Bataan Heroes College

Module 1: Introduction to Dynamics of Rigid Bodies

Learning Objectives

After studying the module, you should be able to:

1. Differentiate the different branches of mechanics.

2. Understand the different types of motion of particles.
3. Differentiate distance, displacement, speed, velocity, and acceleration.
1.1Introduction

Engineering Mechanics

• Engineering mechanics may be defined as the science which considers the effects of
forces on rigid bodies. The subject divides naturally into two parts: statics and dynamics.
• In statics we consider the effects and distribution of forces on rigid bodies which are
remain at rest, or having of constant velocity.
• In dynamics we consider the motion of rigid bodies caused by the forces acting upon
them.

Engineering
Mechanics

Statics Dynamics

Force Systems Applications Kinematics Kinetics

Concurrent Trusses Translation Translation

Parallel Centroids Rotation Rotation
Non- Friction Plane Motion Plane
concurent Motion

Branches of Dynamics

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Engr. Ruel B. Cabahug
 Bataan Heroes College

Kinematics

Is the geometry of motion. The term is used to define the motion of a particle or a body
without consideration of the forces causing the motion. Kinematics is essentially a treatment of
the relations between displacement, velocity, and acceleration

Kinetics

Is the branch of mechanics that relates the force acting on a body to its mass and
acceleration. When the acceleration of a body caused by the forces acting on it has been
determined, the principles of kinematics may be applied to determine the displacement or
velocity at any instant. In other cases, the kinematic motion of a body may be used to compute its
acceleration: from this, by means of the relations to be developed later, the force or forces
required to produce this motion can be determined.

Particle and Body

Rigid Body

A rigid body may be defined as a body in which the relative positions of any two particle
do not change under the action of forces. Nobody is perfectly rigid. A body when subjected to
external forces, it must undergo some form of deformation, however small it may be.

Particle

A body of infinitely small volume i.e. negligible dimensions but having mass
concentrated at a point is called particle. Such a body cannot exist theoretically. In other words, a
particle is a body so small that any difference in the motions of its parts can be neglected.

1.2 Motion of a Particle

Motion

Motion is one of the most common phenomena we come across in our daily lives. For
example, a moving car, a kid running on the road or a plane flying in the sky are all said to be in
Module 1: Introduction to Dynamics of Rigid Bodies Page | 2
Engr. Ruel B. Cabahug
 Bataan Heroes College

motion. So, in general terms, a body is said to be in motion if it changes its position with respect
to a reference point and time.

The motion of a particle along a straight line path is called rectilinear motion. The motion
of a particle along a curved path is called curvilinear motion. If the moving particle describes
equal distances in equal periods of time, however small, the motion is said to be uniform. If
unequal distances are described by the moving point in equal periods of time, the motion is said
to be non-uniform or variable.

Rectilinear Motion

When we require only one co-ordinate axis along with time to describe the motion of a
particle it is said to be in linear motion or rectilinear motion. Some examples of linear motion are
a parade of soldiers, a train moving along a straight line and many more.

Following are the rectilinear motion examples:

• Use of elevators in public places is an example of rectilinear motion.

• Gravitational forces acting on objects resulting in free fall is an example of rectilinear
motion.
• A kid sliding down from a slide is a rectilinear motion.
• Motion of planes in the sky is a rectilinear motion.

Three Types of Rectilinear Motion

a. Uniform Rectilinear Motion

When an object travels at a constant speed with zero acceleration it is known as uniform
rectilinear motion.

b. Uniformly Accelerated Rectilinear Motion

When an object travels with constant acceleration it is known as uniformly accelerated

rectilinear motion.

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Engr. Ruel B. Cabahug
 Bataan Heroes College

c. Rectilinear Movement with Non-uniform Acceleration

When an object travels at an irregular speed and acceleration it is known as rectilinear

movement with non-uniform acceleration.

Concepts

• Rectilinear motion can be classified according to its interpretation of acceleration

• Rectilinear motion requires one co-ordinate axis
• Rectilinear motion is also linear motion

1.3Position, Velocity, and Acceleration

Position

• Distance – the total path length covered during a journey

• Displacement – the path length from final position of the particle to the origin

B O A

We have an origin 0, measurements to the right of 0 are taken as positive while to the left
are taken as negative. Suppose a person who starts from origin 0 reaches point A,

Distance= OA Distance= OA + AB

Displacement = OA Displacement =- OB

Now he turns and reaches point B,

As we can see, displacement is negative since it is measured to the left of origin. From
the above example, we can infer that distance is always positive while displacement can either be
positive or negative.

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Engr. Ruel B. Cabahug
 Bataan Heroes College

Velocity

These terms are used to describe rate of change of positions. Speed is the rate of change
of distance while velocity is the rate of change of displacement. Comparing from above as
distance can never be negative so speed is never negative while velocity can be both positive and
negative. In mathematical terms, these are defined as follows:

𝐷𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑇𝑟𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑑 𝐹𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝑃𝑜𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛−𝐼𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑙 𝑃𝑜𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛

𝑆𝑝𝑒𝑒𝑑 = 𝑉𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦 =
𝑇𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝑇𝑎𝑘𝑒𝑛 𝑇𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝑇𝑎𝑘𝑒𝑛

The linear velocity of a moving particle is the time rate at which the particle is changing
position, or, more briefly, the time rate of linear displacement. Hence velocity, like displacement,
possesses both magnitude and direction. The magnitude of the velocity of a point is called the
speed of the point. Although the terms velocity and speed are frequently used interchangeably, it
is important to associate with the word velocity the two properties which it possesses, for, a
change in the direction of a velocity is fully as important in the laws of motion of physical bodies
as is a change in the speed.

𝐹𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝑃𝑜𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 − 𝐼𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑙 𝑃𝑜𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛

𝑉𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦 =
𝑇𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝑇𝑎𝑘𝑒𝑛

𝛥𝑆
𝑉=
𝛥𝑡

𝛥𝑆
𝑉 = 𝐿𝑖𝑚𝑖𝑡𝛥𝑡=0
𝛥𝑡

𝑑𝑆
𝑉=
𝑑𝑡

Acceleration

The acceleration of a moving point, at any instant, is the time rate at which its velocity is
changing at the instant. The velocity of the point has, at any instant, a definite magnitude (speed)
and a definite direction. A change in the velocity occurs if either its magnitude or its direction
changes. Hence the acceleration of the point may be the rate of change of the velocity due to a

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Engr. Ruel B. Cabahug
 Bataan Heroes College

change in the magnitude of the velocity, or it may be the rate of change of the velocity due to a
change in the direction of the velocity.

𝐹𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦 − 𝐼𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑙 𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦

𝐴𝑐𝑐𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 =
𝑇𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝑇𝑎𝑘𝑒𝑛

𝛥𝑉
𝑎=
𝛥𝑡

𝛥𝑉
𝑎 = 𝐿𝑖𝑚𝑖𝑡𝛥𝑡=0
𝛥𝑡

𝑑𝑉
𝑎=
𝑑𝑡

Concepts

• Distance is a scalar quantity, meanwhile displacement is a vector quantity.

• Distance can never be negative, but displacement can be.
• Velocity and Acceleration are both vector quantities.

1.4 Fundamental Equation of Kinetics

Force

Push or pull exerted on a particle. The only part of a force system that will cause the
motion of a body is the unbalanced force (resultant).

Inertia

Property of a particle to offer resistance to a change in motion. Although all particles

have inertia, they do not offer the same amount or degree of resistance.

Mass

The quantitative measure of a particle's inertia.

Module 1: Introduction to Dynamics of Rigid Bodies Page | 6

Engr. Ruel B. Cabahug
 Bataan Heroes College

Consider this experiment:

Apply an external force of different magnitude to the same body, each will cause a
corresponding acceleration. Dividing each force to the acceleration of motion, the ratio will
always be equal to a constant C.

𝐹𝐴 𝐹𝐵 𝐹𝐶
= = = ⋯ = 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑡 𝐶
𝑎𝐴 𝑎𝐵 𝑎𝐶

Constant C is the measure of resistance of the particle to be accelerated at a rate after being acted
upon by a force F.

𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝛼 𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝐶

𝑘(𝑚) = 𝐶

k = constant of proportionality

𝐹
= 𝐶 = 𝑘𝑚
𝑎

The units of force and acceleration should be selected such that k would be taken as unity.

𝐹
=𝑚
𝑎

Concepts

• Inertia is a body’s property to resist motion when acted upon by an external force; mass is
the quantitative measure of inertia.

𝐹
=𝑚
𝑎

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Engr. Ruel B. Cabahug
 Bataan Heroes College

References

1. Dynamics of Rigid Bodies.(2020). MECH 2 MODULE 1 Dynamics of Rigid Bodies.

Available at: https://youtu.be/8KoFUMm_TDM.( Accessed:20October2020).

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Engr. Ruel B. Cabahug