CH. 1.
4 – VELOCITY AND ACCELERATION IN TWO DIMENSIONS
• Velocity and acceleration are both vector quantities just like displacement, so all of our techniques for combining displacement
vectors in two dimensions apply to these vectors as well.
• The average velocity of an object can be described as the rate of change of displacement with respect to time. This can be
found using the following equation:
Δ𝑑⃗
𝑣⃗
Δ𝑡
• Note that this is a vector equation – when dealing with one dimensional motion we can simply use positive or negative values
to indicate direction. For two dimensional motion we must use the component method we developed in Ch. 1.3.
• The velocity vector will have the same direction as the displacement vector and will have units of distance divided by time. This
will typically be in m/s, but we will also see other units such as km/h.
• If our total displacement is the result of multiple displacements, then we simply perform the vector sum:
Δ𝑑⃗ Δ𝑑⃗ Δ𝑑⃗ Δ𝑑⃗ ⋯
• The average speed of an object is a scalar quantity based on distance (or length). Speed is always a positive quantity since
lengths are strictly positive. To determine the total distance we simply add up the magnitudes of all the vector displacements
(we aren’t interested in direction, only magnitude).
Ch. 1.4 - Velocity/Acceleration in 2D 1
TUTORIAL 1 – PG. 31
A family drives from Saint John, New Brunswick, to Moncton. Assuming a straight highway, this part of the drive has a
displacement of 135.7 km E 31.1° N . From Moncton, they drive to Amherst, Nova Scotia. The second displacement is
51.9 km E 25.9° S . The total drive takes 2.5 h to complete.
a) Calculate the average velocity of the family’s vehicle.
b) Calculate the average speed of the family’s vehicle.
Ch. 1.4 - Velocity/Acceleration in 2D 2
VELOCITY AND ACCELERATION IN TWO DIMENSIONS
• The vector techniques we used to determine the total displacement and hence the average velocity can also be used to find
changes in velocity with time.
• When the velocity of an object changes over time the object experiences an acceleration – note that this change may be due to
a change in magnitude, a change in direction, or both.
Δ𝑣⃗ 𝑣⃗ 𝑣⃗
𝑎⃗ or 𝑎⃗
Δ𝑡 Δ𝑡
• We determine the horizontal and vertical components of the change in velocity:
Δ𝑣 𝑣 𝑣
Δ𝑣 𝑣 𝑣
• Then the magnitude of the change in velocity is:
Δ𝑣⃗ Δ𝑣 Δ𝑣
• And the direction of the change in velocity is:
Δ𝑣
𝜃 tan
Δ𝑣
Ch. 1.4 - Velocity/Acceleration in 2D 3
TUTORIAL 2 – PG. 33
A car turns from a road into a parking lot and into an available parking space. The car’s initial velocity is 4.0 m⁄s E 45.0° N . The
car’s velocity just before the driver decreases speed is 4.0 m⁄s E 10.0° N . The turn takes 3.0 s. Calculate the average acceleration
of the car during the turn.
Ch. 1.4 - Velocity/Acceleration in 2D 4
