Position, Velocity and Acceleration 3.2

Position, Velocity and Acceleration All fall under rectilinear motion Motion along a straight line We are normally given a function relating the position of a moving object with respect to time. Velocity is the derivative of position Acceleration is the derivative of velocity

Position, Velocity and Acceleration s(t) or x(t) Velocity v(t) or s’(t) Acceleration a(t) or v’(t) or s’’(t) Speed is the absolute value of velocity

Example If the position of a particle at time t is given by the equation below, find the velocity and acceleration of the particle at time, t = 5.

Position, Velocity and Acceleration When velocity is negative, the particle is moving to the left or backwards When velocity is positive, the particle is moving to the right or forwards When velocity and acceleration have the same sign, the speed is increasing When velocity and acceleration have opposite signs, the speed is decreasing. When velocity = 0 and acceleration does not, the particle is momentarily stopped and changing direction.

Changes direction when velocity = 0 and acceleration does not Example If the position of a particle is given below, find the point at which the particle changes direction. Changes direction when velocity = 0 and acceleration does not

Particle is slowing down when, Example Using the previous function, find the interval of time during which the particle is slowing down. V(t) = 0 at 2 and 6, a(t) = 0 at 4 4 6 2 Particle is slowing down when, 0 < t < 2 4 < t < 6 t v(t) + - a(t)

3 is not in our interval so it will not affect our problem! Example When velocity = 0 When does this occur? How far does a particle travel between the eighth and tenth seconds if its position is given by: To find the total distance we must find if the particle changes directions at any time in the interval The object may travel forward then backwards, thus s(10) – s(8) is really only the displacement not the total distance! 3 is not in our interval so it will not affect our problem!

Divide into intervals; 02 and 24 Example How far does a particle travel between zero and four seconds if its position is given by: Divide into intervals; 02 and 24

Divide into intervals; 01 and 12 At any time t, the position of a particle moving along an axis is: A. Find the body’s acceleration each time the velocity is zero C. Find the total distance traveled by the body from t = 0 to t = 2 Velocity = 0 at 1! Divide into intervals; 01 and 12 B. Find the body’s speed each time the acceleration is zero

Velocity increasing: (1, 2) and (3, ∞) At any time t, the position of a particle moving along an axis is: A. When is the body moving forward? backwards? 1 3 v(t) + - Forward (0, 1) and (3, ∞) Backwards from (1, 3) B. When is the velocity increasing? decreasing? 1 2 3 Velocity increasing: (1, 2) and (3, ∞) Velocity decreasing: (0, 1) and (2, 3) t v(t) + - a(t)