Chapter 1 Motion in Straight Line Notes

MOTION IN A STRAIGHT LINE
Motion is change in position of an object with time. The study of motion of

objects along a straight line is known as rectilinear motion.
We shall treat the objects in motion as point objects. This approximation is
valid so far as the size of the object is much smaller than the distance it
moves in a reasonable duration of time. In Kinematics, we study ways to
describe motion without going into the causes of motion.
FRAME OF REFERENCE
In order to specify position, we need to use a reference point and a set of
axes. The coordinate system along with a clock constitutes a frame of
reference.
DISTANCE
It is the total path length covered by an object. SI unit metre (m). It is a
scalar quantity, a quantity that has a magnitude only and no direction.
DISPLACEMENT
Let x1 and x2 be the positions of an object at time t1and t2.
Displacement, Δx in time Δt = (t2 – t1), is given by
Δx = x2- x1
(Δ) denotes a change in a quantity
If x2 > x1 : Δx is positive if x2 < x1 : Δx is negative.

Displacement has both magnitude and direction. It is a vector quantity.
UNIFORM MOTION: If an object moving along the straight line covers equal
distances in equal intervals of time, it is said to be in uniform motion along a
straight line.
Figure shows the position-time graph of:
A: uniform motion
B: Non-uniform motion
C: Object at rest
AVERAGE VELOCITY
Average velocity is defined as the change in position or displacement (Δx)

divided by the time intervals (Δt ), in which the displacement occurs
v̅ = (x2-x1)/(t2-t1) = Δx / Δt where x1 and x2 are the positions of the
object at time t1 and t2.
The average velocity can be positive or negative depending upon the sign of
the displacement. It is zero if the displacement is zero The S.I unit for
velocity is m/s. It is a vector quantity.
Geometrically, average velocity is the slope of the straight line P1 P 2

connecting the initial position P1 to the final position P2
Position-time graph of object moving with:

Positive velocity (a) & negative velocity (b) respectively
(a) (b)
AVERAGE SPEED
Average speed is defined as the total path length travelled divided by
the total time interval during which the motion has taken place.
Average speed = Total path length / Total time interval S.I unit is m/s.
It is a scalar quantity.
If the motion of an object is along a straight line and in the same direction,
the magnitude of displacement is equal to the total path length. In that case,
the magnitude of average velocity is equal to the average speed.
INSTANTANEOUS VELOCITY AND SPEED
Velocity at an instant is defined as the limit of the average velocity as the
time interval Δt becomes infinitesimally small.
v =lim∆𝑡→0 ∆𝑥/∆t = dx/dt
In uniform motion, velocity is the same as the average velocity at all instants
AVERAGE ACCELERATION & INSTANTANEOUS ACCELERATION
Average acceleration (𝑎̅̅) over a time interval is defined as the change of
velocity divided by the time interval
𝑎̅̅ = (v2-v1)/(t2-t1) = Δv/ Δt where v1 and v2 are theinstantaneous
velocities at time t1 and t2.
SI unit of acceleration is m/ s.
Instantaneous acceleration is defined as the limit of the average
acceleration as the time interval Δt becomes infinitesimally small.
𝑎̅ = lim∆t→0 ∆v/∆t = dv/dt
Acceleration at an instant is the slope of the tangent to the v-t curve at
that instant
Position-time graphs for motion with:
positive, negative and zero acceleration are shown in Figures.
VELOCITY-TIME GRAPH FOR MOTION WITH CONSTANT ACCELERATION.

A: Motion in positive direction with positive acceleration
B: Motion in positive direction with negative acceleration
C:Motion in negative direction with negative acceleration
C D
D: Motion of an object with negative acceleration that changes direction at time t1.
Between times 0 to t1 it moves with positive direction and between t1 and t2 it moves
with negative direction
KINEMATIC EQUATIONS FOR UNIFORMLY ACCELERATED MOTION
Consider an object in uniform acceleration

with: u: initial velocity
v: final velocity
a: acceleration in time ’t’
s: displacement
Slope of graph gives acceleration (a) = BC/AC = (v-u)/t
at = (v-u)
v = u+at ………1st equation proved
To prove s=ut+1/2at2
Area under velocity-time curve represents the displacement over a
given time interval.
s = area of rectangle OACD +area of triangle ABC
= OA x OD + ½ x AC x BC
= ut + ½ x t x (v-u)
= ut + ½ at2 (Substituting v-u = at from eqn: 1)
Therefore,
s =ut+1/2at2 ………2nd equation proved
To prove v2 - u2 = 2as
s = area of trapezium OABCDO
= half the sum of parallel sides x (height)
= [(u + v)/2] x (t) Substituting t = (v-u)/a
= [(u + v)/2] x [(v-u)/a]
= (u + v)(v - u)/ 2a
=v2-u2/2a
v2 - u2 = 2as………3rd equation proved
What do you mean by stopping distance? Obtain an

expression for it.
When brakes are applied to a moving vehicle, the distance it travels before
stopping is called stopping distance. It is an important factor for road safety
and depends on the initial velocity (u) and the braking capacity, or
deceleration, –a, that is caused by the braking.
Let the distance travelled by the vehicle before it stops be s. Then, using
equation of motion v2 = u2 + 2 as, and noting that v = 0,
We have the stopping distance, s= -u2/2a
Thus, the stopping distance is proportional to the square of the initial
velocity.
ACCELERATION DUE TO GRAVITY
An object released near the surface of the Earth is accelerated downward

under the influence of the force of gravity.
The magnitude of acceleration due to gravity is represented by g.
If air resistance is neglected, the object is said to be in free fall.
a = - g = - 9.8 m/s2.
If an object is released from rest at y = 0, the equations of motion become:
v=-gt
s = -1/2 gt2
v2= - 2gs
Acceleration-time graph for free fall motion
Velocity- time graph for free fall motion
Distance-time graph for free fall motion

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MOTION IN A STRAIGHT LINE

Motion is change in position of an object with time. The study of motion of

(Δ) denotes a change in a quantity

If x2 > x1 : Δx is positive if x2 < x1 : Δx is negative.

Average velocity is defined as the change in position or displacement (Δx)

Geometrically, average velocity is the slope of the straight line P1 P 2

Position-time graph of object moving with:

VELOCITY-TIME GRAPH FOR MOTION WITH CONSTANT ACCELERATION.

C:Motion in negative direction with negative acceleration

KINEMATIC EQUATIONS FOR UNIFORMLY ACCELERATED MOTION

Consider an object in uniform acceleration

What do you mean by stopping distance? Obtain an

ACCELERATION DUE TO GRAVITY

An object released near the surface of the Earth is accelerated downward

Acceleration-time graph for free fall motion

Velocity- time graph for free fall motion

Distance-time graph for free fall motion

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