La Salle University

Ozamiz City

COLLEGE OF COMPUTER STUDIES, ENGINEERING AND

ARCHITECTURE

COURSE Dynamics of Rigid Bodies

MODULE/PERIOD Module 4: Week 7 - 8
TITLE Derivatives of Vector Functions
OVERVIEW
Dynamics of Rigid Bodies is a course that covers the kinetics and kinematics
of a particle; kinetics and kinematics of rigid bodies; work energy method;
and impulse and momentum.

This module aims to discuss curvilinear motion of particles.

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS ● Read and follow instructions

● Follow the guidelines on submitting reports provided on Canvas
● You, the student, should perform the activities stated in this module
● For any questions or clarification, please contact me through Canvas

LEARNING OUTCOMES At the end of the module, you must be able to:

1. Perform computations involving curvilinear motion of particles.

2. Recall the concept of curvilinear motion of particles.
3. Solves problems involving curvilinear motion of particles.

EXPLORE A. Rectangular Components of Curvilinear Motion

As we know, curvilinear motion is when an object has a movement with
changing directions and the path of the object is similar to that of a curve
line.

Depending on the given parameters, a curvilinear motion of a particle is

best analysed by expressing the path into terms of its x, y and z
coordinates.

To solve problems using rectangular components of curvilinear motion

we use the following below:

Position
where r is the position of the object while x, y and z are the coordinates of
the object at each axis

Velocity

Vx, Vy and Vz are the velocities of the object along each axis which is
used to determine the velocity of the object along the path

Acceleration
Ax, Ay and Az are the velocities of the object along each axis which is
used to determine the acceleration of the object along the path

Curvilinear motion cause changes in both the magnitude and direction of

the position, velocity, and acceleration vectors. The velocity is always
directed tangent to the path. If the motion is described using rectangular
coordinates, then the components along each of the axes do not change
direction, only their magnitude and sense will change in their respective
axes.

Example:
At any instant the horizontal position of the weather balloon in the figure
below is defined by x = (8t) ft, where t is in seconds. If the equation of the
path is y = x2/10, determine the magnitude and direction of the velocity
and the acceleration when t = 2 s.

Solution:
First we see an object in curvilinear motion and notice the given of the
problem as well as the figure is using x and y axes. This is an indication
that the problem might be easier to solve it using rectangular
components.
Next we do is we determine the position of the object at each axis and try
to set each in terms of time.

For x axis:
x = 8t

For y axis:
y = x2/10
y = (8t)2/10
y = 64t2/10

Next we take the first derivative of each position equation to determine

the velocity of the object at each axis. We also use t = 2 seconds

For x axis:
x = 8t
dx = 8dt
dx/dt = 8
Vx = 8 ft/s

For y axis:
y = 64t2/10
dy = (128t/10)dt
dy/dt = 128t/10
Vy = 128(2)/10
Vy = 25.6 ft/s

Next we solve velocity of the object along the path.

V = √( ) ( )
V = √( ) ( )

Answer
V = 26.8 ft/s or V = ( 8i + 25.6j ) ft/s

Next we solve for the direction of the velocity of the object along the path.

tanθv = Vy / Vx
tanθv = 25.6 / 8

Answer
θv = 72.6º the angle the velocity makes with the horizontal
 Next we solve the acceleration by deriving the velocity.

For x axis:
Vx = 8 ft/s
dVx = 0
ax = 0

For y axis:
Vy = 128t/10
dVy = (128/10) dt
dVy / dt = 12.8
ay = 12.8 ft/s2

Next we solve velocity of the object along the path.

a = √( ) ( )
a = √( ) ( )

Answer
a = 12.8 ft/s2

Next we solve for the direction of the acceleration of the object along the
path.

Since ax is zero then a is moving upward

Answer
θv = 90º the angle the acceleration makes with the horizontal

B. Motion of a Projectile
There are cases when a curvilinear motion of an object is a result from
being thrown or projected into the air, subject to only the acceleration of
gravity. This condition is what we call the motion of a projectile. The
object is called a projectile, and its path is called its trajectory. Projectile
motion problems are best solved using rectangular components but there
are added pre conditions in solving. These pre conditions are that the
horizontal motion contains no acceleration and the vertical motions
acceleration is from gravity only. We use the formulas below for solving.
In solving projectile motion problems, its best to separate the horizontal
and vertical motion. Then solving each motion separately to make
solutions simpler.

Example:
The chipping machine is designed to eject wood chips at Vo = 25 ft/s as
shown in the figure below. If the tube is oriented at 30° from the
horizontal, determine how high, h, the chips strike the pile if at this instant
they land on the pile 20 ft from the tube.

Solution:
Through inspection of the problem, we see the wood chips are in moving
in curvilinear motion where the movement of the chips are only under the
initial velocity and gravity therefore this can be analysed under motion of
a projectile.

First we identify the initial and final points of the motion as well as a
reference line for our motion. We set point O in the figure as the initial
point since the wood chips start their motion there. We set point A in the
figure as the final point since the problem asks for detail within that point.

Also we use the x axis in the figure as our reference line for vertical
motion where distances above the line is positive and distances below
the line is negative. We use the y axis in the figure as our reference line
for horizontal motion where distances to the right of the line is positive
and distances to the left of the line is negative.

Next we solve the initial velocities along x and y.

Vox = Vo(cos30º) = 25(cos30º)

Vox = 21.651 ft/s
Voy = Vo(sin30º) = 25(sin30º)
Voy = 12.5 ft/s
Next we solve along the horizontal.

x = xo + (Vox)t ; note point O is initial and point A is final

20 = 0 + (21.651)t
t = 0.924 seconds ; note this is the time needed to travel for the wood
chips to from the initial point and then arrive at final point

The velocity along the horizontal does not affect the velocity along the
vertical but the time travelled by the horizontal is the same with the time
travelled by the vertical. The time is the same because the vertical and
horizontal motion occurs on the same object.

Next we solve along the vertical.

Remember x axis is the reference line.

There are 3 equations for the vertical motion, we identify first our given
and what is asked to determine which equation to use.
Initial velocity; Voy = 12.5 ft/s
Time for the object to reach from point O to point A; t = 0.924 seconds
Acceleration which is the Earth’s gravity; a = g = 32.2 ft/s
What we need is distance/height

The equation that contains all the given and what is asked is the second
equation.
y = yo + (Voy)t + (1/2)(a)(t)2
(-4+h) = 0 + (12.5)(0.924) + (1/2)(-32.2)(0.924)2
Remember distance below reference line is negative and acceleration is
negative because gravity moves downward.
Only 1 unknown in the equation.

Answer
h = 1.8 ft
ENGAGE Do this on your own:
On the previous module there were attached files with which you can
download and read. View those files and search the topics discussed in this
module and try to solve the given examples and problems in those files.

REFERENCES 1. Beer and Johnston. Vector Mechanics for Engineers: Dynamics,

7th SI ed. McGraw-Hill, 2003.

2. R.C. Hibbeler, Engineering Mechanics: Dynamics 13th Edition,

2012

3. Pytel, Kiusalaas, Understanding Engineering Mechanics:

Dynamics, Philippine Edition, 2010