Engineering Science

2.0 LINEAR MOTION

2.1 Definition

Linear motion:
Linear motion refers to any motion that moves along a straight line in one direction.
The direction can either be horizontal, vertical or inclined direction. An object in linear
motion will maintain the same velocity and direction as long as no external forces
act against it.
Some examples of linear motion in daily life are parade of soldiers, car moving at
constant speed and a bullet targeted from a pistol.

Uniform Linear Motion:

Uniform linear motion is the rate of change of position is constant with respect to time.

Non-uniform Motion:
Movement that involves a change in speed or direction or both.

Scalar Quantity:
A quantity that has magnitude only.
Examples: time, speed, temperature, volume, density, mass and energy.

Vector Quantity:
A quantity that has both magnitude and direction.
Examples: displacement, velocity, force, momentum and acceleration.

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TERM DEFINITION FORMULA UNIT QUANTITY

Distance Total length of the path Distance = meter Scalar
travelled from one location speed x time quantity
to another.
Displacement Distance measured in a Displacement = meter Vector
straight line and in velocity x time quantity
specified direction.
Speed Rate of change of distance Speed = distance m/s Scalar
time
moved. quantity

Velocity Rate of change of Velocity = m/s Vector

displacement of an object. displacement quantity
time

Total displacement divided

Velocity =
Average by the total time taken.
Total displacement
Velocity
Total time
Velocity of an object at one
point.
Instantaneous
Velocity For example, when you
are driving a car and its
speedometer swings to 90
km/h, then the
instantaneous velocity of
the car is 90 km/h.

Acceleration Rate of change of velocity Acceleration = m/s2 Vector

Velocity differences quantity
time
Deceleration Negative acceleration. Deceleration = m/s2 Vector
When an object changes Velocity differences quantity
time
its velocity to become
slower.

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Difference between Distance and Displacement

Distance Displacement
Actual length of the path covered by Shortest distance between the initial position
a moving object. and the final position of the moving object
A scalar quantity A vector quantity

Point B

Displacement
Point A
Distance

Figure 2(a)

2.2 Equations of Motion

The variable quantities in a uniformly accelerated rectilinear motion are time, speed,
distance covered and acceleration. Simple relations exist between these quantities.
These relations are expressed in terms of equations called equations of motion are:

1. v = u + at
2. s = ut + ½ at2
3. v2 = u2 + 2as
4. s = ½ (u + v) t

Where :
u is initial velocity in ms-1
v is final velocity in ms-1
a is acceleration or deceleration in ms-2
s is distance in m
t is time in s
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Note:
• ‘ Moving from rest ’ means zero for initial velocity.
• ‘ Stop moving ’ means zero for final velocity.

2.3 Graphs
It is very useful to draw graphs representing movement with time.

v (m/s) A velocity – time graph

Constant velocity

acceleration deceleration
t (s)
Figure 2(b)

• The distance travelled can be calculated by finding the area under graph.
• The acceleration and the deceleration can be found by finding the gradient
of the lines.

The method used to find the area under a line on a velocity-time graph depends upon
whether the section bound by the line and the axes is a rectangle, a triangle or a trapezoid.
Area formulas for each shape are given below.

Rectangle : Area = b x h
Triangle : Area = ½ x b x h
Trapezoid : Area = ½ x b x (h1 + h2 )

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Examples:

1. A car starts from rest and accelerates in a straight line at 1.6 m/s2 for 10 s.
a) What is its final velocity ?
b) How far has it travelled ?
If the brakes are then applied and it travels 20m further before stopping.
c) What is the deceleration ?

Solution:

u = 0 m/s
a = 1.6 m/s2
t = 10 s
v=?

a) v = u + at b) s = ½ (u + v) t
= 0 + 1.6(10) = ½ (0 + 16) 10
= 16 m/s = 80 m
v = 0 m/s
u = 16 m/s
s = 20 m
a=?

c) v2 = u2 + 2as
0 = 162 + 2(a)(20)
a = 256/(-40)
= - 6.4 m/s2

2. A hoist starts at ground level and accelerates at 1.2 m/s2 for 5 s. It then moves with
uniform speed for 10 s and finally stops at the top of a building with a deceleration of 2
m/s2.
a) Draw the velocity time graph of the motion.
b) What is the height of the building

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Solution:

a)
v (m/s)

a=1.2m/s2 a= -2 m/s2

t (s)
5 15 t

v = u + at v = u + at b) s = ½ x b (h1 + h2)
= 0 + 1.2(5) 0 = 6 +(-2)(t) = ½ x 6 (10 + 18)
= 6 m/s t = 3s = 84 m

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TUTORIAL

1) Define the following terms with its SI units:

a) Displacement.
b) Acceleration.
c) Velocity.

2) Give TWO (2) differences between speed and velocity.

3) A car moving at a velocity of 2.7kmh-1 is stopped after its brakes are applied. The
distance when the brakes are applied till it stopped is 200 m. Determine:
a) The acceleration of the car.
b) Time taken to stop the car.

4) A train moves from station A to D in 40 seconds. During the journey it passes by

station B and C. The time taken for moving from station A to B is 10 seconds with
acceleration of 10 m/s2 and from B to C in 15 seconds with an acceleration of 8 m/s2.

For the last 15 seconds the train moves with uniform deceleration until it stops at
station D. Determine:
a) Maximum velocity during the journey.
b) Deceleration for the last 15 seconds.
c) Total distance travelled by the train.
d) Draw a velocity time graph for this journey.

5) Give TWO (2) examples for each of the following terms:

a) Uniform motion
b) Non-uniform motion

6) Calculate the acceleration of a car that moves from rest and achieves a velocity of
100 km/h in 15 s.

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7) A car starts from rest and accelerates at a constant acceleration of 5 m/s2 for 10 s.
The car then travels at a constant velocity for 15 s. The brakes are then applied and
the car stops in 5 s.
a) Sketch a velocity-time graph for the whole journey.
b) Calculate the maximum velocity attained by the car.
c) Calculate the total distance travelled.

8) Give the definition for each the following:

a) Scalar quantity
b) Vector quantity

9) The speed of a car travelling along a straight road decreases uniformly from 12 m/s
to 8 m/s over 88 m. Calculate :
a) The deceleration of the car.
b) The time taken by the car.

10) A car starting from rest accelerated uniformly to 40 m/s over a period of 10 seconds.
The car then maintained the velocity for 20 seconds. The velocity was then reduced
uniformly to 20 m/s in 10 seconds and finally brought to rest after another 10
seconds.
a) Sketch its velocity-time graph
b) Calculate the acceleration for the first 10 seconds.
c) Find the total distance travelled by the car.

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ANSWER

1. a) Displacement is the shortest distance between the initial position and the final
position of the moving object.
b) Acceleration is the rate of change of velocity.
c) Velocity is the rate of change of displacement of an object.

2.
Speed Velocity
Is the rate of change of distance Is the rate of change of displacement of
moved. an object.
Scalar quantity Vector quantity

3. a) -1.41x10-3 m/s2
b) 533 s

4. a) 220 m/s1
b) -14.7 m/s2
c) 4550 m
d)

v(m/s)

220

100

t (s)
10 25 40

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5. a) Uniform motion is movement at a constant speed in a straight line.

b) Non-uniform motion is movement that involves a change in speed or direction or both.

6. 1.85 m/s2
7. a) Velocity-time graph

v(m/s)

50

t (s)
10 25 30

b) 50 m/s1
c) 1125 m

8. a) Scalar quantity is a quantity that has magnitude only.

b) Vector quantity is a quantity that has both magnitude and direction.

9. a) -0.455 m/s2
b) 8.79 s

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Engineering Science

10. a) Velocity-time graph

v(m/s)

40

20

t (s)
10 30 40 50

b) 4 m/s2
c) 1400 m

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