KINETICS OF A PARTICLE: FORCE, MASS AND ACCELERATION

Kinetics – is a branch of dynamics that deals with the relationship between the change in motion of a body and the
forces that cause this change. The basis for kinetics is Newton's second law of motion.
– is the study of the relations between unbalance forces and the resulting changes in motion.

Sir Isaac Newton (25 December 1642 – 20 March 1726) was an English mathematician, astronomer, theologian, author
and physicist who formulated the laws of motion and universal gravitation that formed the dominant scientific
viewpoint.

Newton’s First Law of Motion – if the sum of the forces acting on the object/particle is equal to zero, then the
acceleration of the object is equal to 0.

An object will remain in its original state of

motion (at rest or moving at constant velocity
in a straight line) if there is no unbalanced
force acting on it, this is called the state of
Equilibrium.

Newton’s Second Law of Motion – states that when an unbalanced force acts on a particle, the particle will accelerate in
the direction of the force with a magnitude that is proportional to the force.

The accelerated motion of the movement of an object is proportional to the resultant force, and is also in the same
direction of the resultant force.

This equation is referred to as the equation of motion and is one of the most important formulations in mechanics.

The magnitude and direction of each force acting on the particle are identified using a free body diagram. A kinetic
diagram identifies the magnitude and direction of the vector ma.
Newton’s Third Law of Motion – of action and reaction states that the forces are always exerted by a pair of objects on
each other and the forces of action and reaction between two objects are of the equal, collinear and opposite.

To every action there is always opposed an equal reaction: or the mutual actions of two bodies upon each other are
always equal, and directed to contrary parts.

Newton’s Law of Gravitation – The gravitational attraction force exists between any two objects with mass are equal
and opposite.

The mutual attraction between any two particles is given by:

where G = 66.73×10−12m3/(kg s2) is the universal constant

of gravitation. m1, m2 is the mass of each of the particles
and r is the distance between the centers of the two
particles.
Mass and weight:

Mass is a property of matter that provides a quantitative measure of its resistance to a change in the velocity. Mass is an
absolute quantity since the measurement of mass can be made at any location.

Weight is a force that is caused by the earth’s gravitation. It is not absolute; rather it depends on the altitude of the
mass from the earth’s surface.

Procedure for Problem Solving on Particle Kinetics Using Equation of Motion:

1. Select a convenient inertial coordinate system: rectangular, normal/tangential or cylindrical.

2. Draw a free body diagram showing all external forces applied to the particle. Resolve forces into their appropriate
components.

3. Draw the kinetic diagram, showing the particle’s inertia force, ma. Resolve this vector into its appropriate
components.

4. Apply the equations of motion.

5. Identify the unknowns and solve the equations for the unknowns.

6. It may be necessary to apply the proper kinematic relations to generate additional equations.
Equation of Motion: RECTANGULAR COORDINATES

When a particle is moving relative to an inertial x, y, z frame of reference, the vector equation of motion is equivalent to
the following three scalar equations:

Equation of Motion for a system of particles: