An Introduction
To identify the laws that govern the various changes that take place in bodies with respect to time, we must be able to describe the changes and have some way to record them for future references. The simplest way to observe a body is the apparent changes in its position with respect to time, which is known as the Motion of that object under observation. The rate of change of Displacement of the object is known as the Velocity of the object.
The next step in developing the equations of Motion is to introduce another important concept that goes beyond the concept of Velocity to that of change of Velocity. The rate of change of Velocity is known as the Acceleration of the particle. In this article, we will learn about what is Uniformly accelerated Motion in detail.
Have you ever wondered that even after the earth is moving around the sun in a round orbit, you have never ever felt a movement while staying here on earth? Well, there is a logic behind it. The movement that you cannot feel is due to the Uniform Acceleration that occurs. Acceleration is the Motion where an object when it gets force moves forward. This Acceleration can be of various types. Here in this guide via Vedantu students will be able to learn more about Uniform Acceleration and how these affect the movement of certain objects in the universe.
What is Uniform Acceleration
We know that Acceleration is the rate of change of Velocity with respect to time. Acceleration is a Vector quantity and the direction of Acceleration will be the same as the direction of the rate of change of Velocity. The SI unit of Acceleration is m/s2 and the dimensions of Acceleration are M0 L1T -2 .
We are familiar with the concept of Uniform Motion, if an object covers equal Displacement in an equal interval of time it is said to be undergoing Uniform Motion. Now the question is what is meant by Uniform Acceleration?
Define Uniform Acceleration
To answer define Uniformly accelerated Motion, let us first understand what is a Uniformly accelerated Motion in detail. As the name itself suggests Uniformly accelerated Motion means the object or a body is possessing a constant Acceleration. Constant Acceleration doesn’t mean zero Velocity. So the definition of Uniform Acceleration or Uniform Acceleration definition states that- if a body is under Motion such that the amount of change in its Velocity in equal intervals of time will be constant.
In other words, the Uniform Acceleration Motion definition is when an object is moving in a straight line and its change in Velocity over a period of time or interval remains constant. From the Uniformly accelerated Motion definition, we understand that the Uniform Acceleration can be witnessed in a straight line Motion.
For Acceleration is a Uniform example, the Motion of the freely falling body, the Acceleration of the body will be the only Acceleration due to gravity. If we plot a graph of Velocity versus the time we get a straight line the whole slope will give the required Acceleration.
Now, a few more example of Uniform Acceleration are as listed below:
A ball rolling down the slope.
When a bicycle rider is riding the bicycle on the slope where both the pedals are engaged.
A kid sliding down from the slider, etc...
Equations of Motion:
The equation of Motion for Uniform Acceleration are as follows:
The Distance Formula:
\[\Rightarrow S = ut + \frac{1}{2} at^2\]
Where,
u - The initial Velocity of the body
a - Acceleration of the body
t - The time interval
The Equation of Velocity:
\[\Rightarrow v = u + at\]
Where,
v - The final Velocity of the body
u - The initial Velocity of the body
a - Acceleration of the body
t - The time interval
And, we also have another equation for Velocity in terms of Displacement:
\[\Rightarrow v^2= u^2 + 2as \]
Where,
v - The final Velocity of the body
u - The initial Velocity of the body
a - Acceleration of the body
s - The distance covered
Characteristics of Uniformly Accelerated Motion:
If the direction of both Acceleration and the change in Velocity is the same then it will result in positive Acceleration.
At the same time if the direction of Acceleration and the change in Velocity is different or in the opposite direction then it will result in negative Acceleration known as retardation or deceleration.
With positive Acceleration, the speed of the object will either increase or decrease and with the negative Acceleration, speed of the object will be slowed down, hence it is known as retardation.
Note:
Now, the question that must be answered to understand Uniform Acceleration in detail is Is Uniformly accelerated Motion Uniform Motion? Are Uniform Acceleration and Uniform Motion the same?
The answer to this question is Uniform Motion and Uniform Acceleration are completely different from each other. We know that when an object covers equal Displacement in an equal interval of time it is said to be undergoing Uniform Motion, whereas the Uniform Acceleration is when an object is moving in a straight line and its change in Velocity over a period of time will not change or remain constant.
Therefore we should always keep in mind that Uniform Acceleration is not the same as Uniform Motion.
Non-Uniform Acceleration
The Non-Uniform Acceleration refers to the opposite of Uniform Acceleration. We know that Uniform Acceleration means that Acceleration remains constant, its change in Velocity will be constant over a period of time. Whereas in the non Uniform Acceleration the change in Velocity will not be the same. The direction of Velocity and the magnitude of the Acceleration will be changing with time.
For example, in our everyday life we see that while driving a car or bike in a curved path or in heavy traffic, the Velocity of the vehicle will change continuously. If we plot a graph of Velocity versus the time we get a non-Uniform curve.
(Image will be uploaded soon)
(Image will be uploaded soon)
Examples:
A Man Starting At Rest Travels 30m With a Constant Acceleration of 10 m/s2 How Long Does it Take?
Sol: A man is starting his journey from the rest, then the initial Velocity of the man will be zero. It is given that man travels a distance of 30m with a constant Acceleration of 10 m/s2
Now, we are asked to calculate the time taken to cover this distance.
We know that from the equation of Motion,
\[\Rightarrow S = ut + \frac{1}{2} at^2\]
Where,
u - The initial Velocity of the body
a - Acceleration of the body
t - The time interval
Substituting the given values in the above equation we get,
⇒ 30 = 0 + ½ (10)t2
⇒ 5t2 = 30
⇒ t2 = 6
⇒ t = 2.45s
Therefore, it takes 2.45s to cover this distance.
A Car Starting From the Rest Accelerated at 9 m/s2 For 9 Seconds.
What Will Be the Position of the Car at the End of 9 Seconds?
What Will Be the Velocity of the Car at the End of 9 Seconds?
Sol: Given that a car is accelerating at a constant Acceleration of 9 m/s2 for 9 seconds.
We are asked to calculate the position of the car at the end of 9 seconds.
The initial Velocity of the car is zero, as it is given that it’s starting from the rest. Let us assume that its initial position is zero.
Let X be the position of the car at the end of 9 seconds.
From the equation of Motion we have,
⇒ S = ut + ½ at2 ….(1)
Where,
u - The initial Velocity of the body
a - Acceleration of the body
t - The time interval
Substituting the given data in the equation (1) we get,
⇒ X = 0 + ½ (9)(9)2
⇒ X = 364.5m
Therefore, the position of the car at the end of 9 seconds is 364.5m away from the initial position.
The second part of the question requires the Velocity of the car at the end of the 9 seconds. It is given that, The initial Velocity of the car is zero, as it is given that it’s starting from the rest. Let us assume that its initial position is zero.
Now, from the equation of Motion we have:
⇒ v = u + at ….(1)
Where,
v - The final Velocity of the body
u - The initial Velocity of the body
a - Acceleration of the body
t - The time interval
Substituting given values in the equation (1) we get,
⇒ v = 0 + (9)(9) = 81 m/s
Therefore, the Velocity of the car at the end of 9 seconds is 81 m/s.
Types of Acceleration Based on Increase or Decrease:
Positive Acceleration:
A body is said to experience positive Acceleration when the Velocity of the body increases with respect to time. It means that the graph plotted for this Acceleration will have a positive slope.
Negative Acceleration:
A body is said to experience negative Acceleration when the Velocity of the body decreases with respect to time. It means that when a Velocity-time graph is plotted there will be the presence of a negative slope.
Zero Acceleration:
A body is said to have zero Acceleration when it experiences a Velocity of constant rate with respect to time or it is at rest. In this case, the graph will have a slope equal to zero.
FAQs on Uniform Acceleration
1. Is Uniform Acceleration an important phenomenon and where is it applicable?
Yes, Uniform Acceleration is an important phenomenon not only context-wise but also when you take a look at its applications in various real-life instances. Hence learning about the Uniform Acceleration is important not only when you are studying for the exam but also to know how they can be applied in various situations. For example, there might be a vehicle that exhibits zero Acceleration, which makes a lot of students think that the vehicle is not moving but in fact, the vehicle has a constant Velocity which means that the vehicle is moving at a constant speed and hence it has zero Acceleration.
2. What does a Uniformly accelerated Motion in a plane mean?
Projectile Motion is considered to be one of the most popular examples of Motion present in a plane with Uniform Acceleration. It is seen that in the case of projectile Motion, the only Acceleration that is acting on the particle is due to gravity. Here, in the x-direction or the horizontal direction the Velocity will be constant as there is no Acceleration being involved. Hence depending on the direction different equations of Motions can be applied to get the results. An object is said to have Acceleration when it has Motion and can be moved in either one dimension, two dimensions, or even three dimensions.
3. What are the types of Acceleration seen in an environment?
There are three main types of Accelerations that are found and can be provided as follows:
1. Uniform Acceleration:
When a body undergoes equal chances in Velocity under equal changes in the time it is said to be Uniform Acceleration.
2. Average Acceleration:
When an object does not have equal Acceleration over a given time period it is said to have non-Uniform Acceleration. The average Acceleration, in this case, can then be found out by dividing the change in Velocity with respect to time.
3. Instantaneous Acceleration:
When an Acceleration of an object is measured in an instant it will be called instantaneous Acceleration. Instantaneous Acceleration can also be said to be the second derivative of position with respect to time.
4. Is there a presence of Acceleration due to gravity and how is it related to each other?
It is a known fact that all bodies that have weight will be pulled towards the earth due to gravity. Hence if there is an object that falls from a height it will fall freely toward the ground with Uniform Acceleration. This Uniform Acceleration that is caused due to the earth’s gravitational pull can be represented as ‘g’. The value of this ‘g’ is about 9.8 m/s2 for all those bodies that fall freely towards the earth’s surface. This value however will change with respect to different places on the surface of the earth. It will have values that will be maximum at the poles and minimum at the equator.
5. How does Vedantu help learn about Uniform Acceleration?
Yes, Vedantu does provide a lot of information on the Uniform Acceleration that help students learn better about the topic. This also allows students to prepare for their exams beforehand. With the help of Vedantu sample papers that are available for free of cost, students can also use their skills and solve these papers to understand the concepts better. Apart from this students are also free to attend the Vedantu live classes that are specially held for those who have doubts with regards to the topic.
6. If an Object Has Zero Acceleration it Means that the Object is Not Under Motion?
No. Zero acceleration refers to the uniform velocity. An object can have zero acceleration and still be under motion.
7. Give an Example of Uniform Acceleration.
A free-falling body is an example of uniform acceleration, a ball rolling down the slide.
