What is Motion: Definition and 1000 Discussions

In physics, motion is the phenomenon in which an object changes its position over time. Motion is mathematically described in terms of displacement, distance, velocity, acceleration, speed, and time. The motion of a body is observed by attaching a frame of reference to an observer and measuring the change in position of the body relative to that frame with change in time. The branch of physics describing the motion of objects without reference to its cause is kinematics; the branch studying forces and their effect on motion is dynamics.
If an object is not changing relatively to a given frame of reference, the object is said to be at rest, motionless, immobile, stationary, or to have a constant or time-invariant position with reference to its surroundings. As there is no absolute frame of reference, absolute motion cannot be determined. Thus, everything in the universe can be considered to be in motion.Motion applies to various physical systems: to objects, bodies, matter particles, matter fields, radiation, radiation fields, radiation particles, curvature, and space-time. One can also speak of motion of images, shapes, and boundaries. So, the term motion, in general, signifies a continuous change in the positions or configuration of a physical system in space. For example, one can talk about the motion of a wave or about the motion of a quantum particle, where the configuration consists of probabilities of occupying specific positions.
The main quantity that measures the motion of a body is momentum. An object's momentum increases with the object's mass and with its velocity. The total momentum of all objects in an isolated system (one not affected by external forces) does not change with time, as described by the law of conservation of momentum. An object's motion, and thus its momentum, cannot change unless a force acts on the body.

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  1. I

    A Bounded Packet Motion: Unravel the Asymptotically Helical Trajectory

    In the article 'Cellular vacuum' (Int. J. Theor. Phys. 21: 537-551, 1982), Minsky writes: "One can prove that any bounded packet which moves within a regular lattice must have an asymptotically helical trajectory.. . " He does not explain this statement further, nor does he give any references...
  2. I

    A Where Can I Find the Proof of Asymptotically Helical Trajectory in a Lattice?

    In the article 'Cellular vacuum' (Int. J. Theor. Phys. 21: 537-551, 1982), Minsky writes: "One can prove that any bounded packet which moves within a regular lattice must have an asymptotically helical trajectory...". But he gives no references whatsoever. I had no success in a search on the...
  3. sergiokapone

    Law of motion for orbiting particle in a uniform magnetic field.

    Hi all, I interested in how can I get low of motion in for orbiting particle in a uniform magnetic field $$\frac{d\vec{r}}{dt} = \vec{\omega}\times\vec{r},\qquad \vec{\omega} = \frac{e\vec{B}}{mc},$$ Of course, rotating about z' axis is very simple. \begin{equation}\label{eq:K}...
  4. Silverbeam

    Can an object maintain uniform motion without any external force?

    Hi, I’m new here and I signed up to ask for some help with a physics problem. I’m not trained, nor am I receiving training, in physics. I’m a bachelor of Geoscience student halfway through my course. The problem I have is with understanding and testing the law of uniform motion (I think that’s...
  5. chucho11028

    Motion in one dimension -- Experiments with a Hot Wheels car rolling down a ramp

    Hello This is not a homework, this is my own experiment to understand how the motion works. Please, follow my question here below: I have a hot wheels race with a slope with 10 degrees where I use a small car which departs from the top to the bottom. I have taken 5 times the time to get an...
  6. R

    MHB Motion in polar coordinates

    I need a little help with this problem please
  7. T

    Can PCA Be Used to Derive Equations of Motion?

    Was wondering if PCA can be used to find equation of motions, like F = kx.
  8. O

    Equation of motion of a marble moving on a generic vertical guide

    Hello to everyone :smile: I'd like to study this problem. You have a 2D guide, described by an equation y = y (x) in a reference interval x ∈ I = [a, b], placed in a cartesian vertical plane Oxy. The guide is frictionless and the only force that is acting is the gravity force. On this track, a...
  9. L

    Physics Graph Word Problem -- Motion of a person skiing down a slope

    I was able to do the first graph knowing that acceleration is 9.8 and my distance goes up by 10s (y-axis) and my time goes up by 1s (x-axis). For the other 3 graphs, I'm not sure where to begin because I don't know how to figure out my velocity
  10. kshitij

    Projectile Motion in 2D: Solving for Maximum Range in Inclined Planes

    I know the conventional method for solving this question using the formula for maximum range of a projectile in an inclined plane, but since it is an objective problem, if we consider a non general case where α=0, then clearly we can see that (see attachment) only one option matches which...
  11. Frabjous

    Classical Konopinski Classical Descriptions of Motion (1969)

    Does anyone have any experience with this book? It looks interesting. See attached TOC
  12. T

    Ball's motion after one bounce off the ground - SUVAT Question (ENGAA 2017)

    Please scroll-down to the end (Question 54): https://www.undergraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/files/publications/engineering_s1_qp_2017.pdf I have also been referring to unofficial worked solutions (http://www.engineeringadmissionsassessment.com/2017-solutions.html), but I didn't understand how it...
  13. Gonzalo Lopez

    Motion Equation for a magnet on a spring

    Apart from the trivial elements of the motion equation (m z'' = -kz -mg), I am required to find the force produced by the Eddy currents induced by the moving magnet. To do so, I calculated the magnetic flux through the hole plate: For a magnet: Bz=μo m 4π. 2z^2−r^2/(z^2+r^2)^5/2 so Φ = a→ +∞...
  14. cle102

    Uniform Circular Motion on a racetrack

    Not sure what I'm doing here. Not sure how to continue? Please help. Thank you in advance!
  15. cle102

    Uniform Circular Motion: banked race track circular path

    Basically, I need help to continue on this question. This is what I have now: Angle of the race track (angle of the grey part): tan(18/(169-108)) = 0.30396 Not sure how to continue?? What am I supposed to do and find next? Thank you in advance! :smile::blushing::oldbiggrin:
  16. E

    What is the physics behind line vortices and their equations of motion?

    I'm getting really stuck with understanding this example: (Source: page 98) What is a line vortex, and how do we derive those equations of motion? All I can tell is that the velocity of a given vortex depends on a contribution from every other vortex in the plane, but I wondered if someone...
  17. L

    Proportionality theorem and projectile motion

    So i have this question. If a projectile is fired from a spring loaded system and when it goes pass a chronograph, reads 300FPS and has a mass of 0.12grams. Is there any way to use the proportionality theorem (1/3=x/6 example) to approximate how fast a mass of 0.25grams is when fired from same...
  18. Daniel Boy

    Motion Equations by Newton's Formalism for a Double Pendulum

    By Lagrange's formalism, the motion equations for double pendulum are: Using Newton's formalism I can't obtain the second equation. Anyone can help?
  19. R

    Relative Motion Comparing my motion vs an airplane

    I'm having trouble understanding the plane one This is what I understand so far v I'm sitting at a chair right now and if I compare my relative motion to the ground my relative velocity would be 0m/s but if I compare my motion to the solar system I would be moving very fast. I just can't grasp...
  20. J

    I Time Dilation & Superluminal Travel: 2 Questions

    Two quick questions on time dilation and superluminal travel for a situation in which two people are in motion with respect to each other. 1) If Jack is moving with respect to Jill, Jill sees Jack's clock move more slowly relative to her clock, so Jill perceives Jack aging more slowly relative...
  21. J

    Exploring Motion in Physics: Beyond Translation, Rotation, and Oscillation

    In high school I learned about three kinds of motion in classical mechanics - translation, rotation, and oscillation. Are there any other kinds of motion in the physical world?
  22. S

    Converting State Vectors to Keplerian Orbital Elements for Binary Objects

    Homework Statement:: I'm working on a personal project to convert objects from a simulation using state vectors for position and velocity to Keplerian orbital elements (semimajor axis, eccentricity, argument of periapsis, etc.). However, the equations I am using do not calculate the...
  23. Leo Liu

    Planetary motion in a viscous medium

    The answer to (c) is ##-2\pi AGMm##. Answer to (d) For sub-question d, I used a different approach and I don't know why the solution to (d) is an appropriate approximation. What I did was that I use Newton's laws to obtain two differential equation in polar coordinate, as shown: $$\text{Assume...
  24. vintagelover007

    Fermi Motion of Nucleons due to a Beam of Neutrinos

    Stable nuclei have radii that are approximately given by the formula: R = r0_A^1/3 Where r0 = 1.25 × 10−15m and A is the atomic mass number. In many experiments of interest to modern particle physics, beams of neutrinos scatter from nucleons within the nucleus. Even though the nucleus is at...
  25. J

    Engineering Equations of Motion for Beginners: Simple Solutions

    I am beginner. Can anybody do that? I need solution. Thanks so much!
  26. iVenky

    I Are quantum computers required to be cold to reduce Brownian motion?

    I understand that based on what I have read online quantum computers are required to be close to absolute zero because it introduces less error. Is it because brownian motion due to thermal agitation of molecules reduces with temperature?
  27. N

    Motion inside a curved surface

    Here's my solution: I've tried to find the equation of vx. But the graph that it is generating is not right. I am not able to figure out what is wrong in the equation for vx. Please let me know where is the equation wrong and what is wrong? Here's the graph:
  28. greedygnome

    Using Physics to explain the motion of Olympic Divers

    I have a feeling that they will reach the water surface in the same time. How do I explain this in physics?
  29. G Cooke

    Questions About Highly Coupled Magnetic Resonance

    This is one of very few in-depth sources of information I can find online about Highly Coupled Magnetic Resonance...
  30. aatari

    Finding the Uncertainty in the motion of a pendulum

    Hi guys can someone look at my work for uncertainty and let me know if it makes sense.
  31. B

    When does the crash happen?

    1. I'm trying to calculate the time at which the crash does not happen (if possible, because I don't know the official solution. I assume the crash is preventable). At the time t the truck decelerates and makes the distance ##s_2= \frac{v_2^2}{2a}##. In the same time the car drives with the...
  32. A

    Motion of a rocket with propellant exhaust gas speed = constant

    Now this is how I've tried to solve this $$ v_e = u0 \cdot ln \frac {M} {M- μ \cdot t} $$ After putting in the values I get this; $$ v_e = 200 * ln 0,36 $$ $$ v_e = 73,54 \frac m s $$ Now I'd say that this is the correct way to do it, but this part is confusing me "What is the speed of the...
  33. J

    I Zeno's paradoxes of motion in physics

    if zeno's paradoxes are true and motion is impossible, then how does an electron reach the electrostatic field of another electron?
  34. Andrei0408

    Uniformly accelerated linear motion downwards

    Could you check if what I did is right and help me at e) and f)? Thank you!
  35. F

    Motion of particles close to the Earth

    I tried to solve the problem in 2 ways, first using lagrangian mechanics and second by putting a rotating reference frame on the initial take-off point. However I cannot be sure if the equations of motion for the two solutions came out the same. A-) Equations of motion from Lagrangian...
  36. J

    Special Relativity - relative motion of two bars

    Hi, I'm stucked in this exercise. I don't know how to proceed. Any hints I appreciate it.Two bars of the same proper length L, moves in the same way on the x axis. In the referential of one of the bars the time interval between the events, when the extremity right of one bar and the extremity...
  37. Andrei0408

    Understanding Exercise 3 and 8 in Freefall and Motion Law

    I need help with the exercises attached in the pictures. Basically, exercise 3 is already solved but I need some help understanding every subpoint (for example, at a) how did we get to 0=H -g* tAO/2 , I know it's from the motion law and vA=0, but why is y(t)=0?). And I tried solving ex 8, but I...
  38. L

    Engineering Bending motion and shear force

    A cantilever beam 2 meter in length, 5KN act at point (A) of the beam. There is point x it looks like half way along the beam. how do i workout the distance of point X so work out the magnidues of Ra and Rb so i can go onto working out bending motion and shear force?ruff idea i had 1) Ra x 2...
  39. greg_rack

    Finding height in uniformly accelerated motion

    First of all I have found the time taken by the first object to hit the ground back: ##\Delta t=2(\frac{v}{a})##. Then, by subtracting 2 seconds to this quantity, I get the time in which the second object has accelerated in free fall, with terminal velocity ##v=at##. Now, I find the distance...
  40. shk

    Motion problem -- Calculations given the v(t) graph of a person jumping

    Hi I have answered the question and have attached my working . I'm not very sure about part b. I generally need someone to check my working and let me know if I've made a mistake. Thanks
  41. shk

    Force and motion -- A water drop on the windscreen of a car

    Hi Please help me with part C. I have answered the question and have attached it for you to see.
  42. mingyz0403

    Engineering Motion of two balls connected by a rod

    Since there is no friction, there is no radial force acting on Ball B after the pin is remove. Therefore the radial acceleration of Ball B is zero. I don't know how to determine the transverse components of the acceleration of Ball B. I looked at the textbook solution. It takes moment about the...
  43. mingyz0403

    Engineering Newton’s Second Law of Motion — Collar sliding on a rotating rod

    The soultion used polar corrdinates. Acceleration in polar corrdinates have radial and transeverse components.When calculating the acceleration of collar respect to the rod, the solution only calculates the radial component of acceleration. Is it because the collar is on the rod, so the...
  44. Andrei0408

    Simple and driven harmonic motion

    I know you can't solve it and just give it to me, I just want to know what I'm supposed to do, if you need any more information or clarification please let me know. Thank you for taking the time to help me!
  45. SamRoss

    I How is the weak force related to a change in velocity?

    Hi everyone, The four fundamental forces are gravity (I understand that G.R. does not look upon gravity as a force but I'm not worried about that here), the Lorentz force, the weak force, and the strong force. I'm familiar with the inverse square law for gravitation and the Lorentz force...
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