Curvilinear Motion:

Cylindrical Components

Sometimes the motion of the particle is

constrained on a path that is best
described using cylindrical
coordinates.

If motion is restricted to the plane,

then polar coordinates are used.
 Polar Coordinates.
We can specify the location of the particle shown in Fig. 12-30a using a
radial coordinate r, which extends outward from the fixed origin 0 to the
particle, and a transverse coordinate θ, which is the counterclockwise
angle between a fixed reference line and the r axis.
The angle is generally measured in degrees or radians.
The positive directions of the r and θ
coordinates are defined by the unit vectors
ur and uθ , respectively.
Here ur is in the direction of increasing r
when θ is held fixed,
and uθ is in a direction of increasing θ when
r is held fixed.

Note that these directions are perpendicular

to one another.
 Position
At any instant the position of the particle, Fig. 12-
30a, is defined by the position vector
r = rur (12-22)
 Velocity
The instantaneous velocity v is
obtained by taking the time
derivative of r. (r = rur )
we have

To evaluate u  r notice that u only changes its

r
direction with respect to time, since by definition
the magnitude of this vector is always one unit.

Hence, during the time ∆t, a change ∆r will not

cause a change in the direction of ur; however, a
change ∆θ will cause ur to become u’r
where u’r = ur + ∆ur Fig. 12-30b.

The time change in ur is then ∆ur.

 Velocity
For small angles ∆θ this vector has a magnitude ∆ur ≈ 1 (∆θ) and acts in the uθ
direction.
Therefore, ∆ur = ∆θu θ, and so

Substituting into the above equation, the velocity

can be written in component form as

where
 Velocity
These components are shown graphically
in Fig. 12-30c.
The radial is a measure of the rate of
increase or decrease in the length of the
radial coordinate, i.e., r;
whereas the transverse component vθ
can be interpreted as the rate of motion
along the circumference of a circle having
a radius r.

In particular, the term   d / dtis called the angular

velocity, since it indicates the time rate of change of the
angle θ.
Common units used for this measurement are rad/s.
 Velocity
Since vr and vθ are mutually
perpendicular, the magnitude
Of velocity or speed is simply
the positive value of

2 
v  ( r )  ( r ) 2

and the direction of v is, of course, tangent to the path, Fig. 12-30c.
 Acceleration
Taking the time derivatives of Eq.
12-24, using Eqs. 12-25, we obtain
the particle's instantaneous
acceleration,

To evaluate u ,it is necessary only to find the

change in the direction of uθ since its magnitude is
always unity.

During the time ∆t, a change ∆r will not change the

direction of uθ , however, a change ∆θ will cause uθ
to become
u'θ, where u'θ = uθ +∆uθ , Fig. 12-30d.
The time change in uθ is thus ∆uθ .
 Acceleration

For small angles this vector has a magnitude ∆uθ ≈ 1(∆θ) and acts in the- ur

a  rur  r
direction; ∆uθ = - ∆θ ur

a  rur  r ( u )  r ( u )  ru  r ( ur )

a  rur  r 2ur  ru  2 ru

Substituting this result and Eq. 12-23 into the above equation for
a, we can write the acceleration in component form as
a  ( r  r 2 )ur  ( r  2 r )u
 Acceleration

The term   d  / dt
2 2
is called the angular acceleration since it
measures the change made in the angular velocity during an instant of
time. Units for this measurement are rad/s2.
Since ar and aӨ are always perpendicular, the magnitude of

The direction is determined from the vector addition of its two

components. In general, a will not be tangent to the path, Fig. 12-30e.
v  (r ) 2  r ( ) 2
 Cylindrical Coordinates
If the particle moves along a space curve as shown
in Fig. 12-31, then its location may be specified by
the three cylindrical coordinates, r, θ, z.
The z coordinate is identical to that used for
rectangular coordinates.
Since the unit vector defining its direction, uz' is
constant, the time derivatives of this vector
are zero, and therefore the position, velocity, and
acceleration of the particle can be written
in terms of its cylindrical coordinates as follows:
∆uθ = - ∆θ ur

12-31

12-32 ∆uθ = - ∆θ ur
 Time Derivative
The above equations require that we obtain the time derivatives
r , r , and 
in order to evaluate the r and e components of v and a.

Two types of problems generally occur:

1. If the polar coordinates are specified as time parametric
equations, r = r(t) and θ = θ(t), then the time derivatives can be
found directly.

2. If the time-parametric
 equations are not
 given, then the path r = f(θ) must
r and  r and 
be known. Using the chain rule of calculus we can then find the relation
Between and between .

Application of the chain rule, along with some examples, is explained in

Appendix C.
 Procedure for Analysis
• Coordinate System.
• Polar coordinates are a suitable choice for solving problems
when
data regarding the angular motion of the radial coordinate r is
given to describe the particle's motion. Also, some paths of
motion
can conveniently be described in terms of these coordinates.
• To use polar coordinates, the origin is established at a fixed
point,and the radial line r is directed to the particle.
• • The transverse coordinate θ is measured from a fixed
reference
• line to the radial line.
 Procedure for Analysis

• Velocity and Acceleration.

r , r , and 
• Once r and the four time derivatives
have been
evaluated at the instant considered, their values can be
substituted into Eqs. 12-25 and 12-29 to obtain the radial and
transverse components of v and a.
• If it is necessary to take the time derivatives of r = f( θ),
then thechain rule of calculus must be used. See Appendix
C.
z and z
• Motion in three dimensions requires a simple extension of
the above procedure to include .
 Relative Motion (Translating Axes)

In the previous lectures , we have described particle motion using coordinates

referred to fixed reference axes.

The displacements, velocities, and accelerations so determined are termed

absolute.

It is not always possible or convenient, however, to use a fixed set of axes to

describe or to measure motion.

In addition, there are many engineering problems for which the analysis of motion is
Simplified by using measurements made with respect to a moving reference system.

These measurements, when combined with the absolute motion of the moving
coordinate system, enable us to determine the absolute motion in question.

This approach is called a relative-motion analysis.

 Choice of Coordinate System

The motion of the moving coordinate system is specified with

Respect to a fixed coordinate system.
In Newtonian mechanics, this fixed system is the primary inertial
system, which is assumed to have no motion in space.

For engineering purposes, the fixed system may be taken as any

system whose absolute motion is negligible for the problem at
hand.

For most earthbound engineering problems, it is sufficiently

precise to take for the fixed reference system a set of axes
attached to the earth, in which case we neglect the motion of the
earth.
 Choice of Coordinate System

For the motion of satellites around the earth, a

non rotating coordinate system is chosen with its
origin on the axis of rotation of the earth.

For interplanetary travel, a nonrotating coordinate

system fixed to the sun would be used.

Thus, the choice of the fixed system depends on

the type of problem involved.
 Choice of Coordinate System

We will confine our attention in this lecture to

moving reference systems which translate but
do not rotate.

We will also confine our attention here to

relative-motion analysis for plane motion.
 Vector Representation

Consider two particles A and B which may have separate curvilinear

motions in a given plane or in parallel planes, Fig. 2/17.

We will arbitrarily attach the origin of a set of translating (nonrotating) axes

x-y to particle B and observe the motion of A from our moving position on B.
The position vector of A as measured relative
to the frame x-y is rA/B xi yj .

where the subscript notation “A/B” means “A

relative to B” or “A with respect to B.”

The unit vectors along the x- and y-axes are i

and j, and x and y are the coordinates of A
measured in the x-y frame.
 Vector Representation

The absolute position of B is defined by the

vector rB measured from the origin of the fixed
axes X-Y.

The absolute position

of A is seen, therefore,
to be determined by
the vector
rA=rB+rAB
Vector Representation
rA=rB+rAB
We now differentiate this vector equation once with respect
to time to obtain velocities and twice to obtain accelerations. Thus,

In Eq. 2/20 the velocity which we observe A to have from our position
at B attached to the moving axes x-y is vA/B This term is the velocity
of A with respect to B.
 Vector Representation

Similarly, in Eq. 2/21 the acceleration which we observe

A to have from our nonrotating position on B is
rA  v A / B  x i  y j

This term is the acceleration of A with respect to B.

We note that the unit vectors i and j

have zero derivatives because their
directions as well as their
magnitudes remain unchanged.
 Vector Representation

Equation 2/20 (or 2/21) states that the absolute velocity

(or acceleration) of A equals the absolute velocity (or
acceleration) of B plus, vectorially, the velocity (or
acceleration) of A relative to B.

The relative term is the velocity (or acceleration)

measurement which an observer attached to the moving
coordinate system x-y would make.
 Vector Representation

We can express the relative-motion terms in whatever

coordinate system is convenient—rectangular, normal
and tangential, or polar.

The appropriate fixed system of the previous articles

becomes the moving system in the present article.
 Additional Considerations

The selection of the moving point B for

attachment of the reference coordinate
system is arbitrary.
As shown in Fig. 2/18, point A could be
used just as well for the attachment of the
moving system, in which case the three
corresponding relative-motion equations for
position, velocity, and acceleration are

It is seen, therefore, that

rB/A =- rA/B, vB/A= -vA/B, and aB/A= - aA/B.
 Additional Considerations

In relative-motion analysis, it is important to realize that the acceleration of a

particle as observed in a translating system x-y is the same as that observed in
a fixed system X-Y if the moving system has a constant velocity.

This conclusion broadens the application of Newton’s second law of motion.

We conclude, consequently, that a set of

axes which has a constant absolute
velocity may be used in place of a “fixed”
system for the determination of
accelerations.

A translating reference system which has

no acceleration is called an
Inertial system.