Defining Kinematics

Kinematics is the study of the motion of points, objects, and groups of objects without considering the causes of its motion.

Kinematics is the branch of classical mechanics that describes the motion of points, objects and systems of groups of objects, without reference to the causes of motion (i.e., forces ). The study of kinematics is often referred to as the “geometry of motion.”

Objects are in motion all around us. Everything from a tennis match to a space-probe flyby of the planet Neptune involves motion. When you are resting, your heart moves blood through your veins. Even in inanimate objects there is continuous motion in the vibrations of atoms and molecules. Interesting questions about motion can arise: how long will it take for a space probe to travel to Mars? Where will a football land if thrown at a certain angle? An understanding of motion, however, is also key to understanding other concepts in physics. An understanding of acceleration, for example, is crucial to the study of force.

To describe motion, kinematics studies the trajectories of points, lines and other geometric objects, as well as their differential properties (such as velocity and acceleration). Kinematics is used in astrophysics to describe the motion of celestial bodies and systems; and in mechanical engineering, robotics and biomechanics to describe the motion of systems composed of joined parts (such as an engine, a robotic arm, or the skeleton of the human body).

A formal study of physics begins with kinematics. The word “kinematics” comes from a Greek word “kinesis” meaning motion, and is related to other English words such as “cinema” (movies) and “kinesiology” (the study of human motion). Kinematic analysis is the process of measuring the kinematic quantities used to describe motion. The study of kinematics can be abstracted into purely mathematical expressions, which can be used to calculate various aspects of motion such as velocity, acceleration, displacement, time, and trajectory.

Reference Frames and Displacement

In order to describe an object’s motion, you need to specify its position relative to a convenient reference frame.

In order to describe the motion of an object, you must first describe its position — where it is at any particular time. More precisely, you need to specify its position relative to a convenient reference frame. Earth is often used as a reference frame, and we often describe the position of objects related to its position to or from Earth. Mathematically, the position of an object is generally represented by the variable x.

Frames of Reference

There are two choices you have to make in order to define a position variable x. You have to decide where to put x = 0 and which direction will be positive. This is referred to as choosing a coordinate system, or choosing a frame of reference. As long as you are consistent, any frame is equally valid. But you don’t want to change coordinate systems in the middle of a calculation. Imagine sitting in a train in a station when suddenly you notice that the station is moving backward. Most people would say that they just failed to notice that the train was moving — it only seemed like the station was moving. But this shows that there is a third arbitrary choice that goes into choosing a coordinate system: valid frames of reference can differ from each other by moving relative to one another. It might seem strange to use a coordinate system moving relative to the earth — but, for instance, the frame of reference moving along with a train might be far more convenient for describing things happening inside the train. Frames of reference are particularly important when describing an object’s displacement.

FRAMES OF REFERENCE by Professor Hume and Professor Donald Ivey of the University of Toronto

In this classic film, Professors Hume and Ivey cleverly illustrate reference frames and distinguish between fixed and moving frames of reference.

https://youtu.be/w65CTglh2EQ

Displacement

Displacement is the change in position of an object relative to its reference frame. For example, if a car moves from a house to a grocery store, its displacement is the relative distance of the grocery store to the reference frame, or the house. The word “displacement” implies that an object has moved or has been displaced. Displacement is the change in position of an object and can be represented mathematically as follows:

[latex]\Delta \text{x} = \text{x}_\text{f} - \text{x}_0[/latex]

where Δx is displacement, x_f is the final position, and x₀ is the initial position.

shows the importance of using a frame of reference when describing the displacement of a passenger on an airplane.

Introduction to Scalars and Vectors

A vector is any quantity that has both magnitude and direction, whereas a scalar has only magnitude.

What is the difference between distance and displacement? Whereas displacement is defined by both direction and magnitude, distance is defined by magnitude alone. Displacement is an example of a vector quantity. Distance is an example of a scalar quantity. A vector is any quantity with both magnitude and direction. Other examples of vectors include a velocity of 90 km/h east and a force of 500 newtons straight down.

In mathematics, physics, and engineering, a vector is a geometric object that has a magnitude (or length) and direction and can be added to other vectors according to vector algebra. The direction of a vector in one-dimensional motion is given simply by a plus (+) or minus (−) sign. A vector is frequently represented by a line segment with a definite direction, or graphically as an arrow, connecting an initial point A with a terminal point B, as shown in.

Some physical quantities, like distance, either have no direction or no specified direction. In physics, a scalar is a simple physical quantity that is not changed by coordinate system rotations or translations. It is any quantity that can be expressed by a single number and has a magnitude, but no direction. For example, a 20ºC temperature, the 250 kilocalories (250 Calories) of energy in a candy bar, a 90 km/h speed limit, a person’s 1.8 m height, and a distance of 2.0 m are all scalars, or quantities with no specified direction. Note, however, that a scalar can be negative, such as a −20ºC temperature. In this case, the minus sign indicates a point on a scale rather than a direction. Scalars are never represented by arrows. (A comparison of scalars vs. vectors is shown in. )