13 Variable Motion Examples: Detailed Explanations

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The variable motion is uneven change in motion of the object. It is also known as non-uniform motion as the velocity varies.

Following are the variable motion examples

The motion of a minor planet

Generally, the minor planet is also known as an asteroid.

It is moving around the sun in an elliptical orbit. The motion of the asteroid is variable around the sun. Sometimes the motion of the asteroid is changed due to the strike of another asteroid or another planet’s gravitational effect.

Car coming to an abrupt stop

The car runs with uniform velocity on the road during a long drive.

When we are applying the brake to stop the car, The velocity of the car is continuously decreasing till it stops. This increase and decrease in the velocity in a period of time are known as variable motion.

Take off and landing of an airplane.

The airplane looks very beautiful with the uniform motion in the sky.

The take-off and the landing of the airplane is a difficult tasks. During takeoff, The velocity of the airplane increases from the rest.

variable motion examples
Take off Credit Wikipedia

During landing, The velocity of the plane decreases and comes to rest at high speed.

The arrival of the train at the station

The train runs at a constant speed from one station to the next station.

The immediate braking of the train is difficult, so the driver applies brake 1 or 2 km before the station.

The motion of the train on its arrival at the station is variable.

Running of horse in a race.

It is wonderful for one to ride on a horse.

The speed of the horse will be different during a long route.

RUNNING HORSE OIL PAINTING BY RAJASEKHARAN 1
Running horse credit Wikimedia

The horse will run according to its energy.

Starting motion of vehicle from rest

The starting of any vehicle requires traction effort.

The velocity of the vehicle is rising from zero. We have a variety of vehicles like bikes, scooters, cars, trucks, etc. For every vehicle, the starting of the vehicle possesses variable motion.

Our speech or talk

When we deliver a speech, our speed of words delivers in an equal number of time intervals.

We can say that our speech is delivered with variable motion.

Motion of pendulum

The motion of the pendulum is often found in the clock. Now a days, these clocks are rarely found.

In the pendulum, the motion is maximum in the middle of the distance, continuously reducing till the end.

510px Simple gravity pendulum
Pendulum Credit Wikipedia

The motion will turn zero at the end for a second. The cycle is repeated for an infinite time.

Throwing of ball

If one throws a ball in the sky,

The ball’s motion continuously increases and decreases due to gravitational force.

So the motion of the ball is a variable motion on earth.

Jumping Ball

If a ball is thrown on the ground, It will strike the ground and jump back.

The motion of the ball, throw and jump both are variable.

The ball’s jumping will continuously decrease in a given period of time due to variable motion.

Car driving on slant road

When a car passes through the diagonal road,

Even if we keep the engine speed the same, the car’s velocity decreases on climbing. The decrease in velocity depends on the slant of the road.

The variable motion is applicable on both sides. Either your motion is ascending or descending.

The motion of a box or body on a rough surface

If one box passes through the rough surface, it will come across the friction of the rough surface.

The friction will try to reduce the speed of the box; thus, this kind of motion is termed variable motion.

The friction on the rough surface is more maximum than on the polished surface.

Passing through the crowded location

This is a very practical example.

If one is passing through the open road, his motion is uniform. But if one is passing through a crowded location, the person’s motion continuously varies according to traffic.

The main difference between the variable motion and the uniform motion is stated as follows:

In variable motion – The motion of the body is continuously changed or varies from one location to another location

In uniform motion – The body’s motion remains unchanged or fixed from one location to another, for example, the motion of all nine planets around the sun.

Conclusion

There are numerous examples of the variable motion in nature. The variable motion is nothing but the velocity variation in a given period of time. It is also known as non-uniform motion as the velocity varies.

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