Chapter 13 :

Kinetics of a Particle:
Force and Acceleration
(I)

by

Dr. Toh Hoong Thiam

Objectives:

a) Draw the free-body and kinetic diagrams for an

accelerating body.

b) Write the equation of motion for an accelerating

body.
 Newton’s Second Law of Motion
 Kinetics is a branch of dynamics that deals with the relationship
between the change in motion of a body and the forces that causes this
change.

 The basis for kinetics is Newton’s second law.

 Newton’s second law
“A particle acted upon by an unbalanced force F experiences an
acceleration a that has the same direction as the force and a magnitude
that is directly proportional to the force.”

F = ma Equation of motion
 Key Points
 Newton’s second law is a “Law of Nature”
− experimentally proven and not the result of an analytical
proof.

 Mass (property of an object) is a measure of the resistance

to a change in velocity of the object.

 Weight (a force) depends on the local gravitational field.

Calculating the weight of an object is an application of
F = ma, i.e., W = mg.

 Unbalanced forces cause the acceleration of objects.

This condition is fundamental to all dynamics problems!
 The Equation of Motion
 If more than one force acts on the particle, the equation of motion
can be written as
F = m a

 This equation can be represented graphically using the free-body

diagram and the kinetic diagram.

 Consider a particle P which has a mass m and is subjected to the

action of two forces, F1 and F2.
 The particle’s free-body diagram shows all forces acting on the particle.

 The particle’s kinetic diagram shows the inertial force m𝑎Ԧ acting
on the particle in the same direction as the resultant force 𝐹Ԧ𝑅 .

F = ma
 Equation of Motion for a System
of Particles

 Consider a system of n particles isolated

within an enclosed region in space.

 At the instant shown, the arbitrary i-th

particle having a mass of mi is subjected
to a system of internal forces Ԧfi and a
resultant external force Fi.
 The free-body diagram & kinetic diagram for the i-th particle are :

 Applying equation of motion yields

Σ F = ma : Fi + Ԧfi = mi ai
 When the equation of motion is applied to each of the other particles of
the system, similar equations will result.
 If all these equations are added together vectorially, we obtain

σ Fi + σ Ԧfi = σ miai
 Since internal forces between particles occur in equal but opposite
collinear pairs, the summation of these internal forces will equal zero.
Σ Fi = Σ mi ai (1)
 If rԦG is a position vector which locates the center of mass G of the
particles, then
m rԦG = Σ mi rԦ i
where
m = Σmi is the total mass of all the particles

 Differentiating twice w.r.t time yields

m aG = Smi ai (2)

 From Eqs.(1) & (2), we have

Σ F = m aG

The sum of the external forces acting on the system of particles is

equal to the total mass of the particles times the acceleration of its
center of mass G.
 Inertial Frame of Reference

 The equation of motion is only

valid if the acceleration is measured
in a Newtonian or
inertial frame of reference.

 A Newtonian or inertial frame of reference is a reference frame

that is either fixed or translates with a constant velocity.

 For problems concerned with motions at or near the earth’s surface,

we typically assume our “inertial frame” to be fixed to the earth.
We neglect any acceleration effects from the earth’s rotation.

 For problems involving satellites or rockets, the inertial frame of

reference is often fixed to the stars.
 Equation of Motion: Rectangular
Coordinates
 The equation of motion is a vector equation.
 In the Cartesian (rectangular) coordinate system, 3 scalar equations
can be written from this vector equation in terms of its 3 components
as follows:
F=ma
or
 
 Fx iˆ   Fy ˆj   Fz kˆ  m ax iˆ  a y ˆj  az kˆ

i.e., Fx = max ,

Fy = may ,
Fz = maz .
 PROCEDURE FOR ANALYSIS
 Select the Inertial Coordinate System
 rectangular, normal/tangential, or cylindrical coordinates.

 Free-Body Diagram
 Draw the particle’s free-body diagram showing only external
forces: weight (W),
normal forces (N),
friction forces (Ff =mN, m  coefficient of kinetic friction),
applied forces.

 If the particle is connected to an elastic spring, a spring force

equal to Fs = ks, ( s= l−lo , lo= undeformed length, l = deformed
length ), should be included on the FBD.

Friction forces always act opposite to the direction of motion!

 Kinetic Diagram
 Show the ‘ma’ vector (sometimes called the inertial force) on the
kinetic diagram.

Remember, unbalanced forces cause acceleration!

 Equations of Motion

 Apply the equations of motion in their scalar component form

and solve these equations for the unknowns.

 Kinematics
 The second law only provides solutions for forces and accelerations.
If velocity or position have to be found, kinematic equations are used
once the acceleration is found from the equation of motion.
EXAMPLE 1

Given:

 The 50-kg crate rests on a horizontal

plane for which the coefficient of
kinetic friction is μk = 0.3.

 The crate is subjected to a 400-N towing force.

Find:
 The velocity of the crate in 3 s starting from rest.
Solution:
 Inertial Coordinate System
An inertial x-y frame can be defined as fixed to the ground.

 Draw free-body diagram

• P is the applied force.
• The weight (W) acts through the crate’s center of mass.
• The normal force (NC) is perpendicular to the surface.
• The friction force (F = mkNC) acts in a direction opposite to the motion of the
crate.
W = mg
P
30°
y
F = mkNC
x NC
 Draw kinetic diagram

• The crate is being pulled to the right.

• The acceleration vector can be directed in the positive direction
of x-axis.

ma

x
 Write down the equations of motion
mg
P
30°
= ma
F = mkNC
NC
Free-body diagram Kinetic diagram
+
՜ S Fx = max: P cos 30o − mk NC = ma
400cos 30o − 0.3NC = 50a (1)

 ↑S Fy = may: NC − mg + P sin 30o  0

NC − 50 (9.81) + 400 sin 30o = 0 (2)

Solving Eqs.(1) & (2) simultaneously yields

NC = 290.5 N

a = 5.19 m/s2

Velocity
 Known :  v = 0 at t = 0.
 Acceleration a is constant since P is constant.
 Unknown : v at t = 3s


 v  v0  ac t
 

v = 0 + (5.19) (3)

⇒ v = 15.57 m/s
EXAMPLE 2

Given:
 Each block has a mass m.
 The coefficient of kinetic friction
at all surfaces of contact is m.
 A horizontal force P is applied to
the bottom block.

Find:
 The acceleration of the bottom block in each case.
Solution:
(a) Block A is moving, block B is stationary.
Block B:
y mg maB = m(0)

x T =
FfB = mNB
NB
Free-body diagram Kinetic diagram

  SFy  ma y : N B  mg  m(0)
NB = mg

 SF  ma : mN B  T  m(0)
 x x
T = mNB = mmg
Block A:
NB

mg
FfB = mNB

y
P = maA
FfA = mNA
NA
x
Free-body diagram Kinetic diagram

  SFy  ma y : N A  N B  mg  m(0)
NA − mg − mg = 0 NA = 2 mg

 SF  ma : P  mN A  mN B  ma A
 x x
P −m 2mg) −m mg = maA
aA = P/m − 3mg
(b) Blocks A & B are moving.
Datum
sB

sA

 Position-Coordinate Equation: sA + sB = L

 Velocity : vA + v B = 0

 Acceleration : aA + aB = 0
⟹ aA = −aB (1)
Block B:
y mg

x T = maB

FfB = mNB sB
NB
Free-body diagram Kinetic diagram

  SFy  ma y : N B  mg  m(0)

NB = mg

 SF  ma : mN B  T  maB
 x x

m mg − T = maB (2)
Block A:

NB
y
mg FfB=mNB
x
P T = maA

FfA =mNA sA
NA
Free-body diagram Kinetic diagram

  SFy  ma y : N A  N B  mg  m(0)

NA − mg − mg = 0 ⟹ NA = 2 mg

 SF  ma :
 x x P  mN A  mN B  T  ma A
P −m 2mg) −m mg − T = maA
P − 3 m mg − T = maA (3)
Solving Eqs.(1), (2) & (3) simultaneously yields

P
T  mmg
2

P
aB  2mg 
2m

P
aB   2mg
2m
EXAMPLE 3
Given:
 Block A and B have a mass of
3 kg and 5 kg respectively.

 The mass of the pulleys and cord

can be neglected.

 The system is released from rest.

Find:
Determine the velocity of block B in 6 s.
Solution
 Kinematics
Position Coordinate

2sA+ sB = l

Velocity

2vA+ vB = 0

Aceleration
2aA+ aB = 0

aB = −2 aA (1)
 Since the mass of pulley D is neglected,
TA = 2TB

 Let TB = T, then TA = 2T.

 Equation of Motion:
Block A: 2T

A A
sA

m Ag m Aa A

  SFy  ma y : mAg − 2T = mAaA

3g − 2T = 3aA (2)
Block B:
T

B B
sB

m Bg m Ba B

  SFy  ma y : mBg − T = mBaB

5g − T = 5aB (3)

 Solving Eq. (1) ~ (3) simultaneouly yields,

aA = −2.986 m/s2
aB = 5.97 m/s2
T = 19.2 N
Velocity of block B

 Known :  v = 0 at t = 0.
 Acceleration aB is constant

 At t = 6s

 : v  v0  aB t

v = 0 + (5.97) (6)

v = 35.8 m/s ↓