Kinematics and Kinetics of

Rigid Bodies
 Introduction

• Rigid-body kinematics involves both linear and angular displacements, velocities, and
accelerations.

• We need to describe the motion of rigid bodies for two important reasons.

• First, we frequently need to generate, transmit, or control certain motions by the use of
cams, gears, and linkages of various types.

• Here we must analyze the displacement, velocity, and acceleration of the motion to
determine the design geometry of the mechanical parts.

• Furthermore, as a result of the motion generated, forces may be developed which must be
accounted for in the design of the parts.

• Second, we must often determine the motion of a rigid body caused by the forces applied
to it.

• Calculation of the motion of a rocket under the influence of its thrust and gravitational
attraction is an example of such a problem.
 Assumption of Rigid Bodies

• Rigid body is a system of particles for which the distances between the particles remain
unchanged.

• Thus, if each particle of such a body is located by a position vector from reference axes
attached to and rotating with the body, there will be no change in any position vector as
measured from these axes.

• This is, of course, an ideal case since all solid materials change shape to some extent when
forces are applied to them.

• If the movements associated with the changes in shape are very small compared with the
movements of the body as a whole, then the assumption of rigidity is usually acceptable.

• The displacements due to the flutter of an aircraft wing, for instance, do not affect the
description of the flight path of the aircraft as a whole, and thus the rigid-body assumption
is clearly acceptable.

• On the other hand, if the problem is one of describing, as a function of time, the internal
wing stress due to wing flutter, then the relative motions of portions of the wing cannot be
neglected, and the wing may not be considered a rigid body.
 Plane Motion

• A rigid body executes plane motion when all parts of the body move in parallel planes.
• For convenience, we generally consider the plane of motion to be the plane which
contains the mass center, and we treat the body as a thin slab whose motion is confined to
the plane of the slab.

• Translation is defined as any motion in which every line in the body remains parallel to
its original position at all times.
• In translation there is no rotation of any line in the body.
• In rectilinear translation, all points in the body move in parallel straight lines.
• In curvilinear translation, all points move on congruent curves.
• We note that in each of the two cases of translation, the motion of the body is completely
specified by the motion of any point in the body, since all points have the same motion.
 Plane Motion

• Rotation about a fixed axis, is the angular motion about the axis.
• It follows that all particles in a rigid body move in circular paths about the axis of rotation,
and all lines in the body which are perpendicular to the axis of rotation (including those
which do not pass through the axis) rotate through the same angle in the same time.

• General plane motion of a rigid body, is a combination of translation and rotation.

 Rotation

• The rotation of a rigid body is described by its angular motion.

• Figure shows a rigid body which is rotating as it undergoes plane motion in the plane of
the figure.

• The angular positions of any two lines 1 and 2 attached to the body are specified by θ1 and
θ2 measured from any convenient fixed reference direction.

• Because the angle β is invariant, the relation θ2 = θ1 + β upon differentiation with respect
to time gives

• During a finite interval,

• Thus, all lines on a rigid body in its plane of motion have the same angular displacement,
the same angular velocity, and the same angular acceleration.
 Angular Motion Relations

• The angular velocity ω and angular acceleration α of a rigid body in plane rotation are,
respectively, the first and second time derivatives of the angular position coordinate θ of
any line in the plane of motion of the body.

• The third relation is obtained by eliminating dt from the first two.

• In each of these relations, the positive direction for ω and α clockwise or
counterclockwise, is the same as that chosen for θ.
 Angular Motion Relations

• As we proceed further with rigid-body dynamics, we will find that the analogies between
the relationships for linear and angular motion are almost complete throughout kinematics
and kinetics.
• These relations are important to recognize, as they help to demonstrate the symmetry and
unity found throughout mechanics.
• For rotation with constant angular acceleration:

• Here θ0 and ω0 are the values of the angular position coordinate and angular velocity,
respectively, at t = 0, and t is the duration of the motion considered.
 Rotation about a fixed axis

• When a rigid body rotates about a fixed axis, all points other than those on the axis move
in concentric circles about the fixed axis.
• Thus, for the rigid body in Figure rotating about a fixed axis normal to the plane of the
figure through O, any point such as A moves in a circle of radius r.

With the notation

 Rotation about a fixed axis

• These quantities may be expressed alternatively using the cross product relationship of
vector notation.
• The angular velocity of the rotating body may be expressed by the vector ω normal to the
plane of rotation and having a sense governed by the right-hand rule.
 Rotation about a fixed axis

• These quantities may be expressed alternatively using the cross product relationship of
vector notation.
• The angular velocity of the rotating body may be expressed by the vector ω normal to the
plane of rotation and having a sense governed by the right-hand rule.

The acceleration of point A is obtained by

differentiating the cross product expression for v.
Relative Motion – Translating axes
 Kinematics of Translation

• Kinematics
• Position y B
  
rB  rA  rB / A
A
• Velocity
rB
  rA
vB  v A
• Acceleration x
 
aB  a A

• True for all points in a rigid body.

(follows particle kinematics)

fixed in the body

 General Plane Motion

• General plane motion is neither a translation nor

a rotation.
• General plane motion can be considered as the
sum of a translation and rotation.
• Displacement of particles A and B to A2 and B2
can be divided into two parts:
- translation to A2 and B1
- rotation of B1 about A2 to B2
Absolute and Relative Velocity in Plane Motion

• Any plane motion can be replaced by a translation of an

arbitrary reference point A and a simultaneous rotation
about A.
  
vB  v A  vB A
  
v B A   k  rB A v B A  r
   
v B  v A   k  rB A
 Absolute and Relative Velocity in Plane Motion

• Assuming that the velocity vA of end A is known, wish to determine the

velocity vB of end B and the angular velocity  in terms of vA, l, and q.
• The direction of vB and vB/A are known. Complete the velocity diagram.

vB vA vA
 tan q   cosq
vA v B A l
v B  v A tan q vA

l cosq
 Absolute and Relative Velocity in Plane Motion

• Selecting point B as the reference point and solving for the velocity vA of end A
and the angular velocity  leads to an equivalent velocity triangle.
• vA/B has the same magnitude but opposite sense of vB/A. The sense of the
relative velocity is dependent on the choice of reference point.
• Angular velocity  of the rod in its rotation about B is the same as its rotation
about A. Angular velocity is not dependent on the choice of reference point.
Analysis of Plane Motion in Terms of a Parameter

• In some cases, it is advantageous to determine the

absolute velocity and acceleration of a mechanism
directly.
x A  l sin q y B  l cosq

v A  x A v B  y B
 lq cosq  lq sin q
 l cosq  l sin q
Instantaneous Center of Rotation in Plane Motion

• Plane motion of all particles in a slab can always be

replaced by the translation of an arbitrary point A and a
rotation about A with an angular velocity that is
independent of the choice of A.

• The same translational and rotational velocities at A are

obtained by allowing the slab to rotate with the same
angular velocity about the point C on a perpendicular to
the velocity at A.

• The velocity of all other particles in the slab are the same
as originally defined since the angular velocity and
translational velocity at A are equivalent.

• As far as the velocities are concerned, the slab seems to

rotate about the instantaneous center of rotation C.
Instantaneous Center of Rotation in Plane Motion

• If the velocity at two points A and B are known, the

instantaneous center of rotation lies at the intersection
of the perpendiculars to the velocity vectors through A
and B .

• If the velocity vectors are parallel, the instantaneous

center of rotation is at infinity and the angular velocity
is zero.

• If the velocity vectors at A and B are perpendicular to

the line AB, the instantaneous center of rotation lies at
the intersection of the line AB with the line joining the
extremities of the velocity vectors at A and B.

• If the velocity magnitudes are equal, the instantaneous

center of rotation is at infinity and the angular velocity
is zero.
Instantaneous Center of Rotation in Plane Motion

• The instantaneous center of rotation lies at the intersection of

the perpendiculars to the velocity vectors through A and B .
v v v
 A  A v B   BC   l sin q  A
AC l cosq l cosq
 v A tan q

• The velocities of all particles on the rod are as if they were

rotated about C.
• The particle at the center of rotation has zero velocity.
• The particle coinciding with the center of rotation changes
with time and the acceleration of the particle at the
instantaneous center of rotation is not zero.
• The acceleration of the particles in the slab cannot be
determined as if the slab were simply rotating about C.
• The trace of the locus of the center of rotation on the body
is the body centrode and in space is the space centrode.