INTRODUCTION &
LECTURE 1 RECTILINEAR KINEMATICS: CONTINUOUS MOTION
Engineering Dynamics
TEXT BOOK:
ENGINEERING MECHANICS: DYNAMICS
12th EDITION
R. C. HIBBELER
Lecture By: Dr. Mohamed Osman
Lecture By: Dr. Mohamed Osman
APPLICATIONS
The motion of large objects, such as
rockets, airplanes, or cars, can often
be analyzed as if they were particles.
A sports car travels along a straight road.
Can we treat the car as a particle?
Lecture By: Dr. Mohamed Osman
Today’s Objectives:
Students will be able to:
1. Find the kinematic quantities (position, displacement, velocity,
and acceleration) of a particle traveling along a straight path.
In-Class Activities:
• Relations between s(t), v(t), and a(t)
for general rectilinear motion.
• Relations between s(t), v(t), and a(t)
when acceleration is constant.
Lecture By: Dr. Mohamed Osman
An Overview of Mechanics
Mechanics:
The study of how bodies react to forces
acting on them.
Statics: Dynamics:
The study of bodies in 1. Kinematics – concerned with
equilibrium. the geometric aspects of motion
2. Kinetics - concerned with
Newton’s first law: the forces causing the motion
FR = 0
Newton’s second law:
FR = ma
Lecture By: Dr. Mohamed Osman
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 RECTILINEAR KINEMATICS: CONTINIOUS MOTION
(Section 12.2)
A particle travels along a straight-line path
defined by the coordinate axis s.
VELOCITY
Velocity is a measure of the rate of change in the position of a particle.
It is a vector quantity (it has both magnitude and direction). The
magnitude of the velocity is called speed, with units of m/s or ft/s.

The position of the particle at any instant,
relative to the origin, O, is defined by the
position vector r, or the scalar s. Scalar s
can be positive or negative. Typical units
for r and s are meters (m) or feet (ft).
The displacement of the particle is
defined as its change in position.
Scalar form: s = s’ - s
Vector form:  r = r’ - r
The total distance traveled by the particle, sT, is a positive scalar that
represents the total length of the path over which the particle travels.
Lecture By: Dr. Mohamed Osman
The average velocity of a particle
during a time interval t is
vavg =  r / t
The instantaneous velocity is the time-derivative of position.
v = dr / dt
Speed is the magnitude of velocity:
v = ds / dt
Average speed is the total distance traveled divided by elapsed time:
(vsp)avg = sT / t
Lecture By: Dr. Mohamed Osman

ACCELERATION
SUMMARY OF KINEMATIC RELATIONS:
Acceleration is the rate of change in the velocity of a particle ( or the RECTILINEAR MOTION
rate of change in the direction ). It is a vector quantity. Typical units
are m/s2 or ft/s2. • Differentiate position to get velocity and acceleration.
The instantaneous acceleration is the time
derivative of velocity. v = ds/dt ; a = dv/dt or a = v dv/ds
Vector form: a = dv / dt • Integrate acceleration for velocity and position.
Scalar form: a = dv / dt = d2s / dt2 Velocity: Position:
v t v s s t
Acceleration can be positive (speed
increasing) or negative (speed decreasing).
 dv =  a dt or  v dv =  a ds  ds =  v dt
vo o vo so so o

As the book indicates, the derivative equations for velocity and • Note that so and vo represent the initial position and
acceleration can be manipulated to get a ds = v dv velocity of the particle at t = 0.

Lecture By: Dr. Mohamed Osman Lecture By: Dr. Mohamed Osman

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 CONSTANT ACCELERATION EXAMPLE

The three kinematic equations can be integrated for the special case Given: A particle travels along a straight line to the right
when acceleration is constant (a = ac) to obtain very useful equations. with a velocity of v = ( 4 t – 3 t2 ) m/s where t is
A common example of constant acceleration is gravity; i.e., a body in seconds. Also, s = 0 when t = 0.
freely falling toward earth. In this case, ac = g = 9.81 m/s2 = 32.2 ft/s2
downward. These equations are:
v t
Find: The position and acceleration of the particle

 dv =  a c dt
when t = 4 s.
yields v = vo + act
vo o
Plan: Establish the positive coordinate, s, in the direction the
s t

 ds =  v dt
particle is traveling. Since the velocity is given as a
yields s = s o + v ot + (1/2) a c t 2
so o function of time, take a derivative of it to calculate the
v s acceleration. Conversely, integrate the velocity
 v dv =  ac ds yields v 2 = (vo )2 + 2ac(s - so)
function to calculate the position.
vo so

Lecture By: Dr. Mohamed Osman Lecture By: Dr. Mohamed Osman

EXAMPLE (continued)
GROUP PROBLEM SOLVING
Solution:
Given: Ball A is released from rest
1) Take a derivative of the velocity to determine the acceleration. at a height of 40 ft at the
a = dv / dt = d(4 t – 3 t2) / dt =4 – 6 t same time that ball B is
=> when t = 4 s
thrown upward, 5 ft from the
a = – 20 m/s2 (or in the  direction)
ground. The balls pass one
2) Calculate the distance traveled in 4s by integrating the
another at a height of 20 ft.
velocity using so = 0: s t

v = ds/dt => ds = vdt =>  ds =  (4 t – 3 t2) dt Find:The speed at which ball B was
=> s – so = 2 t2 – t3 so o
thrown upward.
when t = 4 s
=> s – 0 = 2(4)2 – (4)3 => s = – 32 m ( or ) Plan: Both balls experience a constant downward acceleration
of 32.2 ft/s2 due to gravity. Apply the formulas for
constant acceleration, with ac = -32.2 ft/s2.
Lecture By: Dr. Mohamed Osman Lecture By: Dr. Mohamed Osman

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 GROUP PROBLEM SOLVING
GROUP PROBLEM SOLVING
(continued)
Solution: (continued)

1) First consider ball A. With the origin defined at the ground, 2) Now consider ball B. It is throw upward from a height of 5 ft
ball A is released from rest ((vA)o = 0) at a height of 40 ft ((sB)o = 5 ft). It must reach a height of 20 ft (sB = 20 ft) at the
((sA )o = 40 ft). Calculate the time required for ball A to drop to same time ball A reaches this height (t = 1.115 s). Apply the
20 ft (sA = 20 ft) using a position equation. position equation again to ball B using t = 1.115s.

sA = (sA )o + (vA)o t + (1/2) ac t2 sB = (sB)o + (vB)ot + (1/2) ac t2

So,
So,
20 ft = 5 + (vB)o(1.115) + (1/2)(-32.2)(1.115)2
20 ft = 40 ft + (0)(t) + (1/2)(-32.2)(t2) => t = 1.115 s
=> (vB)o = 31.4 ft/s

Lecture By: Dr. Mohamed Osman Lecture By: Dr. Mohamed Osman

ATTENTION QUIZ

1. A particle has an initial velocity of 3 ft/s to the left at

s0 = 0 ft. Determine its position when t = 3 s if the
acceleration is 2 ft/s2 to the right.

A) 0.0 ft B) 6.0 ft
C) 18.0 ft D) 9.0 ft

2. A particle is moving with an initial velocity of v = 12 ft/s

and constant acceleration of 3.78 ft/s2 in the same direction
as the velocity. Determine the distance the particle has
traveled when the velocity reaches 30 ft/s.

A) 50 ft B) 100 ft
C) 150 ft D) 200 ft
Lecture By: Dr. Mohamed Osman Lecture By: Dr. Mohamed Osman