CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION TO DYNAMICS
KINEMATICS VS. KINETICS & REFERENCE FRAMES
Subject: Classical Mechanics | Academic Level: Advanced Physics & Engineering
1.1 Defining Dynamics
Dynamics is a branch of classical mechanics that studies forces, torques, and
their effect on motion. Unlike statics, which deals with bodies at rest or moving at
a constant velocity with zero net acceleration, dynamics focuses on accelerated
systems.
Dynamics is traditionally divided into two primary sub-disciplines:
• Kinematics: The study of motion without regard to the forces causing it
(analyzing position, velocity, and acceleration trajectories).
• Kinetics: The study of the forces and torques that cause or modify motion,
grounded heavily in Newton's laws.
CHAPTER 2: KINEMATICS OF PARTICLES
RECTILINEAR AND CURVILINEAR MOTION
Core Concepts: Position, Velocity, Acceleration Vectors
2.1 Position, Velocity, and Acceleration
The motion of a particle in one dimension is defined by its position coordinate x(t)
as a function of time t.
v(t) = rac{dx}{dt}, \quad a(t) = rac{dv}{dt} = rac{d^2x}{dt^2}
2.2 Curvilinear Motion in 2D and 3D
When a particle moves along a curved path, its position vector r(t) traces a
trajectory in space. Velocity is always tangent to the path, while acceleration has
both tangential and normal components:
a = rac{dv}{dt}\hat{u}_t + rac{v^2}{ ho}\hat{u}_n
where ho represents the radius of curvature at any given point along the path.
CHAPTER 3: NEWTON'S LAWS OF MOTION
INERTIAL FRAMES & FORCE BALANCES
Fundamental Axioms of Classical Mechanics
3.1 Newton's Three Laws
Newton's laws form the axiomatic foundation of classical mechanics, valid strictly
within inertial reference frames:
1. First Law (Inertia): An object remains at rest or in uniform motion unless acted
upon by a net external force.
2. Second Law (Momentum): The rate of change of momentum of a body is
directly proportional to the applied force vector.
F_{net} = rac{d(mv)}{dt} = ma \quad ( ext{fo r constant mass})
3. Third Law (Action-Reaction): For every action, there is an equal and
opposite reaction.
CHAPTER 4: WORK AND ENERGY
PRINCIPLES
CONSERVATIVE FORCES & CONSERVATION OF ENERGY
Scalar Energy Methods in Kinetics
4.1 Work-Energy Theorem
The work W done by a force moving a particle along a path from point 1 to point 2
equals the change in kinetic energy T of the particle:
U_{1-2} = T_2 - T_1, \quad T = rac{1}{2}mv^2
4.2 Conservative Forces and Potential Energy
A force is conservative if the work done by it along a path is independent of the
path taken. For conservative systems, mechanical energy E = T + V is conserved:
T_1 + V_1 = T_2 + V_2
CHAPTER 5: IMPULSE AND MOMENTUM
LINEAR MOMENTUM & IMPACT DYNAMICS
Vector Conservation Methods
5.1 Principle of Linear Impulse and Momentum
Integrating Newton's second law with respect to time yields the impulse-
momentum relation:
mv_1 + \int_{t_1}^{t_2} F \, dt = mv_2
5.2 Conservation of Linear Momentum
When the sum of external impulses acting on a system is zero, total linear
momentum is conserved:
\sum (mv)_1 = \sum (mv)_2
This principle is essential for solving collision and explosion problems where
internal impact forces vastly exceed external forces.
CHAPTER 6: SYSTEMS OF PARTICLES
CENTER OF MASS & RIGID BODY KINETICS
Multi-Body Dynamics & Extended Systems
6.1 Center of Mass Motion
For a system of particles with total mass m = \sum m_i, the center of mass
position vector r_{cm} is defined as:
r_{cm} = rac{1}{m}\sum m_i r_i
The resultant external force acting on the system governs the motion of the center
of mass identically to a single particle of mass m:
F_{ext} = m a_{cm}
CHAPTER 7: PLANE KINEMATICS OF RIGID
BODIES
TRANSLATION, ROTATION, AND GENERAL PLANE MOTION
Rigid Body Motion Analysis
7.1 Types of Rigid Body Motion
A rigid body is an idealized solid object where particle distances remain invariant.
Plane motion occurs when all particles move along paths equidistant from a fixed
plane:
1. Rectilinear and Curvilinear Translation: Every line in the body remains
parallel to its initial orientation.
2. Rotation about a Fixed Axis: All particles rotate in circular paths about a
single stationary axis.
3. General Plane Motion: A combination of simultaneous translation and
rotation.
CHAPTER 8: PLANE KINETICS OF RIGID
BODIES
EQUATIONS OF MOTION & MASS MOMENT OF INERTIA
Torque, Angular Acceleration, and Inertia
8.1 Mass Moment of Inertia
The rotational analogue to mass is the mass moment of inertia I about a specific
axis:
I = \int r^2 \, dm
8.2 Equations of Plane Motion
For a rigid body in planar motion, Newton-Euler equations apply forces and
moments directly to angular acceleration lpha:
\sum F_x = m(a_{cm})_x, \quad \sum F_y = m(a_{cm})_y, \quad \sum
M_G = I_G lpha
CHAPTER 9: VIBRATIONS AND
OSCILLATIONS
FREE AND DAMPED HARMONIC MOTION
Mechanical Vibrations & Resonance
9.1 Undamped Free Vibrations
A single-degree-of-freedom mechanical system subject to a restoring force
proportional to displacement undergoes simple harmonic motion:
m\ddot{x} + kx = 0 \implies \omega_n = \sq rt{ rac{k}{m}}
where \omega_n is the natural circular frequency of the system.
9.2 Damped Oscillations
Introducing viscous damping proportional to velocity introduces exponential
decay governed by the damping ratio \zeta.
CHAPTER 10: ADVANCED ANALYTICAL
DYNAMICS
LAGRANGE'S EQUATIONS & GENERALIZED COORDINATES
Calculus of Variations in Mechanics
10.1 Lagrange's Formulation
While Newtonian mechanics relies heavily on vector force balances, analytical
mechanics utilizes scalar energy functions called the Lagrangian L = T - V.
Lagrange's equation of motion for conservative holonomic systems is expressed
in generalized coordinates q_i as:
rac{d}{dt}\left( rac{\pa rtial L}{\pa rtial \dot{q}_i} ight) - rac{\pa rtial
L}{\pa rtial q_i} = 0
This formulation simplifies complex constrained mechanical systems significantly
by bypassing constraint forces entirely.