ME 230 Kinematics and

Dynamics
Wei-Chih Wang
Department of Mechanical Engineering
University of Washington
 Lecture 6: Particle Kinetics

• Kinetics of a particle (Chapter 13)

- 13.4-13.6

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 Chapter 13: Objectives

• State Newton’s laws of motion and

gravitational attraction. Define mass
and weight
• To analyse the accelerated motion
of a particle using the equation of
motion with different coordinate
systems

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 Material covered

• Kinetics of a particle
- Equations of motion: Rectangular coordinate system
- Equations of motion: n-t coordinates
- Equations of motion:Cylindrical coordinates
…Next lecture…solving problems, Design Project and
starting Ch. 14

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 Objectives

Students should be able to:

1. Apply Newton’s second law to determine forces and accelerations for
particles in rectilinear motion
2. Apply the equation of motion using normal and tangential
coordinates
3. Analyze the kinetics of a particle using cylindrical coordinates

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 Applications

If a man is pushing a 100 lb crate,

how large a force F must he exert to
start moving the crate?

Objects that move in any fluid have

a drag force acting on them. This
drag force is a function of velocity.
If the ship has an initial velocity vo
and the magnitude of the opposing
drag force at any instant is half the
velocity, how long it would take for
the ship to come to a stop if its
engines stop?
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 Rectangular coordinates

The equation of motion, F = m a, is best used when the problem

requires finding forces (especially forces perpendicular to the path),
accelerations, velocities or mass. Remember, unbalanced forces cause
acceleration!

Three scalar equations can be written from this vector equation. The
equation of motion, being a vector equation, may be expressed in terms
of its three components in the Cartesian (rectangular) coordinate system
as:

F = ma or Fx i + Fy j + Fz k = m(ax i + ay j + az k)

or, as scalar equations, Fx = max , Fy = may , and Fz = maz
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 Procedure of analysis I
Free Body Diagram (FBD)
Establish your coordinate system and draw the particle’s free body
diagram showing only external forces. These external forces usually
include the weight, normal forces, friction forces, and applied forces.
Show the ‘ma’ vector (sometimes called the inertial force) on a separate
diagram

Make sure any friction forces act opposite to the direction of motion! If
the particle is connected to an elastic spring, a spring force equal to ks
shouldW.be included on the FBD
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 Procedure of analysis II

Equations of Motion

If the forces can be resolved directly from the free-body diagram (often
the case in 2-D problems), use the scalar form of the equation of motion.
In more complex cases (usually 3-D), a Cartesian vector is written for
every force and a vector analysis is often best

A Cartesian vector formulation of the second law is:

F = ma or
Fx i + Fy j + Fz k = m(ax i + ay j + az k)
Three scalar equations can be written from this vector equation. You may only
need two equations if the motion is in 2-D
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 Procedure of analysis III
Kinematics!!!
The second law only provides solutions for forces and accelerations. If
velocity or position have to be found, kinematics equations are used once
the acceleration is found from the equation of motion (e.g. in cylindrical
coordinate:
. . .
Posiyion: r = ru + zu
P r z
Velocity: vP =..rur .+ ruθ +..zuz . . ..
2
Acceleration: aP = (r – r )ur + (r + 2r)uθ + zuz

Any of the tools learned in Chapter 12 may be

needed to solve a problem. Make sure you use
consistent positive coordinate directions as used
in the equation of motion part of the problem!
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 EXAMPLE

Given: The motor winds in the cable

with a constant acceleration
such that the 20-kg crate moves
a distance s = 6 m in 3 s,
starting from rest. k = 0.3.
Find: The tension developed in
the cable.
Plan:
1) Draw the free-body and kinetic diagrams of the crate.
2) Using a kinematic equation, determine the acceleration of the
crate.
3) Apply the equation of motion to determine the cable tension.
 EXAMPLE
(continued)
Solution:
1) Draw the free-body and kinetic diagrams of the
W = 20 g crate: 20 a
T
y
x F = 0.3 N
=
° k

Since the motion is up the incline, rotate the x-y axes so the x-axis
aligns with the incline. Then, motion occurs only in the x-direction.
There is a friction force acting between the surface and the crate. Why
is it in the direction shown on the FBD?
 EXAMPLE (continued)

2) Using kinematic equation

s = v0 t + ½ a t2
 6 = (0) 3 + ½ a (32)
 a = 1.333 m/s2

3) Apply the equations of motion

+  Fy = 0  -20 g (cos°) + N = 0
=> N = 169.9 N
+  Fx = m a  T – 20g(sin°) –0.3 N = 20 a
 T = 20 (981) (sin°) + 0.3(169.9) + 20 (1.333)
 T = 176 N
 n-t coordinates (13.5)

When a particle moves along a curved path, it may be more convenient

to write the equation of motion in terms of normal and tangential
coordinates

The normal direction (n) always points toward the path’s center of
curvature. In a circle, the center of curvature is the center of the circle

The tangential direction (t) is tangent to the path, usually set as positive
in the direction of motion of the particle
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 Equations of motion

Since the equation of motion is a vector

equation , F = ma,
it may be written in terms of the n & t
coordinates as;
Ftut + Fnun = mat + man

Here Ft & Fn are the sums of the force components acting in the t & n
directions, respectively

This vector equation will be satisfied provided the individual

components on each side of the equation are equal, resulting in the two
scalar equations: Ft = mat and Fn = man
Since there is no motion in the binormal (b) direction, we can also write
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Fb = 0
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 Normal and tangential accelerations

The tangential acceleration, at = dv/dt, represents the time rate of change

in the magnitude of the velocity. Depending on the direction of Ft, the
particle’s speed will either be increasing or decreasing

The normal acceleration, an = v2/, represents the time rate of change in

the direction of the velocity vector. Remember, an always acts toward the
path’s center of curvature. Thus, Fn will always be directed toward the
center of the path

Recall, if the path of motion is dy 2 3/2

defined as y = f(x), the radius of [1 + ( )]
dx
curvature at any point can be  =
d2y
obtained from: dx2
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 Solving problems with n-t coordinates
• Use n-t coordinates when a particle is moving
along a known, curved path
• Establish the n-t coordinate system on the particle

• Draw free-body and kinetic diagrams of the particle. The

normal acceleration (an) always acts “inward” (the
positive n-direction). The tangential acceleration (at) may
act in either the positive or negative t direction

• Apply the equations of motion in scalar form and solve

• It may be necessary to employ the kinematic

relations:

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at = dv/dt = v dv/ds an = v2/
 EXAMPLE
Given: The 10-kg ball has a velocity of
3 m/s when it is at A, along the
vertical path.

Find: The tension in the cord and the

increase in the speed, at ,of the
ball.

Plan: 1) Since the problem involves a curved path and requires

finding the force perpendicular to the path, use n-t
coordinates. Draw the ball’s free-body and kinetic
diagrams.
2) Apply the equation of motion in the n-t directions.
 EXAMPLE (continued)
Solution:
1) The n-t coordinate system can
be established on the ball at
Point A, thus at an angle of °.
Draw the free-body and kinetic
diagrams of the ball.

Free-body diagram Kinetic diagram

n n
T W man
 =

t mat
t
 EXAMPLE (continued)
2) Apply the equations of motion in the n-t directions.
(a) Fn = man  T – W sin ° = m an
Using an = v2/ = 32/2, W = 10(9.81) N, and m = 10 kg
 T – 98.1 sin ° 10) (32/2)
 T= 114 N

(b) Ft = mat  W cos ° = mat

 98.1 cos ° = 10 at

 at = (dv/dt) = 6.94 m/s2
 Some more theory…

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 Cylindrical coordinates (13.6)

This approach to solving problems has some

external similarity to the normal & tangential
method just studied. However, the path may
be more complex or the problem may have
other attributes that make it desirable to use
cylindrical coordinates
Equilibrium equations or “Equations of Motion” in cylindrical
coordinates (using r,  , and z coordinates) may be expressed in
scalar form as:

 Fr = mar = m( – 2)

 F = ma = m(r +2 )
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 Cylindrical coordinates (13.6) continued…
If the particle is constrained to move only in the r –  plane (i.e., the z
coordinate is constant), then only the first two equations are used (as
shown below). The coordinate system in such a case becomes a polar
coordinate system. In this case, the path is only a function of 

 Fr = mar = m( – 2)

 F = ma = m(r +2 )

Note that a fixed coordinate system is used, not a “body-centered”

system as used in the n – t approach

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 Tangential and normal forces

If a force P causes the particle to move along a path defined by

r = f (), the normal force N exerted by the path on the particle is
always perpendicular to the path’s tangent. The frictional force F
always acts along the tangent in the opposite direction of motion. The
directions of N and F can be specified relative to the radial coordinate
by using the angle 

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 Determination of angle ψ

The angle  defined as the angle

between the extended radial line and
the tangent to the curve, can be
required to solve some problems. It
can be determined from the following
relationship;

 r d r
tan  
dr dr d

If  is positive, it is measured counterclockwise from the radial line to

the tangent. If it is negative, it is measured clockwise
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 Determination of angle ψ

If  is positive, it is measured
counterclockwise from the radial line to
r d r
tan    the tangent. If it is negative, it is measured
dr dr d clockwise

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 EXAMPLE

Plan: 1) Draw the FBD and kinetic diagrams.

2) Develop the kinematic equations using
cylindrical coordinates.
3) Apply the equation of motion to find the force.
 EXAMPLE (continued)
Solution:
1) Free Body and Kinetic Diagrams :
Establish the r,  coordinate
system when  = 0, and
draw the free body and
kinetic diagrams.
Free-body diagram Kinetic diagram
W
r mar
=
N
ma

  Fr = mar = m( – 2)

 F = ma = m(r +2 )

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EXAMPLE (continued)

constant
 EXAMPLE (continued)

Free-body diagram Kinetic diagram

W
r
mar
=
N ar = –27 m/s2
ma a = 0 m/s2


3) Equation of motion:  direction

(+)  F = ma
N – 0.2 (9.81) = 0.2 (0)
N = 1.96 N 
 Example II
Given: The smooth particle P is attached to
an elastic cord extending from O
to P. Due to the slotted arm guide, P
moves along a horizontal circular
path. The mass of P = 0.08 kg.
The cord’s stiffness is k = 30 N/m,
its un-stretched length = 0.25 m,
r = (0.8 sin) m.

Plan: 1) Find the acceleration components using the kinematic

equations.
2) Draw free body diagram & kinetic diagram.
3) Apply the equation of motion to find the forces.
 Solution (continued)

Solution:

constant
 Solution (continued)

2) Free Body Diagram Kinetic Diagram

mar
 ma

where the spring force Fs will be

Fs = k s = k (r60o- runstreched) = 30 (0.6928 − 0.25) = 13.28 N
 Solution (continued)

3) Apply equation of motion :

 Fr = mar  -13.28 + N cos 30 = 0.08 (-34.64)
 F = ma  F - N sin 30 = 0.08 (20)
N = 12.1 N, F = 7.67 N
 Fr = mar = m( – 2)

 F = ma = m(r +2 )

mar
 ma
 Homework Assignment

Chapter13-59, 65, 66, 75, 91, 93, 97, 107

Chapter14-3, 11, 14, 21

Due next Wednesday !!!

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