KINEMATICS OF

RIGID BODIES
In rigid body kinematics, we use the relationships governing the
displacement, velocity and acceleration, but must also account for the
rotational motion of the body.
Description of the motion of rigid bodies is important for two reasons:

1) To generate, transmit or control motions by using cams, gears

and linkages of various types and analyze the displacement,
velocity and acceleration of the motion to determine the design
geometry of the mechanical parts.

2) To determine the motion of a rigid body caused by the forces

applied to it. Calculation of the motion of a rocket under the
influence of its thrust and gravitational attraction is an example of
such a problem.
A rigid body is a system of particles for which the
distances between the particles and the angle
between the lines remain unchanged.

Of course this is an idealization since all solid materials change shape

when forces are applied to them.

Nevertheless, if the movements associated with the changes in shape

are very small compared with the movements of the body as a whole,
then this assumption is usually acceptable.
All parts of the body move in parallel planes.

The plane motion of a rigid body is divided into several categories:

1. Translation

2. Rotation

3. General Motion
1. TRANSLATION

It is any motion in which every line in the body remains parallel to its original
position at all times. In translation, there is no rotation of any line in the body.

1. Rectilinear Translation: All points in the body move in parallel straight

lines.

Rocket test sled

2. Curvilinear Translation: All points move on congruent curves.

In each of the two cases of translation, the motion of the body is completely
specified by the motion of any point in the body, since all the points have the
same motion.
2. Fixed Axis Rotation

Rotation about a fixed axis is the angular motion about the axis. All particles
in a rigid body move in circular paths about the axis of rotation and all lines in
the body rotate through the same angle at the same time.

A A′
B B′

C C′
3. General Plane Motion

It is the combination of translation and rotation.

A′
A

B′
B
Crank (Krank)
(Rotation)
Piston
(Translation)

ω
O

Connecting rod (General Motion)

hinge
The rotation of a rigid body is described by its angular
motion. The figure shows a rigid body which is rotating.
The angular positions of any two lines 1 and 2 attached
to the body are specified by θ1 and θ2 measured from
any convenient fixed reference direction.

Because the angle β is invariant, the relation θ2 = θ1 + β upon

differentiation with respect to time gives θ2 = θ1 and θ2 = θ1 during a
finite interval, ∆θ2 = ∆θ1.

All lines on a rigid body have the same angular displacement, the
same angular velocity and the same angular acceleration.
The angular velocity ω and angular acceleration α of a rigid body in plane
rotation are, respectively, the first and second time derivatives of the angular
position coordinate θ of any line in the plane of motion of the body. These
definitions give

dθ  dω d 2θ
ω= =θ ⇒ α= = ω or α= = θ
dt dt dt 2
ωdω = αdθ or θdθ = θdθ

For rotation with constant angular acceleration, the relationships become

ω = ω 0 + 2α (θ − θ 0 )
1 2
ω = ω 0 + αt 2 2
θ = θ 0 + ω 0 t + αt
2
Rotation About a Fixed Axis

When a rigid body rotates about a fixed axis, all points move in concentric
circles about the fixed axis. Thus, for the rigid body in the figure rotating about a
fixed axis through point O, any point such as A moves in a circle of radius r. So
the velocity and the acceleration of point A can be written as

v = rω
an = rω = v / r = vω
2 2

a t = rα
These quantities may be expressed using the cross product
   
relationship of vector notation, ω = ωk , α = αk
   
v = r =ω×r
 
 d  d   dω   dr     
a = (v ) = (ω × r ) = ×r +ω× =α
 ×r +ω
 × (
 ω r)
×
dt dt dt dt 
   at
  

an
α v =ω ×r
PROBLEMS
1. The circular disk rotates about its center O. For the instant
 
represented, the velocity of A is v A = 200 j mm / s and the tangential
 
acceleration of B is (a B )t = 150i mm / s 2 . Write the vector expressions for
the angular velocity ω and angular acceleration α of the disk. Also
determine the acceleration of point C.
PROBLEMS
2. The angular velocity of a gear is controlled according to ω = 12 – 3t2,
where ω in rad/s and t is the time in seconds. Find the net angular
displacement ∆θ from the time t = 0 to t = 3 s. Also find the total
number of revolutions N through which the gear turns during the three
seconds.

SOLUTION

dθ
=ω ⇒ dθ = ωdt
dt

∫ (12 − 3t )dt
3
θ
= 12(3) − 33 = 9 rad
3
∫
3 3
dθ = 2
, θ = 12t − t
0 0 3 0
∆θ = 9 rad
SOLUTION

Does the gear stop between t = 0 and t = 3 seconds?

ω = 12 − 3t 2 = 0 12 = 3t 2 t = 2 s (it stops at t = 2 s )

∫ (12 − 3t )dt
2
θ1
= 12(2) − 2 3 = 16 rad
2
∫
3
dθ = 2
⇒ θ1 = 12t − t 3
0 0 3 0

∫ (12 − 3t )dt
3
θ2 3
∫
3
dθ = 2
⇒ θ 2 = 12t − t 3 = −7 rad
0 2 3 2
16 + − 7 = 23 rad

1 revolution 2π rad
N revolutions 23 rad ⇒ N = 3.66 revolutions
PROBLEMS
3. The belt-driven pulley and attached disk are rotating with increasing angular
velocity. At a certain instant the speed v of the belt is 1.5 m/s, and the total
acceleration of point A is 75 m/s2. For this instant determine (a) the angular
acceleration a of the pulley and disk, (b) the total acceleration of point B, and
(c) the acceleration of point C on the belt.
SOLUTION

vC = 1.5 m / s a A = 75 m / s 2 a) α = ? b) a B = ? c) a C = ?

vC 1.5
ω= = = 20 rad / s
r 0.075
a An = ω 2 R = 20 2 0.15 = 60 m / s 2

a At = 75 2 − 60 2 = 45 m / s 2
a At
45
α= = = 300 rad / s 2
R 0.15

a Bt = α ⋅ r = 300 ⋅ 0.075 = 22.5 m / s 2 


 a B = 22.5 + 30 = 37.5 m / s
2 2 2

a Bn = ω 2 ⋅ r = 20 2 ⋅ 0.075 = 30 m / s 2 

aC = α ⋅ r = 300 ⋅ 0.075 = 22.5 m / s 2

PROBLEMS
4. The design characteristics of a gear-reduction unit are under review. Gear B
is rotating clockwise (cw) with a speed of 300 rev/min when a torque is
applied to gear A at time t=2 s to give gear A a counterclockwise (ccw)
acceleration a which varies with time for a duration of 4 seconds as shown.
Determine the speed NB of gear B when t=6 s.
SOLUTION
t=2 s ⇒ N B = 300 rev / min
2π
ω B = 300 ⋅ = 10π rad / s
60

The velocities of gears A and B are same at the contact point.

v A = vB ⇒ ω A (b ) = ω B (2b ) ⇒ ω A = 20π rad / s

ωA 6
dω A
αA = t +2 ⇒ αA =
dt
⇒ ∫πdω
20
A = ∫ (t + 2)dt
t =2
6
2
t
ω A − 20π = + 2t ⇒ ω A = 86.83 rad / s (at t = 6 s )
2
2

t=6 s ⇒ ω A (b ) = ω B (2b ) ⇒ ω B = 43.415 rad / s

N B = 414.59 rev / min
Absolute Motion

In this approach, we make use of the geometric relations which

define the configuration of the body involved and then proceed
to take the time derivatives of the defining geometric relations
to obtain velocities and accelerations.
PROBLEM
A wheel of radius r rolls on a flat surface without slipping. Determine the
angular motion of the wheel in terms of the linear motion of its center O. Also
determine the acceleration of a point on the rim of the wheel as the point
comes into contact with the surface on which the wheel rolls.
The wheel rolls to the right from the dashed to the full position without
slipping. The linear displacement of the center O is s, which is also the arc
length C'A along the rim on which the wheel rolls. The radial line CO rotates to
the new position C'O' through the angle θ, where θ is measured from the
vertical direction.

Since the wheel rolls without slipping, the linear

displacement of the center is rθ.

s = rθ (θ is in radians )

The velocity of center O

s = vo = rθ = rω
The acceleration of center O

s = ao = vo = rθ = rα

If the wheel is slowing down, ao
will be directed opposite to vo and
ω and α will have opposite
directions.
When point C has moved along its
cycloidal path to C’, its new
coordinates and their time derivatives
become

x y
x = s − r sin θ = rθ − r sin θ = r (θ − sin θ ) y = r − r cos θ = r (1 − cos θ )
( )
x = r θ − θ cos θ = rθ(1 − cos θ ) θ sin θ = vo sin θ
y = r
x = vo (1 − cos θ ) rω = v o

x = rθ − rθ cos θ + rθ 2 sin θ y = rθ 2 cos θ + rθ sin θ
α − r
x = r α cos θ + rω 2 sin θ y = rω 2 cos θ + r
α sin θ
ao ao ao
x = ao (1 − cos θ ) + rω sin θ
2
y = rω 2 cos θ + ao sin θ
For the desired instant of contact, θ = 0

x = y = 0 ⇒ vc = 0  2
(the point of contact has zero velocity)
a C = rω j

(INSTANTANEOUS CENTER OF ZERO VELOCITY) C vc = 0

(IC)

Acceleration at the contact point:

x = 0 , y = rω 2
Relative Motion
The second approach to rigid body kinematics uses the principles of relative
motion. In kinematics of particles for motion relative to translating axes, we
applied the relative velocity equation
  
v A = vB + v A / B
to the motions of two particles A and B.

We now choose two points on the same rigid body for our two particles. The
consequence of this choice is that the motion of one point as seen by an
observer translating with the other point must be circular since the radial
distance to the observed point from the reference point does not change.
The figure shows a rigid body moving in the plane of the figure from
position AB to A´B´ during time ∆t. This movement may be visualized as
occurring in two parts. First, the body translates to the parallel position

A´´B´ with the displacement ∆rB. Second, the body rotates about B´ through
the angle ∆θ, from the nonrotating reference axes x´-y´ attached to the

reference point B´, giving rise to the displacement ∆rA / B of A with respect
to B.


∆rA / B
 With B as the reference point, the total displacement of A is
  
∆rA = ∆rB + ∆rA / B

Where ∆rA / B has the magnitude r∆θ as ∆θ approaches zero. Dividing the

time interval ∆t and passing to the limit, we obtain the relative velocity
equation
  
v A = vB + v A / B

The distance r between A

and B remains constant.
The magnitude of the relative velocity is thus seen to be

 ∆rA / B   r∆θ  dθ
v A / B = lim   = lim  =r
∆t →0  ∆ t  ∆t →0  ∆t  dt
 
which, with ω = θ becomes

v A / B = rω
 
Using r to represent the vector rA / B , we may write the relative
velocity as the vector
  
vA/ B = ω × r
Therefore, the relative velocity equation becomes
   
v A = vB + ω × r
 
Here, ω is the angular velocity vector normal to the plane of the motion in the
sense determined by the right hand rule.
It should be noted that the direction of the relative velocity will always be
perpendicular to the line joining the points A and B.

Interpretation of the Relative Velocity Equation

We can better understand the relative velocity equation by visualizing the
translation and rotation components separately.

Translation Fixed axid rotation

In the figure, point B is chosen as the reference point and the velocity

of A is the vector sum of the translational portion v B , plus the
  
rotational portion v A / B = ω × r , which has the magnitude vA/B=rω,

where ω = θ , the absolute angular velocity of AB . The relative linear
velocity is always perpendicular to the line joining the two points A
and B.
Relative Acceleration
Equation of relative velocity is
  
v A = vB + v A / B

By differentiating the equation with respect to time, we obtain the relative

acceleration equation, which is
  
v A = vB + v A / B
or
  
a A = aB + a A / B
This equation states that the acceleration of point A equals the vector sum of the
acceleration of point B and the acceleration which A appears to have to a
nonrotating observer moving with B.
If points A and B are located on the same rigid body, the distance r
between them remains constant. Because the relative motion is
circular, the relative acceleration term will have both a normal
component directed from A toward B due to the change of direction

of v A / B and a tangential component perpendicular to AB due to the

change in magnitude of v A / B . Thus, we may write,
   
a A = a B + (a A / B )n + (a A / B )t

Where the magnitudes of the relative acceleration components are

(a A / B )n = v A / B 2 / r = rω 2
(a A / B )t = v A / B = rα
In vector notation the acceleration components are
   
(a A / B )n = ω × (ω × r )
  
(a A / B )t = α × r
The relative acceleration equation, thus, becomes

      
a A = a B + ω × (ω × r ) + α × r
The figure shows the acceleration of A to be composed of two parts: the
acceleration of B and the acceleration of A with respect to B.
Solution of the Relative Acceleration Equation

As in the case of the relative velocity equation, the relative

acceleration equation may be carried out by scalar or vector
algebra or by graphical construction.

Because the normal acceleration components depend on

velocities, it is generally necessary to solve for the velocities
before the acceleration calculations can be made.