One Dimensional Kinematics Non-Constant Acceleration

Velocity as the Integral of

Acceleration

the area under the graph of

the x-component of the
acceleration vs. time is the
change in velocity

t !=t

t !=0

& a (t !)dt ! $ lim % a (t )"t

x "ti #0 i =1 x i

i= N

= Area (ax , t )
vx ! = vx
t

dvx
" ax (t !)dt ! = " dt dt ! = " dvx! = vx (t ) # vx ,0 t!=0 t!=0 v ! = v (t = 0)
x x

t!=t

t!=t

()

Position as the Integral of Velocity

area under the graph of x-component of the velocity vs. time is the displacement
dx vx (t ) ! dt
t !=t

t !=0

# v (t !)dt ! = x(t ) " x

x

Summary: Time Dependent Acceleration

Acceleration is a nonconstant function of time

ax (t )
Change in velocity
t !=t

vx (t ) " vx ,0 =

Change in position

t !=0

# a (t !)dt !
x

x(t ) " x0 =

t !=t

t !=0

# v (t !)dt !
x

Worked Example: Non-

constant acceleration

Consider an object released at time t = 0 with an initial x-

component of velocity vx,0 , located at position x0 , and
accelerating according to

2
a ( t ) = b + b t + b t x 0 1 2

Find the velocity and position as a function of time.

Worked Example: Nonconstant acceleration

Velocity:
vx (t ) = vx ,0 +
t !=t t !=t t !=0

" a (t !)dt !
x

! ! 1 1 t !=t 2 2 t =t 3 t =t ! ! ! ! ! = vx ,0 + " (b0 + b1t + b2t )dt = vx ,0 + b0 t t !=0 + b1 t ! + b2 t ! t =0 t =0 2 3 t !=0

1 1 = vx ,0 + b0t + b1t 2 + b2t 3 2 3

Position: t!=t
x(t ) = x0 +
t !=t

t !=0

" v (t !)dt ! =
x

= x0 +

1 2 1 3 1 2 1 3 1 4 ! ! ! ! ! ( v + b t + b t + b t ) dt = v t + b t + b t + b t x ,0 0 1 2 x ,0 0 1 2 " 2 3 2 6 12 t !=0

Checkpoint Problem: Non-

Constant Acceleration:

Consider an object released at time t = 0 with an initial x-component of velocity vx ,0 , located at position x 0 and accelerating according to

ax (t ) = b0 ! b1t
Find the velocity and position as a function of time.

At t = 0 , a sports car starting at rest at x = 0 accelerates with an xcomponent of acceleration given by ax(t) = t t 3, for 0 < t < (/)1/2. and zero afterwards with , > 0.

Checkpoint Problem: Sports

Car

(1) Find expressions for the velocity and position vectors of the sports as functions of time for 0 < t < (/)1/2
.

(2) Sketch graphs of the x-component of the position, velocity and acceleration of the sports car as a function of time for 0 < t < (/)1/2.

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8.01SC Physics I: Classical Mechanics

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