Chapter 2

Kinematics of Rigid Bodies

2.1 lntroduction
Rigid Body

A rigid body is a body consisting of a large number of particles, with the relative distance between these particles being constant. When the body moves, every particle in the body will move according to its own locus or path depending on the nature of the motion undergone by the rigid body.
Types of Rigid Body Motion.

The motion of a rigid body may be categorized into

o o o

Rectilinear motion - or motion in a straight line Circular motion - or rotation about afixed axis Curvilinear motion - or general motion

Figure

2.I shows a mechanism, known as

slider-uanft, which is widely used as the basis for numerous machines. In this mechanism, piston B undergoes rectilinear motion, while crank OA undergoes circular motion. Connecting rod AB undergoes curvilinear motion.
These types of motion will be studied in greater detail in the ensuing sections..

Figure 2.1

2.2

Rectilinear Motion

In this type of motion, all the particles in a rigid body move in paths that are straight and parallel to one another as shown in Figure 2.2.
In this figure, it can be seen that all the particles in the body will have exactly the same motion, in terms of direction and magnitude. Consequently, the motion of the rigid body can be represented by the motion of a suitably chosen point or particle. Such point is usually the centre of gravity of the body, and its motion can be analysed using the method for kinematics of particles.

Figure2.2

2.3

Circular Motion

In this motion, the entire rigid body rotates about a fixed point. Strictly speaking, the body rotates about an axis that passes through the fixed point, perpendicular to the plane of the rotation. The particles on the body move in circular paths as shown in Figure 2.3.The radii of these paths will differ from one another, according to the distance of each particle from the
centre of rotation.

Notice that all the particles will undergo the same amount of rotation about the fixed point. In other words all the particles will have the same angular displacement about the fixed point O. Therefore :

Figure 2.3

0r=0,
where

0,

is angle

AOA' and 0u is angle BOB'

will yield
:

Successive differentiation with respect to time

oo:
and

ou

or

rrlT

roa

6r:6,

(or a7 :crs)

It can be seen that in this type of motion, the angular motion of the rigid body can be
known by studying the angular motion of a suitably chosen particle in the body, using the method of particle kinematics studied earlier.

2.4

Gurvilinear Motion ln Two Dimensions

In this type of motion, a rigid body undergoes general motion in a plane. Hence this motion is also called general planar motion. This motion may be regarded as being a combination of linear motion and rotation. In Figure 2.4 (a) a rigid body moves from
position (1) to position (2).

(2)

Figure 2.4a

This motion may be accomplished in two stages

below.

as

shown in Figures 2.4 (b), (c) and (d)

Figure 2.4b

/A

1)

Linear motion from (1) to (1'), followed by a rotation about A, from (1') to the final position
(2).

\t
'',fr
GN (l)

2\

reil AJt
\B/
.A

1')

Figure 2.4c

Initial rotation about A from (1) to (1'), followed by linear motion from (1') to the
final position (2).

(2)

Figure 2.4d

Initial rotation about B from (1) to (1'), followed by linear motion from (1') to
(2).

lf we scrutinize Figures 2.4 (b) to (d), we will notice important characteristics of

rigid body motion, namely that
:

, ii) ii,

The linear component of the motion will our reference point.

dffir

depending on the particle chosen as

The rotational component of the motion is the same in all three /igures, Regardless of which particle is taken as a reference point, the magnitude of rotation is the same, and the direction of rotation is also the same.

The relative rotation between the particles is the some os the absolute rotation of the whole rigid body. The last observation above is in fact a very important property of rigid body motion, and can be clarified by the figures above. Notice that in Figures 2.4b and c, particle B rotates about particle A through an angle ,0u. This is rotation of B relative to A, and it takes

place in a clockwise direction. In Figure 2.4d, particle A rotates about particle B through

direction. Thus we can say that uou points in the bodY, we can see that :

Be

.If

we continue this line of analysis to other

t}n = ul, =

n9c

= rOp = ...,.. etc.

will yield
:

Successive differentiation with respect to time

l@B = B0A = A@c = 8oD = ...... etc. and AdB= adA= A&C= BdD=,,...,
etc.

2.5 Velocity Diagram The characteristics of rigid body motion

identified the analyzing for method above form the basis of a velocities of rigid bodies, known as the velocity diagram method. To help understand this method let us consider the case of a rod (or ladder) sliding against a vertical wall as shown in Figure 2.5.Inthis motion, the rod moves from position (1) to position (2).

A
J

As in Section 2.4 above, we may regard this motion as comprising a linear motion from (1) to (l'), followed by a rotation about B from (1') to (2), as shown in Figure 2.6. Consequently, the linear velocity of every point in the rod is the same as the linear velocity of point B. In addition, due to the rotation about B' other points on the body will also have a tangential velocity relative to B. For example, point A will have a velocity relative to B ( called uv o ) which acts perpendicular to the radius BA. This relative velocity will have a magnitude of :

B_B
Figure 2.5

nlA

uauxBA

where u co, is the angular velocity of A relative to B.

Thus point A has two velocity components, one produced by the linear motion, and another produced by rotation about B. These two velocity components can be combined vectorially to give the total velocity of A as shown in Figures 2.7a and 2.7b.

B-B
Figure 2.6

A
vA

Figure2.Ta

Figure 2.7b

Figure 2.7a shows the velocity components of point A, i.e. vu and uv, being combined using the parallelogram law of vector addition, to produce the resultant vu . Notice that this resultant velocity of point A must act along the surface of the vertical wall. The same resultant can also be obtained by the method of completing the polygon as shown in Figure 2.7b, and this is the technique used in the vetocity diigram method. In this case, the construction of the velocity diagramcomplies with the u..io, equation: v.a

= ln I at.t

The velocity diagram method is sometime referred to as the relative velocity method. We will illustrate a proper procedure for using the velocity diagram method by means of an example.

Example 2.1

instant.

A rod of length 50 cm. slides on a vertical wall as shown in Figure Ex2.la. When 0 = 60" end B of the rod has a velocity va = 2 cm/s to the right. Determine the velocity of end A and the angular velocity of the rod at that

Solution:

Notice that in this problem the velocity of point B is completely known. In other words, its magnitude and direction are known. Next, the velocity of A relative to B yB l-must be at right angles to the rod AB since this rod is t''NutY Figure Ex2.Ia Lrz rigid. And finally, the total velocity of A must be along the vertical wall. With these pieces of information we .* pro...d to construct the velocity diagram for A.
This diagram is drawn starting with a line o-b to represent the known velocity va = 2 cm/s. This line is drawn in the same direction as vo ( i.e. running left to right ), and is of a suitable length to represent 2 cmls. The start of the line is labeled ,o, to indicate that the line represents an absolute velocity. Next, we draw a second line which runs perpendicular to rod AB. This line represents the direction of the velocity of A relative to B. This line is drawn passing through 6. Finally, we draw a third line which runs vertically to represent the direction of the velocity of A. This line is drawn passing through oo' to indicate that this velocity is also an absolute velocity. We will finally get a velocity diagram as shown in Figure Ex2.1b. The intersection between the second and third lines is labeled 'a' to show that it represents the tip of the vectors for point A.
From this diagram, it can be seen that
:

'u - tan6o' and 'u A

nv,q

sin6o"

Figure Ex2.1b

Therefore downwards, -- = : -: = -tan60" tan60' 2 ovo = ,'u :: sin60" sin60'=2.309cm/s

vA "

= --

vB2-r^---,---rl

1.155 cm/s

and

But

BvA aa.q

na.tx AB

uro, x 50

= u!! = ry 5050:

0.0461

8 rad/s anticlockwise.

More practice work with different arrangements of rigid bodies can help make the drawing of velocity diagrams almost an intuitive process. Then, this method can become an easy and efficient way of finding the velocities of rigid bodies in planar motion.