Chapter 13 :

Kinetics of a Particle:
Force and Acceleration
(II)

by

Dr. Toh Hoong Thiam

Equation of Motion:
Normal And Tangential Coordinates

 When a particle moves along a curved path, it may be more convenient

to write the equation of motion in terms of normal and tangential
coordinates.

 The tangential direction (t) is tangent to the path, usually set as positive
in the direction of motion of the particle.

 The normal direction (n) always points toward

the path’s center of curvature.

Note: In a circle, the center of curvature

is the center of the circle.
 Since the particle is constrained to move along the path, there is no
motion in the binormal (b) direction.
 Therefore, the equation of motion for the particle may be written in the
tangential, normal and binormal directionss as follows:
 𝐹Ԧ = m𝑎Ԧ
 (Ft ut + Fn un + Fb ub ) = m (at ut + an un )
Ft ut + Fn un + Fb ub = mat ut + man un (1)
where Ft = the sum of the force components acting in the t-direction
Fn = the sum of the force components acting in the n-direction
Fb = the sum of the force components acting in the b-direction

 Eq.(1) is satisfied if
Ft = mat
Fn = man
Fb = 0
NORMAL AND TANGENTIAL ACCERLERATIONS
dv
 Tangential acceleration, at =
dt
 It is the time rate of change in the magnitude of the velocity.
 Depending on the direction of Ft, the particle’s speed will either be
increasing or decreasing.

v2
 Normal acceleration, an =
r
 It is the time rate of change in the velocity’s direction.
 It is caused by Fn which always acts in the positive n direction, i.e.,
toward the path’s center of curvature. Fn is called the centripetal force.
 If the path of motion is defined as y = f(x), the radius of curvature at
3
any point is given by
  dy  2 2

1    
  dx  
r
d2y
dx 2
PROCEDURE FOR ANALYSIS
 Use n-t coordinates when a particle is moving along a known curved
path.

 Establish the n-t coordinate system on the particle.

 Draw free-body and kinetic diagrams of the particle.

 The normal acceleration (an) always acts “inward” (the positive n-

direction).
 The tangential acceleration (at) may act in either the positive or
negative t direction.

 Apply the equations of motion in scalar form and solve.

 It may be necessary to employ the kinematic relations:
dv dv v2
at = = v , an =
dt ds r
Example 1
Given:
• The 3-kg disk D is attached to
the end of a cord as shown.
• The other end of the cord is attached to a ball-and-socket joint located
at the center of a platform.
• The platform rotates rapidly and the disk is placed on it and released
from rest as shown.
• The maximum tension the cord can sustain is 100 N.
• The coefficient of kinetic friction between the disk and the platform is
mk = 0.1.

Find:
Determine the time it takes for the disk to reach a speed great enough to
break the cord.
Solution
Free-Body Diagrams Equations of Motion
v2
T m
b
S Fn = man :
mg = (3)(9.81) r
= 29.43 N
F= mk ND v2
T T 3 (1)
t 1
ND n

S Ft = mat : mk ND = mat
=

0.1ND = 3at (2)

b

mat
man S Fb = 0 : ND− mg = 0
t
n ND = mg = 29.43 N (3)
• From Eq. (2) & Eq. (3), we have
0.1(29.43) = 3at
at = 0.981 m/s2

• The critical speed vcr to break the cord occurs when T = 100N.
Therefore, from Eq.(1),
100 = 3(vcr)2
vcr = 5. 77 m/s

Kinematics
• Since at is constant, the time needed to break the cord is
vcr = vo + at t
5.77 = 0 + (0.981) t
t = 5.89 s
Example 2
Given:
• The racing cars travel around
the curve of radius ρ with a
constant speed v.

• Assume the cars have

negligible size & a mass m.

Find:
Determine the banking θ for the race track so that the wheels of the
racing cars will not have to depend upon friction to prevent any car
from sliding up or down the track.
Solution
Free-Body & Kinetic Diagrams
• No frictional force acting on the car
• NC represents the resultant of the
ground on all four wheels.
• Unknowns : NC and θ.

Equations of Motion
 v2
 S Fn = man : NC sin θ = m r

+↑ S Fb = 0 : NC cos θ − mg = 0

Eliminating NC & m from the above equations, we have

v2  v2 
tan     tan  
1
gr  gr 
Example 3

Given:

 A 200 kg snowmobile with

a rider is traveling down the hill.

 At point A, it is traveling at 4 m/s

and increasing its speed at 2 m/s2.

Find:
The resultant normal force and resultant frictional force exerted
on the tracks at point A.
Solution
 Established the n-t coordinate system on the snowmobile at point A.
 Free-body and kinetic diagrams
mg

F
man
mat

N
=
n
 t
n t

 Equations of motion in the n-t directions

+  Fn = man : mg cos  – N = m an
v2
N = mg cos  – m r (1)

+  Ft = mat : mg sin – F = mat

F = mg sin – mat (2)
 Determine r by differentiating y = f(x) at x = 10 m:

  15  103  x 2
dy
y = −5(10−3)x3 dx

d2y 3
2
  (30)(10 )x
dx
3
  dy  2
 2

1    
1  (15 10 
3
  dx   3
x ) 2 2 2
r   = 19.53 m
d2y  30 10 3 x
x 10 m
dx 2
x 10 m

 Determine  from the slope of the curve at A:

tan  
dy
dx

  15 10 3 x 2 x 10 m
 1.5
x 10 m

 = tan−1(1.5) = 56.31o
 Known: m = 200 kg,
v = 4 m/s,,
at = 2 m/s2

 From Eq.(1),
4 2
N = (200)(9.81) cos(56.31o) – (200)
19.53
N = 924.5 N

 From Eq.(2),
F = (200)(9.81) sin(56.31o) – 200(2)

F = = 1232 N
Example 4

Given:
 Packages, each of mass 2-kg, are
delivered from a conveyor to a
smooth circular ramp with a velocity
of v0 = 1 m/s.

 The effective radius of the ramp is 0.5 m.

Find:
Determine the angle θ = θmax at which each package begins to
leave the surface.
 Draw the free-body and kinetic diagrams

t
= mat
N
θ t
mg man
n
n

 Equations of Motion.
+  Ft = mat : mg sin = mat

at = g sin  (1)

+  Fn = man : mg cos  – N = man

N v2
g cos  – = (2)
m r
 Kinematics
The magnitude of tangential acceleration is related to the speed of
the package v by dv
 at
dt

dv
v  at
ds
v dv = at ds

v dv = at r d 3

 Solve the equations

 Using Eq.(1) in Eq. (3) yields

v dv = g sin r d 4
 Integrating Eq.(4) yields


v
v dv  rg  o sin  d
v0 1 0

v
v 
2

 2   rg  cos  0o



 1

v2 1
 rg  cos   1
2

v2 = 2 r g (1−cos  ) + 1 (5)

 Substituting Eq. (5) into Eq.(2) yields

g cos  – N/m = [ 2 r g (1−cos  ) + 1] / r

3 r g cos  – r N/m = ( 2 r g + 1) (6)

 When θ = θmax, the package leaves the surface of the ramp.

N=0

 Thus, Eq. (6) becomes

3 r g cos max = ( 2 r g + 1)

cos max = ( 2 r g + 1)/(3rg)

cos  max = [2(0.5)(9.81) + 1]/ [3(0.5)(9.81)]

cos  max = 0.7346

 max = 42.7 o