Q.Derive the second and third equations of motion by the graphical method. OR Derive the expression for the horizontal range and maximum height in projectile motion.
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Start your 14-day free trial to unlock the full solution →On a v-t graph of uniformly accelerated motion, the displacement equals the area under the graph (a trapezium), which gives s = ut + (1/2)at^2; eliminating t between v = u+at and this area formula gives v^2 = u^2 + 2as.
Consider a body moving with initial velocity u and uniform acceleration a. Its velocity-time (v-t) graph is a straight line starting at v = u (at t = 0) and rising to v = u + at at time t (this is the first equation of motion, read directly as the slope of the line = a).
Second equation of motion (s = ut + (1/2)at^2):
The displacement s in time t equals the area under the v-t graph between 0 and t. This area is a trapezium with parallel sides u and v = u+at, and 'height' (along the time axis) t. It can be split into a rectangle of height u and width t (area = ut) plus a triangle of height (v - u) = at and base t (area = (1/2) x t x at = (1/2)at^2). Adding these:
s = ut + (1/2)at^2
Third equation of motion (v^2 = u^2 + 2as): …
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