nearest metre.
[s = 51 m]
[LCH: 2003 Q1 (a)]