DYNAMICS

BDA 20103 LECTURE 3

Curvilinear motion
- Normal and tangential components
(n-t coordinate system)

Application: n-t coordinate system

v
P

et
en

Particle model

Dynamics

Curvilinear Motion: Normal and Tangential

Components
Describe the path using n and t coordinates which
act normal and tangent to the path
Consider particle move on a plane
Consider a coordinate
system that has origin at a
fixed point on the curve
t axis is tangent to the curve at
P and is positive in the
direction of increasing s.

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 Designate this positive position

direction with unit vector ut

Segment ds - formed
from the arc, having a
radius of curvature (rho)
and center of curvature O

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 Normal axis n
- perpendicular to the t axis and is
- directed from P towards the center
of curvature O
- designated by un
Plane containing both the n and t axes
- known as the osculating plane
- fixed on the plane of motion

Dynamics

n t coordinate system
n

et0
P1
et1

P0
t

t
n

en0

en1

Motion
path

P
r

n : normal
t : tangential
en : unit vector n direction
et : unit vector t direction

Radius of motion path

CONSTANT
Dynamics

Distance and Velocity in n t coord system

Distance travel

et0
P1
et1

ds rd

P0

s0

ds r d

Angular velocity

en0

en1

s r

0 t
dt
s
r
d
v lim
lim
r
r
t 0 t
t 0 t
dt

lim

r
Speed of P

v r r
velocity vector of
rotating P in
tangential

Dynamics

v vet r et

nt coord system represented in x-y system

vy

v=r

vx
v
v y

vx

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r cos
v

sin

Special notes in n t coordinate system

2

Perimeter:

ds r d
0

s r 2

RADIAN

Distance travel:

Angular velocity :

ds r d
rad/s

sr

Line distance:

In engineering, generally : RPM (rotations per minute)

1 RPM = (2./60) rad/s

Dynamics

n-t Components - ACCELERATION

As the particle moves along the arc ds in time dt,
ut preserves its magnitude of unity
When particle changes direction, it becomes ut
ut = ut + dut

a at ut anun
at v

at ds vdv
an

Dynamics

v2

a at2 an2
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n t coordinate system:

acceleration

v vet r et

d
de
dv
r
et t
dt
dt
dt

a r et et
det
en
d

d

dt

det det d

dt
d dt
det
et en
dt
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a r et r 2 en
a r et r 2 en

a at et an en
at r r

v2
an
r 2
r

a at 2 an 2
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n t coordinate system:

acceleration
aty

at=r

y
P

anx

an

any

atx

=r2

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 Normal component of acceleration represents the

time rate of change in the direction of the velocity.
Since an always acts towards the center of
curvature, this component is sometimes referred to
as the centripetal acceleration
As a result, a particle moving along the curved
path will have accelerations directed as shown

Dynamics

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 For magnitude of the normal component

an

v2

If the path is expressed as y = f(x), the radius of

the curvature at any point on the path is
determined from
2 3/ 2
[1 (dy / dx) ]

d 2 y / dx 2

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EXAMPLE 4.1
When the skier reaches the
point A along the parabolic
path, he has a speed of 6m/s
which is increasing at 2m/s2.
Determine the direction of his
velocity and the direction and
magnitude of this
acceleration at this instant.
Neglect the size of the skier
in the calculation.
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EXAMPLE 4.1
Coordinate System. Establish the origin of the n,
t axes at the fixed point A on the path and
determine the components of v and a along these
axes.
Velocity.
path.

The velocity is directed tangent to the

1 2 dy
y x ,
1
20
dx x 10

v make an angle of = tan-1 = 45 with the x axis

v A 6m / s
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EXAMPLE 4.1

2
Determined from a vut (v / )un

Acceleration.

[1 (dy / dx) 2 ]3 / 2
d 2 y / dx 2

28.28m

The acceleration becomes

v2
a A vut un

{2ut 1.273un }m / s 2
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EXAMPLE 4.1

22 1.2372 2.37m / s 2
2
tan
57.5
1.327
1

Thus, 57.5 45 = 12.5

a = 2.37 m/s2

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Continue on LECTURE 4

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