CHAPTER 2

Mechanics
1

OBJECTIVE
Coplanar forces in static equilibrium
Distance, time, velocity and acceleration
Projectile motions
Basic Newtons law
Centripetal forces

SCALARS & VECTORS

Scalar quantity has only magnitude and is completely
specified by a number and a unit (eg. Mass, volume,
frequency)
Vector quantity has both magnitude and direction
(eg. Displacement, velocity, force, voltage, current)
Vector is represented by an arrow whose length is
proportional to a certain vector quantity and whose
direction indicates the direction of the quantity

EXAMPLE
20m, 400
North of East
400
10m, to east

350

15m, 350
south of west

EXAMPLE
1

FORCE - EXAMPLE

Find their resultant force for the figure below:

110N

100N
30o

20o

45o
80N

160N
6

CONT..
Method 1: graphically
Method 2: rectangular component method

Magnitude

X-component

Y-component

80

80 cos 0 = 80

80 sin 0 = 0

100

100 cos 45 = 70.71

100 sin 45 = 70.71

110

-110 cos 30 = -95.26

110 sin 30 = 55

160

total

-160 cos 20 = -150.35 -160 sin 20 = - 54.72

-94

71
7

CONT..
Resultant force, R total = (x2 + y2) = (-94)2 +
(71)2 = 117.80 N
Resultant angle = tan-1 (y/x)
= 2nd quadrant (from the coordinate)
= 143o

Sum of vector (sum of force) = 117.8N, 1430

8

CONT..
Method

3: polar form to
rectangular form
80<0 + 100<45 + 110< 150 +160<200
= (80+j0) + (70.71+j70.71) + (95.26+j55) + (-150.35+-j54.72)
= -94.9 + j70.99
= 118.51 < 143.2
9

EXAMPLE

A woman walks eastward for 5 km and then

northward for 10 km.
How far is she from her starting point? (distance)
If she had walked directly to her direction, in what
direction would she have headed? (displacement)

10

EXAMPLE
Let F have a magnitude of 300N and make angle,
=30o with the positive x direction. Find Fx and Fy
If F=300N and =145o (2nd Quadrant), find Fx and
Fy

11

EXAMPLE
The

man in figure below exerts a force of 100

N on the wagon at an angle of 30 degrees
above horizontal. Find the horizontal and
vertical components of this force

12

VECTOR ADDITION

This is achieved using:

the triangle law
by adding together the components of the vectors.

Triangle Law
The magnitude and direction of the resultant are
determined using either:

scale drawing
calculation using trigonometry and the Pythagoras
theorem.

13

VECTOR ADDITION
Components
Simply add together the x-components, ycomponents and z-components separately and the
sums are now the x, y and z components of the
resultant.
A =
Ax + Ay + Az
B =
Bx + By + Bz
C =
Cx + Cy + Cz

Resultant, R = Rx +Ry +Rz

14

VECTOR ADDITION
where Rx = Ax +Bx +Cx
Ry = Ay +By +Cy
Rz = Az +Bz +Cz
To avoid confusion unit vectors are introduced.
A = Ax i + Ay j + Az k
B = Bx i + By j + Bz k

R = A + B = (Ax +Bx ) i + (Ay +By ) j +

(Az + Bz ) k
15

SUBTRACTION OF VECTORS

Using Components

A = Ax i + Ay j + Az k
B = Bx i + By j + Bz k

R = A - B = ( Ax - Bx ) i + ( Ay - By) j + (Az Bz) k

Subtract the coefficients of i, j and k separately.

16

MULTIPLICATION BY A SCALAR
If a vector R is multiplied by a scalar k the direction
of the vector remains unaltered but the magnitude
is now k R. The resulting vector is kR.
The magnitude of each component is multiplied by
k.

Example: If R = 2i + 3j + 5k
Then:
2R = 4i + 6j + 10k

17

VECTOR PRODUCT ( "CROSS PRODUCT")

The vector or cross-product C of 2 vectors A B

has:

AB

i
j
k
Ax Ay Az
Bx By Bz

R= i ( AyBz - AzBy) - j ( AxBz - AzBx ) + k ( AxBy

- AyBx )
18

MOTION IN ONE DIMENSION

Motion continuous change in the position of an
object
3 types of motion

Translational: car moving down a highway

Rotational: earths spin on its axis
Vibrational: back-and-forth movement of a pendulum

19

DISTANCE, D
Is a scalar quantity
Is a path length transverse in moving from 1
location to another

20

DISPLACEMENT, S
In

the study of translational motion, moving

object can be viewed as a particle
regardless of its size
Displacement is a vector quantity
Displacement is defined as distance or the
change in particles position,
Ds=sfsi
where si initial positions

sf are and final positions

21

EXAMPLE

Initial position is 0m

22

EXAMPLE: POSITION-TIME DIAGRAM

23

SPEED, V
Scalar

quantity
defined as the total distance traveled
divided by the total time it takes to travel
that distance
Instantaneous speed, V= distance /t
Average speed is the rate of change of
distance
V = d / t
= change of distance / time interval

24

VELOCITY, V
Vector

quantity
Instantaneous velocity, V = s/t

(S refer to the displacement on constant period)

Average

velocity is the rate of change of

displacement
V = s / t
= change of displacement/time interval
Its direction is in the direction of the
displacement
Object moving in uniform velocity if
ds/dt=constant

25

ACCELERATION, A
Vector

quantity
Instantaneous acceleration, a = v/t
Average acceleration is the rate of change of
velocity
a = v / t
= change of velocity / time interval
Its direction is in the direction of motion
Acceleration is uniform when magnitude of
velocity change (dv/dt) at constant rate and fix
direction

26

GRAPH REPRESENTATION

27

LINEAR MOTION WITH CONSTANT

ACCELERATION
Uniform acceleration, a = (v v0) / t
v = v0 + at
Displacement, s =1/2 (v0 + v)t
= area of v vs t graph
s = v0t +1/2 at2
v2 = v02 + 2as
v0 = u = initial velocity

V = final velocity

a = acceleration
T= time

S= displacement

28

FREE FALL
Vertical motion with constant acceleration, g under
gravitational field without air resistance
g=9.81m/s2; direction toward center of the earth
(downward)
*Note:
a=-g
v = v0 gt
V=0 when particle reach max height
v2 = v02 - 2gs
If the free fall just show one
direction, we can assume
s = v0t -1/2 gt2
a=g=9.81m/s2 for easier calculation

29

PROJECTILE MOTIONS

Consists of two motions

Vertical component (y-comp): motion under constant
acceleration, -g
Horizontal component (x-comp): motion under constant
velocity

Path followed by a projectile is called trajectory

30

CONT..

31

CONT..

Initial condition (point A)

X-comp: Vox= Vocos constant all time
Y-comp: Voy= Vosin varies

32

CONT..

Point B and point D

X-comp: V1x= V2x=Vox = Vocos
(Point B) Y-comp: V1y= Voy gt1
(Point D) Y-comp: V2y= Voy gt2
Velocity:

Magnitude at (B), V1= (V1x)2 + (V1y)2

Direction, 1= tan-1 (V1y / V1x)

Displacement (S):
X = V0x t
2
Y = V0y t - gt

33

CONT..

Point C
X-comp: Vx= Vox = Vocos
Y-comp: Vy= 0
Displacement (S):
V2 = u2 + 2as

Vy2 = v0y2 - 2gsy

0 = (V0sin )2 2gH

H= (V02 sin2 ) / 2g

V= u +at
vy = v0y gt
t = (V0sin )/ g

34

EXAMPLE

A projectile is fired with an initial velocity of 80 m/s

at an angle of 30oabove the horizontal. Find:
Its position and velocity after 6s
Time required to reach the maximum height
Maximum height
The horizontal range, r (before it strike on floor)

35

FORCES
Force is something capable of changing an objects
state of motion
4 types:

Gravitational force: involve attraction between massive

bodies, long-range force, weakest force in nature
Electromagnetic force: attraction and repulsive force
between electric charges, long-range force

36

CONT..
Strong nuclear force: attraction force bonds the
neutrons and protons together in nucleus, short-range
force, strongest force in nature
Weak nuclear force: cause unstable condition for
atomic nucleus and for radioactive decay, short-range
force, 12 time weaker than electromagnetic force

Force is vector quantity

F= ma ; kgms-2 / N

37

NEWTONS FIRST LAW

In the absence of external forces, an object
at rest remains at rest and an object in
motion continues in motion with a constant
velocity until it is act on by a resultant force.
F = 0
Inertia

Neutral Tendency of an object to remain at rest or in

constant velocity motion

Mass
Property of an object that specifies how much inertia the
object has
Measure of inertia
38

NEWTONS SECOND LAW

The

rates of change of linear momentum of a

moving body is proportional to the resultant
force and is in the same direction as force act
on it

F = ma

States

that the acceleration, a of an object in

the direction of a resultant force, F is directly
proportional to the magnitude of the force and
inversely proportional to the mass
1N = 1kgms-2
And the force of gravity or weight,

Fg mg

39

MASS
Quantity of matter
A measure of inertia of
a body
mass inertia
Scalar quantity
SI: kg
Not depend on location

WEIGHT
A force of gravity act on
body
Weight, W = mg
Direction towards the
centre of earth or same
direction of
acceleration due to
gravity
SI: N (kgm/s2)
Depend on location

40

NEWTONS THIRD LAW

Every

action must produce an equal and

opposite reaction (not act on same object)
Or whenever one object exerts a forces, F12 on
a second object, the second exerts an equal
and opposite force, F21 of the first object

F12 = F21

Someone

climb a ladder

Rung must have same but opposite force on the

foot to avoid collapse
Ffoot = - Frung

41

EQUILIBRIUM
Occur

when the resultant of all external

force is zero
A body in equilibrium must be either at rest
or in motion with constant velocity
Fx = 0
Fy = 0
A body is in transitional equilibrium if and
only if the vector sum of the forces acting on
it is zero.
42

FREE-BODY DIAGRAM

Is a diagram that drawn with all known quantities

are labeled. Then a force diagram indicating all
forces and their components is constructed.

43

Circular Motion
Motion along the perimeter of a circle

44

45

Definition of Angular Displacement

1) When a rigid body rotates about a fixed axis, the angular
displacement is the angle swept out by a line passing
through any point on the body and intersecting the axis of
rotation perpendicularly.
2) By convention, the angular displacement is positive if it is
counterclockwise and negative if it is clockwise.
SI unit of Angular Displacement : radian (rad) *

Angular Displacement

Angular displacement if often expressed in one of

three units. The first is the familiar degree, and it
is well known that there are 360in a circle.
The second unit is the revolution (rev), one
revolution representing one complete turn of 360.
The most useful unit from a scientific viewpoint,
however, is the SI unit called the radian (rad).

Angular Displacement

As the disc rotates, the point traces out and arc of length (s),
which is measured along a circle of radius (r). The angle will be
in radians:-

Example 1
Synchronous or stationary communication
satellites are put into an orbit whose radius is r =
4.23 x 107 m. The orbit is in the plane of the
equator, and two adjacent satellites have an
angular separation of = 2.0. Find the arc length
(s) that separates the satellites.
Solution:
Step 1 Convert degree into radians,
2.0= (2.0 degrees) (2 radians/ 360 degrees) = 0.0349
radians
Step 2 Calculation of the arc length,
S = r = (4.23 x 107 m) (0.0349 rad) = 1.48 x 106 m

Definition of Angular Velocity

The angular velocity is defined as the angular displacement
divided by the elapsed time during which the displacement
occurs.

Although rpm (revolution per minute) is used, the SI unit for

angular velocity is radian per second.
Angular velocity is positive when the rotation
counterclockwise and negative when it is clockwise.

is

Angular Velocity
Example 2
A gymnast on a high bar swings through two revolutions
(clockwise) in a time of 1.90 s. Find the average angular
velocity (rad/s) of the gymnast.
Solution:
= -2.0 revolutions (2 radians / 1 revolution)
= -12.6 radians
Where the minus sign denotes that the gymnast
rotates clockwise. The average angular velocity is:= ( / t) = (-12.6 rad / 1.90 s) = - 6.63 rad/s

Definition of Angular Acceleration

In linear motion, a changing velocity means that an
acceleration is occurring. Changing angular velocity means
that an angular acceleration is occuring. The angular
acceleration is defined as :-

The SI unit for angular acceleration is rad/s2

Angular Acceleration
Example 3
A jet awaiting for takeoff is momentarily stopped on the
runway. As seen from the front of one engine, the fan blades
are rotating with an angular velocity of -110 rad/s, where the
negative sign indicates a clockwise rotation. As the plane
takes off, the angular velocity of the blades reaches 330
rad/s in a time of 14 s. Find the angular acceleration,
assuming it to be constant.

Solution:
= (-0)/(t-t0) = (-330 rad/s) (-110rad/s) / (14 s)
= -16 rad/s2

The Equations of Rotational Kinematics

Centripetal Acceleration and Tangential Acceleration

1) When an object picks up speed as it moves around a circle, it
has a tangential acceleration.
2) In addition, the object also has a centripetal acceleration.
3) Even when the magnitude of the tangential velocity is
constant, an acceleration is present, since the direction of the
velocity changes continually.
4) Because the resulting acceleration points toward the center of
the circle, it is called CENTRIPETAL acceleration.

ac= VT2 / r

Subscript T is the reminder

for tangential speed.

The centripetal acceleration can

be expressed in terms of
angular speed :ac= (r)2 / r
= r2

56

57

UNIFORM CIRCULAR MOTION

Movement

of object in a circular path at

uniform speed
**1 rev = 2 rad
Fc = mac
Angular velocity, W (rad/s)
Tangential/linear velocity, V = rW
Angular acceleration, = (Wf Wi) /t
ac = centripetal acceleration
= V2 / r = r W2
Centripetal force, F= m(V2/r) = mW2r
58

REFERENCES
Hugh

D. Young et al., University

Physics: With Modern Physics, 13th
Edition, 2012.
Giancoli, D.C. Physics for Scientists
and Engineers with Modern Physics.
4th Edition. Pearson, 2009.
Knight, R.D., Jones, B., Field, S.,
College Physics. 2nd Edition.
Pearson/Addison Wesley, 2010.