Motion of rigid body

M. Siddikov

March 6, 2018
Outline

Equations of motion in the non-inertial reference frame. Coriolis.

Motion of rigid body and its parametrization
Equations of motion of rigid body. Concept of tensor of inertia.
Equations of motion in non-inertial system
EOM in inertial system & Galileo transform Non-inertial reference frame
Lagrangian: Assume that the reference frame is
m ˙2 accelerated and rotates with fixed
L= ~q − U(q), ~
angular velocity Ω:
2
 
¨ = − ∂U ,
m~q
∂~q ~ × ~r + V
~ (t).
~vinertial = ~v + Ω
Velocity transformation under Galileo
transformations (V~ = const):
Evaluate the lagrangian in the
~
~v2 = ~v1 + V non-inertial reference frame and write
out the corresponding equations of
Transformation law for the Lagrangian:
motion.
d
L2 = L1 + m (V · v1 ) = L1 + [m (V · q1 )],
dt
| {z }
full derivative

Last term does not affect equations of

motion
Equations of motion in non-inertial system
EOM in inertial system & Galileo transform Non-inertial reference frame
Lagrangian: Assume that the reference frame is
m ˙2 accelerated and rotates with fixed
L= ~q − U(q), ~
angular velocity Ω:
2
 
¨ = − ∂U ,
m~q
∂~q ~ × ~r + V
~ (t).
~vinertial = ~v + Ω
Velocity transformation under Galileo
transformations (V~ = const):

~
~v2 = ~v1 + V
m 2 2
 
Transformation law for the Lagrangian: L= v + ~ × ~r
Ω +
2  | {z }
d centrifugial force
L2 = L1 + m (V · v1 ) = L1 + [m (V · q1 )],
dt 2
 
| {z } + V (t) + 2~v Ω ~ × ~r
full derivative | {z } | {z }
doesn’t affect EOM Coriolis
Last term does not affect equations of 
motion  
+ 2~
vV~ +2V ~ Ω ~ × ~r 
 − U(r )
|{z}
~˙
−~r ·V
Equations of motion in non-inertial system

 

m 2
 2
~ × ~r
   
L= v + Ω + V2 + 2~v Ω ~ × ~r + 2~v V~ +2V
~ Ω ~ × ~r 
−U(r )
2  |{z} | {z } 
no cambia EOM ˙
| {z } | {z }
~
−~r ·V
fuerza centrifuga Coriolis

EOM in non-inertial system

Write out the equations of motion in the
non-inetrial reference frame
Equations of motion in non-inertial system
 

m 2

~ × ~r
2    
L= v + Ω + V2 + 2~v Ω ~ × ~r + 2~v V~ +2V
~ Ω ~ × ~r 
−U(r )
2  |{z} | {z } 
no cambia EOM ~˙
| {z } | {z }
−~r ·V
fuerza centrifuga Coriolis

∂L ~ × ~r ,
= m~v + mΩ
∂~v
∂L ~ × [Ω~ × ~r ] + m~v × Ω~ + mV ~ ×Ω ~ − mV ~˙ − ∂U
= −mΩ
∂~r ∂~r
⇒ m~v˙ = − mΩ
˙
~ × ~r − mΩ ~ × [Ω~ × ~r ] + 2m~v × Ω~ +mV ~ −mV
~ ×Ω ~˙ − ∂U
| {z } | {z } | {z } | {z } ∂~r
accel. of rotation centrifugial Coriolis inertia

EOM in non-inertial system Foucault problem

The body falls freely from the height h Evaluate how the Earth’s rotation
with zero initial velocity. Evaluate the affects the small oscillations of the
deflection from the vertical due to the mathematical pendulum. Assume that
Earth rotation. Assume that the angular the angular velocity Ω is small.
velocity Ω is small.
Equations of motion in non-inertial system
.
The centrifugal force is higher order in Ω2 and
EOM in non-inertial system can be neglected compared to Coriolis. Equa-
The body falls freely from the height h tion of motion has a form

with zero initial velocity. Evaluate the ~¨

r = −~ ~
g + 2 ~v × Ω
deflection from the vertical due to the
Earth rotation. Assume that the angular We consider the second term as a perturbation
and develop a perturbation theory:
velocity Ω is small.

g t2
~ 3
~t .
~r = ~r (0) + ~r (1) , ~r (0) = ~h − , r (1) = 2 ~r˙ (0) × Ω
~¨ ~ ⇒ ~r (1) = −~
g ×Ω
|{z} 2 3
∼|Ω|
p
Substituting the time of flight tf = 2h/g , we may obtain the full deviation

 3/2
1 2h
|δr | = − g Ω cos θ
3 g

where θ is latitude.
Equations of motion in non-inertial system
The centrifugal force is higher order in Ω2 and
can be neglected compared to Coriolis. If θ is
Foucault problem the angle of deviation from vertical, in view of
Evaluate how the Earth’s rotation θ  1 for mathematical pendulum, we may
disregard motion in vertical direction as higher
affects the small oscillations of the order ∼ O(θ2 ) effect. In the horizontal plane,
mathematical pendulum. Assume that we have
the angular velocity Ω is small. g
~¨
r + ω 2~r = 2 ~r˙ × Ω,
~ ω2 =
l
We consider the righthand side as a perturbation and develop a perturbation theory:

~r = ~r (0) + ~r (1) , ~ i ωt ,
~r (0) = Ae ~¨
r (1) + ω 2~r (1) = 2 ~r˙ (0) × Ω
~ = 2 iω A ~ i ωt .
~ × Ωe
|{z}
∼|Ω|

A partial solution ~r (1) gives us the required deviation. Another approach is to try to solve the
equation exactly: Since we neglect motion in z-direction, only Ωz -component contributes to
EOM, and we have in components:

ẍ + ω 2 x = 2Ωz ẏ , ÿ + ω 2 y = −2Ωz ẋ

Now we introduce variable ξ = x + iy for which the system of two equations turn into a
single equation:
ξ̈ + 2iΩξ̇ + ω 2 ξ = 0
Equations of motion in non-inertial system

g
~¨
r + ω 2~r = 2 ~r˙ × Ω,
~ ω2 =
Foucault problem l
Evaluate how the Earth’s rotation ξ = x + iy

affects the small oscillations of the ξ̈ + 2iΩξ̇ + ω 2 ξ = 0

mathematical pendulum. Assume that
the angular velocity Ω is small.
The solutions are given by
  h i
ξ= ξ0+ e i ω̃+ t + ξ0− e i ω̃− t = x (0) (t) + iy (0) (t) e −i Ωt ,
p
= −Ω ± ω 2 + Ω2 ≈ −Ω ± ω + O Ω2 /ω .


ω̃±
x = Re(ξ), y = Im(ξ).

We can see that the higher order terms lead to rotation of the plane with angular velocity Ω.
Motion of rigid body
Motion of rigid body F Rotations
Rigid body=system of masses which
moves “as a whole”, distance between
any of two points=const
Six degrees of freedom:
F Translations: ~r → ~r + ~a

How can we parametrize the orientation

of the rigid body?

ρ (~r )-density of particles in the rest

frame, depends on shape, but does not
depend on time.
Parametrizations of rotations
Axis-Angle convention Euler angles
Rotation axis ~e (φ, ψ) Rotation⇒superposition of
Rotation angle θ “elementary” rotations around axes
X , Y , Z , e.g.:
 
R θ~ = RZ (α) RX (β) RZ (γ)

we’ll use a shorthand notation θ~ = θ ~e

Group axioms
 
∀~ ~ ∃~γ ,
α, β, R (~ ~ = R (~γ )
α) R β
 
∃E ≡ R ~0 , ∀~
α, E R (~
α) = R (~
α) E = R (~
α)
α, ∃R −1 (~
∀~ α) ≡ R (−~α) , α) R −1 (~
R (~ α) = 1 There are different conventions how
∀~
α , ~ ~γ ,
β, to choose Euler Angles, ZXZ, ZYZ,
XZX, YZY, XYX, YXY, ....
      
R (~
α) R β ~ R (~γ ) = R (~
α) R β~ R (~γ )
F We will stick to ZXZ convention
Parametrizations of rotations

Control question 1
Assume that the rotation matrix R̂ is
parametrized in terms of the Euler angles,
R̂ = RZ (φ) RX (θ) RZ (ψ). Find its
parametrization in axis-angle representation,
θ~ = θ~e .
Parametrizations of rotations

Control question 1
Assume that the rotation matrix R̂ is
parametrized in terms of the Euler angles,
R̂ = RZ (φ) RX (θ) RZ (ψ). Find its
parametrization in axis-angle representation,
θ~ = θ~e .

Rotation axis is eigenvector of rotation matrix:

R̂ ~e = ~e
For any rotation matrix angle θ is given by
 
Tr R̂ = 1 + 2 cos θ
Parametrizations of rotations

Control question 2
~ is constant in the lab
Assume that the force F
frame and is applied to the point inside the rigid
body. The orientations of the rigid body is given
by Euler angles φ, θ, ψ, which in general depend
on time t. Evaluate the components of the force
~ in the rest frame of the rigid body (obviously
F
~ | = const).
|F
Parametrizations of rotations

Control question 2
Assume that the force F ~ is constant in the lab
frame and is applied to the center of mass of the
rigid body. The orientations of the rigid body is
given by Euler angles φ, θ, ψ, which in general
depend on time t. Evaluate the components of
~ in the rest frame of the rigid body
the force F
~ | = const).
(obviously |F

~ → R̂Z (φ) R̂x (θ) R̂Z (ψ) F

F ~
Properties of rotations
Orthogonality Mathematical terminology
Demonstrate that the rotation matrix must There is isomorphism (“equivalence”)
be orthogonal, between group of rotations and group of
  SO(3) matrices.
R T R = 1, RT = Rji
ij
Homomorphism: mappping G → H of two
or groups compatible with superposition,
Rij Rik = δjk .
∀g1 , g2 ∈ G h (g1 ) h (g2 ) = h (g1 g2 )
detR = +1: pure rotation | {z } | {z } | {z }
detR = −1: rotation×inversion ~r → −~r . ∈H ∈H ∈H

Such matrices form the group SO(3) Monomorphism: injective homomorphism,

[S =”special”, det=1. O=”orthogonal”] ∀g1 , g2 ∈ G g1 6= g2 ⇒ h (g1 ) 6= h (g2 )

Demonstrate that if R is orthogonal Epimorphism: surjective homomorphism,

matrix, then R̃ = SRS −1 , where S is
another orthogonal matrix, is also ∀y ∈ H ∃g ∈ G y = h (g )
orthogonal (R̃ T R̃ = 1). Give a geometrical
Isomorphism: bijective homomorphism
interpretation of the transformation
(surjective+injective)
Properties of rotations

Infinitesimal rotations
Assume that the rotation matrix R corresponds
~  1, so
to a small rotation with |θ|
X a
R =1+i θ Ta
a

Demonstrate that the matrices Ta are hermitian,

Ta† = Ta (such matrices are called generators).
Properties of rotations
Infinitesimal rotations Evaluate explicitly the generators
Assume that the rotation matrix R corresponds Ta if the rotation matrices are
~  1, so
to a small rotation with |θ| given by
X a
R =1+i θ Ta
a

The generators Ta are hermitian, Ta† = Ta .

Demonstrate that if θ~1 , and θ~2 are not collinear,

the rotations
  do notcommute,  i.e.
R θ~1 R θ~2 6= R θ~2 R θ~1 or
       
R θ~1 R θ~2 R −1 θ~1 R −1 θ~2 6= 1.
Demonstrate explicitly that
Assume that |θ~1 |, |θ~2 |  1
Ra (θ) = exp (iθTa ) , a = x, y , z
Mathematical terminology: rotation group is non-
commutative, non-abelian.