Rigid body dynamics

The rigid body is one which is having negligible deformation when the force is applied. The
distance between the two particles will not change by the application of force.

When the object changes its position with respect to the frame of reference we can say that
the body is under motion.

Types of motion:

Oscillatory motion: To and fro motion of the object from the mean position. It is a periodic
motion. Example: simple pendulum, vibrating strings, swinging of a swing.

Linear motion: Motion of the object along a straight line. It is a one dimensional motion
taking place in a straight line. Example: train moving on the track.

Rotatory motion: Motion of the object along a fixed line of axis. Rotating wheel, spinning top
are some of the examples for rotational motion.

Translational motion: The motion in which all points of the body move uniformly in the same
line or direction.

Moving bicycle or the wheel can have both translatory and rotatory motion.

Angular displacement:

The angle displaced by the particle during rotational motion is termed as angular
displacement. It is represented as θ. SI unit is radian.

Relation between linear and angular velocity:

When the rigid body rotates along the axis O, it covers a linear displacement of ‘s’ from P to
P1 covering an angular displacement θ, the relationship between linear and angular
displacement can be written as,
𝑟θ 𝑠
s= rθ, v = [since v = 𝑡 ]
𝑡

v = rꞷ.

Relation between linear and angular acceleration:

V = rꞷ,

Dividing both sides by t,

𝑣 𝑟ꞷ
=
𝑡 𝑡
a = rα.

Equations of motion for a rotating body:

The rotational motion of the body of mass ‘m’ can be described by three equations.

Where θ is the angular displacement, ꞷ0 is the initial angular velocity, ꞷ is the final angular
velocity, α is the angular velocity, t is the time taken.

ꞷ = ꞷ0 + αt
1
θ= ꞷ0t + 2 αt2

ꞷ2 =ꞷ02 + 2α θ

Torque:

It plays an important role in a rotational motion. The amount of force applied on the body to
produce the rotational motion is dependent on the distance from the axis of rotation. The
product of magnitude of the force and perpendicular distance from the axis of rotation is
termed as torque. Constant torque is required to produce uniform angular acceleration in the
rotating body.

It is represented by Ԏ. SI unit is Nm. It is a vector quantity.

Ԏ=FXr [where F is the force acting on the body and r is the distance from the axis of
rotation]

In a vector form, ⃗Ԏ
⃗ = r⃗ 𝑋 ⃗F.

Moment of Inertia:

According to Newton’s first law of motion, force is required to change the state of rest or
uniform motion. The tendency of the body to preserve its original state is known as inertia.
Similarly when the rigid body rotates about an axis, the tendency of the body to change its
state of rest or uniform motion is termed as rotational inertia or moment of inertia.
Moment of inertia I for a particle of mass m and at a distance r from the axis of rotation can
be defined as the product of mass ‘m’ of the body and square of the distance of the particle ‘r’
from the axis of rotation. It can be calculated as,

I = mr2

SI unit of moment of inertia is kg-m2 and the dimensional formula is [ML2].

Radius of gyration:

Radius of gyration of a body about an axis of rotation is defined as the distance of separation
from the axis of rotation to the point where the entire mass of the body is concentrated or
from the centre of mass. It is represented as K. SI unit is m. it can be calculated as,

Ic = MK2

𝐈𝐜
K=√
𝐌

Theorem on moment of Inertia:

1. Parallel axis theorem:

According to the parallel axis theorem, the moment of inertia in any axis is equal to
the sum of the moment of inertia of the body about a parallel axis passing through the
centre of gravity and product of the mass of the body and square of the distance
between the two axis.

Consider a body of mass M rotating along an axis AB. G is the centre of gravity and CD is
the axis passing through centre of gravity and ‘r’ be the distance of separation between the
axis. Let P be a particle at a distance ‘x’ from centre of mass axis. The moment of inertia of a
particle P from AB can be calculated as,

I=∑m (r+x) 2

I=∑mr2+∑mx2+∑2mrx
 I =Mr2+ Ig.

(∑mx gives the algebraic sum of the moments of the different particles about the

axis CD passing through G. Since the body balances at G, ∑mx =0)

I= Ig + Mr2

Where Ig is the inertia through the centre of gravity and M is the mass of the body and
‘r’ is the distance of separation between the axis of rotation with the axis of the centre of
gravity.

This theorem is for the planar lamina.

2. Perpendicular axis theorem:

The perpendicular axis theorem states that the moment of inertia of a planar
lamina about an axis perpendicular to the plane of the lamina is equal to the sum of the
moments of inertia of the lamina about the two axes at right angles to each other, in its own
plane intersecting each other at the point where the perpendicular axis passes through it.
Iz= Ix + Iy

Let P be a particle of mass m at a distance r from the axis of rotation. Then the moment of
inertia along z axis is given by,
Iz = mr2
Iz = m (x2+y2)
Iz = mx2 + my2
Iz = Iy + Ix
Moment of inertia for spherical bodies:

Moment of inertia of a rectangular plate:

Consider a thin rectangular lamina in the XY plane such that the centre of mass, C is
the origin of the co-ordinate axis and CX and CY are parallel to the length L and breadth B
respectively. Let CZ be perpendicular to the plane as in the figure.

MI about an axis passing through C and parallel to breadth (about YY’):

Consider a thin strip of thickness dx ata distance x from the Y axis parallel to breadth.
Let m be mass per unit area.

Mass of the strip is mBdx

Mass of the plate is mLB

MI of the strip along YY’ is

dI= (mBdx)x2

MI of the plate along YY’ is

𝐿
Iy = ∫2𝐿 𝑚𝐵𝑑𝑥. 𝑥 2
−
2

𝐿
𝑚𝐵
= [𝑥 3 ]2 𝐿
3 −
2

𝑚𝐵 𝐿3 𝐿3
= [8 + 8]
3

𝑚𝐵𝐿3
= (since mass of the plate,M=mLB)
12

𝑴𝑳𝟐 𝐿2
Iy = [ Radius of gyration, K𝑦2 = 12 ]
𝟏𝟐
 MI about an axis passing through C and parallel to length (about xx’):

Consider a thin strip of thickness dx at a distance y from the X axis parallel to the length. Let
m be mass per unit area.
Mass of the strip is mLdy
Mass of the plate is mLB
MI of the strip along XX’ is
dI= (mLdy)y2
MI of the plate along XX’ is
𝐵/2
Ix = ∫−𝐵/2 𝑚𝐿𝑑𝑦 𝑦 2

𝑚𝐿
= [𝑦 3 ]𝐵/2
−𝐵/2
3

𝑚𝐿 𝐵3 𝐵3
= [8 + ]
3 8

𝑚𝐿𝐵3
= (since total mass of the plate, M=mLB)
12
𝑴𝑩𝟐 𝐵2
Ix = [ Radius of gyration, K2𝑥 = 12 ]
𝟏𝟐

1. MI passing perpendicular to the plane:

According to perpendicular axis theorem,

Iz = I y + I x
 𝑴 𝐿2 +𝐵2
Iz = [𝑳𝟐 + 𝑩𝟐 ] [Radius of gyration, K𝑧2 = ]
𝟏𝟐 12

MI of a circular ring:

MI along Perpendicular to the plane of the ring:

Consider a thin circular ring of mass M and radius R. consider a small element of mass m. the
moment of inertia of this mass about an axis through O and perpendicular to the plane of the
ring is mR2. The ring is imagined to be made up of large number of such elementary masses.
The total moment of inertia perpendicular to the plane of the ring is given by,

I = ∑2𝛑mR2 = MR2.

MI along the diameter of the ring:

If Ix and Iy are the moment of inertia along the diameter of the ring along X and Y axis, then
I = Ix + Iy.

Since Ix = Iy, I = 2Ix

𝑴𝑹𝟐
Ix = 𝟐

Moment of inertia of a circular disc:

 Consider a circular disc of radius R and mass M, rotating about an axis passing through its
centre and perpendicular to the disc. The disc can be imagined to be made up of number of
circular rings. Consider one such ring of radius x and thickness dx. Let m be the mass per unit
area of the disc.

The mass of the ring of radius x and thickness dx will be, 2πmxdx.

I. MI of the ring about an axis passing through its centre and perpendicular to the
disc:

It is given by,

dI= 2πmxdx. x2

The total moment of inertia of the entire disc of radius R will be,
𝑅
I =∫0 2πmx 3 dx

𝑅
𝑥4
I = 2πm [ 4 ]
0

(π𝑅2 ) m𝑅2
= 2

𝐌𝑹𝟐
I= (where M= π𝑅2 m, the mass of the disc)
𝟐

II. MI about any diameter:

Along the diameter, Ix= Iy.

Applying perpendicular axis theorem,

Iz= Ix + Iy , Iz = 2 ID or
𝐼
ID = 2

𝐌𝑹𝟐
ID = ….. (1)
𝟒

(where ID is the MI of the disc about the diameter)

III. MI about an axis tangential to the disc in the plane of the disc ( parallel to the
diameter):

According to parallel axis theorem,

IT = ID + MR2
𝐌𝑹𝟐
From eqn 1 ID = 𝟒
 𝐌𝑹𝟐
IT = + MR2
𝟒

𝟓𝐌𝑹𝟐 5𝑅2
IT = [ K𝑦2 = ]
𝟒 4

Kinetic energy of a body rolling down an inclined plane:

Consider a spherical body rolling down an inclined plane travelling from p to Q covering a
distance x. The body is executing both translator and rotatory motion. So the gain in kinetic
energy is
1 1
KE = 2 𝑚𝑣 2 + 2 Iꞷ2

The decrease in potential energy is

ℎ
PE = mgh =mgxsinθ [since sinθ =𝑥 ]

The decrease in PE is equal to gain in KE.

1 1
𝑚𝑣 2 + 2 Iꞷ2 = mgxsinθ
2

1 1
𝑚𝑣 2 + 2 Iꞷ2 = mgxsinθ
2

1 1 𝑣2 𝑣
𝑚𝑣 2 + 2 mK2 𝑅2 = mgxsinθ [since I= mK2 and ꞷ = 𝑅 ]
2

1 𝐾2
𝑚𝑣 2 [1 + 𝑅2 ] = mgxsinθ
2

𝟐𝐠𝐱𝐬𝐢𝐧𝛉
𝒗𝟐 = 𝑲𝟐
[𝟏+ 𝟐 ]
𝑹

The linear velocity v of the sphere at Q will be same as the velocity of the sphere if allowed
to fall freely from rest starting from P.

Hence, v2 = 2ax
 2gxsinθ
Substituting, 2ax = 𝐾2
[1+ 2 ]
𝑅

Acceleration of the body is,

𝐠𝐬𝐢𝐧𝛉
a= 𝑲𝟐
[𝟏+ 𝟐 ]
𝑹

2 gsinθ 5
For a sphere, K2 = 5 R2, hence, a = 2 = 7 gsinθ
[1+ ]
5

𝑅2 gsinθ 2
For a circular disc, K2 = , hence, a = 1 = 3 gsinθ
2 [1+ ]
2

2 gsinθ 3
For a spherical shell, K2 = 3 R2, hence, a = 2 = 5 gsinθ
[1+ ]
3