MEX-005 · Kinematics Sample material

Basic concepts of kinematics

Kinematics describes the motion of bodies without regard to its causes. The topic covers space and time, ways of specifying motion, trajectory, path length and displacement, average and instantaneous velocity, acceleration and its tangential and normal components.

Estimated time: 2 h 50 min 3 activities

Learning objective

Learn the concepts of space and time in classical mechanics and the vector, coordinate and natural ways of specifying motion.
Understand the difference between trajectory, path length and displacement.
Master the definition of average and instantaneous velocity and of acceleration via derivatives.
Learn to resolve acceleration into tangential and normal components.

Expected outcomes

Calculates velocity and acceleration from a given $\vec r(t)$ or $x(t)$, $y(t)$.
Finds the trajectory equation by eliminating time from the coordinates.
Distinguishes and calculates the average velocity (a vector) and the average speed.
Finds the tangential and normal accelerations and the radius of curvature of the trajectory.

Interactive modelTrajectory, velocity and acceleration vectors

Activities

Lecture
Lecture · 1 h 15 min · required
Problem solving on the fundamentals of kinematics
Practice · 1 h 15 min · required
Final test
Test · 20 min · required · pass ≥ 70%

Completion conditions

  • Lecture
  • Problem solving on the fundamentals of kinematics
  • Final test — at least 70%