Is There a Calculus Relationship Between These Kinematics Equations?

Join the discussion
Registration is free. Ask a follow-up in this thread, or start your own.
5 replies · 3K views
tahayassen
Messages
269
Reaction score
1
[tex]{ y }_{ f }={ y }_{ i }+{ v }_{ yi }t+\frac { 1 }{ 2 } { a }_{ y }{ t }^{ 2 }\\ { v }_{ yf }={ v }_{ yi }+{ a }_{ y }t[/tex]

It almost looks like the second equation is the derivative of the first equation with respect to time.
 
Physics news on Phys.org


Exactly. The velocity of an object is simply the time-derivative of its position function.
 


Pengwuino said:
Exactly. The velocity of an object is simply the time-derivative of its position function.

Maybe I'm incredibly rusty on my calculus, but isn't the time-derivative of the first equation the following?

[tex]0={ v }_{ yi }+{ a }_{ y }t[/tex]
 


##v_{yf}## isn't a constant, it's a variable, more specifically the dependent variable, a function of t. Written as functions, your two equations are

$$y(t) = y_i + v_{yi} t + \frac{1}{2}a_y t^2 \\ v_y(t) = v_{yi} + a_y t$$
 


jtbell said:
##v_{yf}## isn't a constant, it's a variable, more specifically the dependent variable, a function of t. Written as functions, your two equations are

$$y(t) = y_i + v_{yi} t + \frac{1}{2}a_y t^2$$

$$v_y(t) = v_{yi} + a_y t$$

Thank you!