Chapter 13: Kinetics of a Particle: Force and Acceleration

13.1 Newtons Laws of Motion

The three basic laws governing the motion of a particle can be stated as follows:
o First Law: A particle originally at rest, or moving in a straight line with a constant
velocity, will remain in this state provided the particle is not subjected to an unbalanced
force.
o 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.
o Third Law: The mutual forces of action and reaction between two particles are equal,
opposite, and collinear.
In this course !ynamics", attention is focused on the second law. The second law can be
expressed mathematically as
F # ma
$ote: $ewton%s second law does not apply when the particle%s speed approaches the speed of
light &'()
*
m+s" or when particles are the si,e of an atom and move close to one another.
There is a mutual attraction between any two particles. According to $ewton%s law of
gravitational attraction, the force of attraction between two particles is

-
- (
r
m m
G F =
("
where m(, m- # mass of each of the two particles
r # distance between the centers of the two particles, and
G # universal constant of gravitation . # //.0& '()
1(-
m
&
+2g.s
-
"
The gravitational force between the earth and a particle located at or near the surface of the
earth is the weiht of the particle. The weight of a body is expressed in newtons $" in 3I
system of units and Ib in 453 system. It is obtained from
6 # mg
where m # mass of body 2g in 3I7 slug in 453", and
g # acceleration due to gravity # 8.*( m+s
-
# &-.- ft+s
-
"
13.! The "#$ation of Motion
6hen more than one force acts on a particle, the resultant force F9" is determined by a
vector summation of all the forces. The equation of motion may be written as
F9 # :F # ma -"
Application of the equation of motion involves drawing the particle%s free %od& diara'
and (inetic diara' se 4ig. (&1-".
6henever the equation of motion is applied, it is required that measurements of the
acceleration be made from a Newtonian or inertia frame of reference. 3uch a coordinate
system does not rotate and is either fixed or translates in a given direction with constant
velocity ,ero acceleration".
13.3 "#$ation of Motion for a S&ste' of Particles
;onsider a system of n particles isolated within an enclosed region in space, as shown in 4ig.
(&1< of the textboo2.
o =ach particle experiences internal forces that other particles exert on it. The summation of
these internal forces will equal ,ero.
o The resultant external forces on the system from, for example, gravitational, electrical,
magnetic, or contact forces between the system and the surroundings" results in
acceleration of the system.
o If the center of mass of the system is represented by G, the equation of motion of the
system is
G
ma =

F
&"
i.e. the sum of the external forces acting on a system of particles is equal to the total mass
of the particles times the acceleration of its center of mass G.
13.) "#$ations of Motion: *ectan$lar Coordinates
The equation of motion :F # ma" can be expressed in the rectangular coordinate system as
follows:
:Fxi > :Fy+ > :F,( # maxi > ay+ > a,(" <"
4rom equation <", we may write the following three scalar equations:
?"
Proced$re for Anal&sis
(. !raw the free-body diagram of the particle. @ere, the particle is isolated from its
surroundings and all external forces acting on the particle are shown. 3ome of the forces
come from the following sources:
a. ,ra-itational force: This is the weight of the particle 6 # mg".
b. Friction: If the particle contacts a rough surface, calculate frictional force as Ff # N,
where N is the normal force acting between the particle and the surface and is the
coefficient of friction. Ff acts opposite to the direction of motion of the particle.
c. Sprin: If the particle is connected to an elastic spring, calculate spring force as Fs # ks.
@ere, k is the spring constant and s is the distance from the undisturbed position of the
spring.
-. !raw the 2inetic diagram. @ere, the acceleration vector is shown.
&. Apply the equation of motion either in the scalar component form equation <" or vector
form equation ?".
<. If the velocity or position of the particle is to be found, apply the equations for rectilinear
motion chapter (-" in each component direction.
?. If the problem involves the dependent motion of several particles, use the method outlined
in section (-.8 to relate their accelerations.

13.. "#$ations of Motion: Nor'al and Tanential Coordinates
6hen a particle moves over a curved path which is 2nown, the equation of motion for the
particle may be written in the tangential, normal, and binormal directions see 4ig. (&1((".
Thus
:Ft$t > :Fn$n > :Fb$b # mat > man /"
$ote: The binormal axis b is perpendicular to the t and n axes see more details on page ?(".
There is no motion of the particle in the binormal direction, since the particle is constrained
to move along the path.

4rom equation /", we may write the following three scalar equations:
0"
:Fx # max
:Fy # may
:F, # ma,
:Ft # mat
:Fn # man
:Fb # 0
9ecall that
o at #dv+dt" represents the time rate of change in the magnitude of velocity.
o an #v
-
+" represents the time rate of change in the velocity%s direction. It acts toward the
path%s center of curvature.
6hen the particle is constrained to travel in a circular path with a constant speed, the force Fn
exerted by the constraint is often referred to as the centripetal force.
13./ "#$ations of Motion: C&lindrical Coordinates
6hen all the forces acting on a particle are resolved into cylindrical components, the
equation of motion may be expressed as
:Fr$r > :FA$A > :F,$, # mar$r > maA$A > ma,$, *"
4rom equation *", we may write the following three scalar equations:
8"
9ecall that
o The r coordinate extends outward from the fixed origin B to the particle see 4ig. (&1(0".
o The coordinate is perpendicular to the r coordinate.
o
-

r r a
r
=
o

r r a - + =
o z a
z
=
6hen the particle is constrained to move along a path r # f" as shown in 4ig. (&1(0" the
following should be observed about the forces acting on the particle:
o The normal force N which the path exerts on the particle is always perpendicular to the
tangent of the path.
o The frictional force F always acts along the tangent in the opposite direction of motion.
o The angle between the extended radial line and the tangent to the curve can be
determined from
:Fr # mar
:FA # maA
:F, # ma,

d dr
r
= tan
()"