SPH4U Kinematics

1.6 Relative Motion

Frames of Reference
• A frame of reference is just a coordinate system.
• Frames of reference may be attached to different objects.
• Motion must always be considered relative to frames of reference.
• Motion involving different frames of reference obeys the laws of Galillean
relativity:
• 𝒗𝑨 𝒓𝒆𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝑪 = 𝒗𝑨 𝒓𝒆𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝑩 + 𝒗𝑩 𝒓𝒆𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝑪
• 𝒗𝑨𝑪 = 𝒗𝑨𝑩 + 𝒗𝑩𝑪 for short.
• In English, this means that the velocity of frame A relative to frame C is
equal to the velocity of frame A relative to frame B plus the velocity of
frame B relative to frame C.
Ex 1: A cruise ship is heading due north at 5.0 m/s. A
passenger on this ship is running at 2.0 m/s toward the front of
the ship (due to a zombie plague outbreak). How fast is the
passenger moving relative to the water?
• Let P = Passenger’s reference frame, S = Ship’s reference frame, W =
water’s reference frame.
• 𝒗𝑷𝑾 = 𝒗𝑷𝑺 + 𝒗𝑺𝑾
• This is a one-dimensional vector addition.
𝒗𝑺𝑾
• 𝒗𝑷𝑾 = 5.0 m/s [N] + 2.0 m/s [N]
• = 7.0 m/s [N] 𝒗𝑷𝑾

𝒗𝑷𝑺
Alas! Lurking at the front of the ship is none other than dread
Cthulhu! The hapless passenger reverses direction. What’s his
new velocity relative to the water?

• 𝒗𝑷𝑾 = 𝒗𝑷𝑺 + 𝒗𝑺𝑾

• 𝒗𝑷𝑾 = - 2.0 m/s [N] +
5.0 m/s [N]
= 3.0 m/s [N]
Relative Motion in 2D
• A) Cedric, in his canoe, attempts to cross a river. He heads due north
through the water at 10.0 km/h. The river, however, is flowing due
east at 5.00 km/h. Work out Cedric’s velocity relative to the an
observer on the riverbank.
Solution

• Let vBW represent the boat’s velocity relative to the water.

• Let vWE represent the water’s velocity relative to the (Earth-bound)
observer.
• Let vBE be the boat’s velocity relative to the observer.
Then 𝒗𝑩𝑬 = 𝒗𝑩𝑾 + 𝒗𝑾𝑬
Pythag: 𝒗𝑩𝑬 = 𝒗𝑩𝑾 𝟐 + 𝒗𝑾𝑬 𝟐

= 10.0 𝑘𝑚/ℎ 2 + 5.0 𝑘𝑚/ℎ 2

• ≈ 11.2 𝑘𝑚/ℎ
5.00 𝑘𝑚/ℎ
θ= 𝑡𝑎𝑛−1
10.0 𝑘𝑚/ℎ
= 26.6𝑜
km
∴ 𝒗𝑩𝑬 = 11.2 [𝑁 26.6𝑜 𝐸]
h
• b) What must the boat’s heading be if it is to arrive at a point due
north of where it started?
In this case, the boat must aim partially into the current, so that the
westward-directed x-component of its velocity exactly compensates for
the river’s eastward velocity.
In this case, 𝒗𝑩𝑾 is the hypotenuse, so…

−1
5.00 𝑘𝑚/ℎ
θ = 𝑠𝑖𝑛 = 30.0𝑜
10.0 𝑘𝑚/ℎ

So the boat must head [N 30.0𝑜 W]

c) What’s the boat’s new velocity relative to the observer on the
riverbank?

𝒗𝑩𝑬 = 𝒗𝑩𝑾 𝟐 − 𝒗𝑾𝑬 𝟐

2 2 𝑘𝑚
= 10.0𝑘𝑚/ℎ − 5.00𝑘𝑚/ℎ = 8.66
ℎ
km
∴ 𝒗𝑩𝑬 = 8.66 [𝑁]
h
• The air velocity of a falcon is 130 km/h [N42oE]. However, the falcon is
battling a ferocious 75 km/h wind from the north. What’s its resultant
velocity relative to the ground?
• Let F = falcon, A = air, G = ground.
• 𝒗𝑭𝑨 = 130 km/h [N42oE]
• = 130 (𝑐𝑜𝑠 48𝑜 , 𝑠𝑖𝑛(48𝑜)
• = (87.0, 96.6) km/h
𝑘𝑚
• 𝒗𝑨𝑮 = 75 𝑆 = 0, −75 𝑘𝑚/ℎ
ℎ
• 𝒗𝑭𝑮 = 𝒗𝑭𝑨 + 𝒗𝑨𝑮 = 87.0 + 0, 96.6 − 75 𝑘𝑚/ℎ
• = 87.0, 21.6 𝑘𝑚/ℎ
• = 89.6 km/h [E 13.6oN]
• = 90. km/h [E14oN]
Final Example
• An airplane has a top airspeed 450. km/h. The direct
distance from Toronto to Sudbury is 344. km, and the
heading is [N 22.9oW].

• The plane is cleared for takeoff at 1:00 pm, with a scheduled

arrival time of 1:55 pm.

• However, the plane must battle a 75.0 km/h north wind. Will
the plane be able to arrive on time?
Solution.
• Let P = plane, A = air and G = ground
• The magnitude of the plane’s ground velocity must be:
𝑑 344 𝑘𝑚
• 𝒗𝑷𝑮 = = 55 = 375.3 𝑘𝑚/ℎ
𝑡 ( ℎ)
60
• This means that the plane is capable of arriving on
time if there’s no wind.
• Since we’re given the ground heading, the plane’s
ground velocity must be:
𝑘𝑚 𝑘𝑚
• 𝒗𝑷𝑮 = 375 𝑁22.9𝑜𝑊 = −145.9, 345.4
ℎ ℎ
𝑘𝑚
• The wind velocity is given by 𝒗𝑨𝑮 = 75 𝑆
ℎ
𝑘𝑚
• = 0, −75
ℎ
• 𝒗𝑷𝑮 = 𝒗𝑷𝑨 + 𝒗𝑨𝑮
𝑘𝑚
• 𝒗𝑷𝑨 = 𝒗𝑷𝑮 - 𝒗𝑨𝑮 = −145.9, 345.4 − 0, −75
ℎ
𝑘𝑚
• = −145.9, 420.4
ℎ
km
•= 445 [W70.9oN]
h
• So, yes, the plane is capable of arriving on schedule.
Homework
• p 47-48 #1-9
• p. 49 #1-10
• Projectile motion lab due tomorrow. Add the following:
• The video frame rate is given as 240 fps ±17 fps.
𝛿𝑟𝑒𝑙 ∆𝑡
a) Express this deviation in relative terms. 𝛿𝑟𝑒𝑙 ∆𝑡 = .
∆𝑡
b) Since ½𝒂𝒚 is the coefficient of ∆𝑡 2 , then 𝛿𝑟𝑒𝑙 (𝒂𝒚 ) = 2𝛿𝑟𝑒𝑙 ∆𝑡 . Work
this out.
c) Work out the absolute deviation on 𝒂𝒚 . 𝛿𝑎𝑏𝑠 𝒂𝒚 = 𝒂𝒚 𝛿𝑟𝑒𝑙 𝒂𝒚 .
d) Does the accepted value of 𝒂𝒚 = 9.8 m/s2 fall within the range
of 𝒂𝒚(𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒍) ± 𝜹𝒓𝒆𝒍 (𝒂𝒚 )?