Question

Differentiate between Rectilinear motion and Curvilinear motion.

Answer 1

Hint: Motion is the ability of an object to move from one place to another. When an object travels along a straight line, then the motion is said to be in linear motion. Kinematics is the study of bodies moving along a straight line.  Linear motion consists of two types which are rectilinear motion and curvilinear motion.

Complete answer:

The differences between rectilinear motion and curvilinear motion are as follows:

Rectilinear motion	Curvilinear motion
1. When a particle moves in the same direction constantly, then it is called linear motion.	1. When the particle moves along a curved path its motion is called Curvilinear motion.
2. In rectilinear motion, all the particles of the body travel the same displacement as well as displacement along parallel straight lines.	2. In the case of curvilinear motion, the trajectories of individual particles of the body are curved, and still the orientation of the body in space would not change.
3. In rectilinear motion the body can travel with uniform velocity.	3. In curvilinear motion the velocity keeps on changing as the direction of the motion changes.

As an example of rectilinear motion, we can say that a downhill skier going downwards along the fall line of a flat inclined plane is rectilinear motion. An example of curvilinear motion is a gymnast on a trampoline who keeps their body in the same position but still lands on a spot different from take-off. 

Note: When a body is performing a linear motion, then the distance of the motion is always equal to or greater than the displacement of the body. Also, for rectilinear motion, we only use kinematics to study the motion of the body while for curvilinear motion, we shall use both kinematics as well as rotational motion mechanics.