13.

5  Tangential and Normal Components of Acceleration 785

Hence,
# # #
x y z -a sin t a cos t b
$
3 x $ $ 3 3 -a cos t
y z -a sin t 03
% % %
-a cos t
t =
x y
0v * a0
z
2
=
a sin t
1 a 2a2 + b2 22
0
  Value of 0 v * a 0
from Eq. (7)

b ( a2 cos2 t + a2 sin2 t )
=
a2 ( a2 + b2 )
b
= .
a 2 + b2
From this last equation we see that the torsion of a helix about a circular cylinder is
constant. In fact, constant curvature and constant torsion characterize the helix among all
curves in space.

Computation Formulas for Curves in Space

v
T =
Unit tangent vector:  
0v0
d T>dt
Principal unit normal vector: N =
0 d T>dt 0
B = T * N
Binormal vector:  
dT 0v * a0
Curvature:     k = ` ` =
ds 0v03
# # #
x y z
3 x$ $
y
$3
z
% % %
dB # x y z
Torsion:      t = - N =
ds 0v * a02
Tangential and normal scalar
components of acceleration:      a = aTT + aNN
d
a  T = 0v0
dt
a N = k 0 v 0 2 = 2 0 a 0 2 - aT 2

Exercises  13.5
Finding Tangential and Normal Components 5. r(t) = t 2i + ( t + (1>3)t 3 ) j + ( t - (1>3)t 3 ) k, t = 0
In Exercises 1 and 2, write a in the form a = aTT + aNN without
6. r(t) = ( et cos t ) i + ( et sin t ) j + 22et k, t = 0
finding T and N.
1. r(t) = (a cos t)i + (a sin t)j + bt k
Finding the TNB Frame
2. r(t) = (1 + 3t)i + (t - 2)j - 3t k
In Exercises 7 and 8, find r, T, N, and B at the given value of t. Then
In Exercises 3–6, write a in the form a = aTT + aNN at the given find equations for the osculating, normal, and rectifying planes at that
value of t without finding T and N. value of t.
3. r(t) = (t + 1)i + 2tj + t 2k, t = 1 7. r(t) = (cos t)i + (sin t)j - k, t = p>4
2 8. r(t) = (cos t)i + (sin t)j + t k, t = 0
4. r(t) = (t cos t)i + (t sin t)j + t k, t = 0

M13_THOM9799_13_SE_C13.indd 785 04/04/16 3:43 PM

 786 Chapter 13: Vector-Valued Functions and Motion in Space

In Exercises 9–16 of Section 13.4, you found T, N, and k. Now, in the 24. What can be said about the torsion of a smooth plane curve
following Exercises 9–16, find B and t for these space curves. r(t) = ƒ(t)i + g(t)j? Give reasons for your answer.
9. r(t) = (3 sin t)i + (3 cos t)j + 4t k 25. Differentiable curves with zero torsion lie in planes  That a
10. r(t) = (cos t + t sin t)i + (sin t - t cos t)j + 3k sufficiently differentiable curve with zero torsion lies in a plane is
a special case of the fact that a particle whose velocity remains
11. r(t) = (et cos t)i + (et sin t)j + 2k
perpendicular to a fixed vector C moves in a plane perpendicular
12. r(t) = (6 sin 2t)i + (6 cos 2t)j + 5t k to C. This, in turn, can be viewed as the following result.
13. r(t) = ( t 3 >3 ) i + ( t 2 >2 ) j, t 7 0   Suppose r(t) = ƒ(t)i + g(t)j + h(t)k is twice differentiable
14. r(t) = ( cos t ) i + ( sin t ) j, 0 6 t 6 p>2
3 3 for all t in an interval 3a, b4 , that r = 0 when t = a, and that
v # k = 0 for all t in 3a, b4 . Show that h(t) = 0 for all t in
15. r(t) = ti + (a cosh (t>a))j, a 7 0 3a, b4 . (Hint: Start with a = d 2r>dt2 and apply the initial condi-
16. r(t) = (cosh t)i - (sinh t)j + t k tions in reverse order.)
26. A formula that calculates T from B and v  If we start with the
definition t = -(dB>ds) # N and apply the Chain Rule to rewrite
Physical Applications
17. The speedometer on your car reads a steady 35 km > h. Could you
dB > ds as
be accelerating? Explain.
18. Can anything be said about the acceleration of a particle that is dB dB dt dB 1
moving at a constant speed? Give reasons for your answer. = = ,
ds dt ds dt 0 v 0
19. Can anything be said about the speed of a particle whose acceler-
ation is always orthogonal to its velocity? Give reasons for your we arrive at the formula
answer.
20. An object of mass m travels along the parabola y = x2 with a 1 dB #
t = - a Nb.
constant speed of 10 units > s. What is the force on the object due 0v0 dt
to its acceleration at (0, 0)? at (21>2, 2)? Write your answers in
terms of i and j. (Remember Newton’s law, F = ma.) Use the formula to find the torsion of the helix in Example 2.

Theory and Examples

21. Show that k and t are both zero for the line COMPUTER EXPLORATIONS
Rounding the answers to four decimal places, use a CAS to find v, a,
r(t) = (x0 + At)i + ( y0 + Bt)j + (z0 + Ct)k.
speed, T, N, B, k, t, and the tangential and normal components of
22. Show that a moving particle will move in a straight line if the acceleration for the curves in Exercises 27–30 at the given values of t.
normal component of its acceleration is zero.
27. r(t) = (t cos t)i + (t sin t)j + t k, t = 23
23. A sometime shortcut to curvature  If you already know 0 aN 0
28. r(t) = (et cos t)i + (et sin t)j + et k, t = ln 2
and 0 v 0 , then the formula aN = k 0 v 0 2 gives a convenient way to
find the curvature. Use it to find the curvature and radius of cur- 29. r(t) = (t - sin t)i + (1 - cos t)j + 2-t k, t = - 3p
vature of the curve 30. r(t) = ( 3t - t 2 ) i + ( 3t 2 ) j + ( 3t + t 3 ) k, t = 1
r(t) = (cos t + t sin t)i + (sin t - t cos t)j, t 7 0.
(Take aN and 0 v 0 from Example 1.)

13.6  Velocity and Acceleration in Polar Coordinates

y In this section we derive equations for velocity and acceleration in polar coordinates.
These equations are useful for calculating the paths of planets and satellites in space, and
we use them to examine Kepler’s three laws of planetary motion.
uu

ur
r P(r, u) Motion in Polar and Cylindrical Coordinates
u
x When a particle at P(r, u) moves along a curve in the polar coordinate plane, we express
O
its position, velocity, and acceleration in terms of the moving unit vectors

FIGURE 13.30  The length of r is the ur = (cos u)i + (sin u)j, uu = -(sin u)i + (cos u)j,(1)
positive polar coordinate r of the point P.
Thus, ur , which is r> 0 r 0 , is also r > r. r so r = r u .
shown in Figure 13.30. The vector ur points along the position vector OP, r
Equations (1) express ur and uu in terms The vector uu , orthogonal to ur , points in the direction of increasing u.
of i and j.

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