MECHANICS OF

RIGID BODIES

Engr. Raymond I. Calderon

MECHANICS
➢ a branch of physical sciences that is concerned with the state
of rest or motion of bodies subjected to the action of forces.

➢ the physical science concerned with the behaviour of bodies

that are acted upon by forces.

➢ oldest of the Physical Sciences

3 Types of Mechanics
1. Mechanics of Rigid Bodies
•Statics
• Dynamics
2. Mechanics of Deformable Bodies
3.Fluid Mechanics
 RIGID BODIES
➢ a basic requirement for the study of the mechanics of
deformable bodies and fluid mechanics.

➢ essential for the design and analysis of many types of structural

members, mechanical components, electrical devices, etc ,
encountered in

A rigid body does not deform under load! ! ! !

 STATICS
➢ is the study which deals with the condition of bodies in
equilibrium subjected to external forces.

➢ In other words, when the force system acting on a body is

balanced, the system has no external effect on the body or
moves at constant velocity, the body is in equilibrium.
DYNAMICS
➢ is also a branch of mechanics in which the forces and their
effects on the bodies in motion are studied.

➢ Subdivided into two parts:

• Kinematics- deals with the geometry of motion of
bodies without and application of external
forces.
• Kinetics- deals with the motion of bodies with the
application of external forces.
 FUNDAMENTAL CONCEPTS
Functions of Flywheel
✔Mass: The quantity of the matter possessed by a body is called mass. The mass of a body

can not change unless the body is damaged and part of it is physically separated.

✔ Length: It is a concept to measure linear distances.

✔ Time: Time is the measure of succession of events. The successive event selected is the

rotation of earth about its own axis and this is called a day.

✔ Space: Any geometric region in which the study of a body has been done is called space.

✔ Displacement: It is defined as the distance moved by a body/particle in the specified

direction.

✔ Velocity: The rate of change of displacement with respect to time is defined as velocity.

✔ Acceleration: It is the rate of change of velocity with respect to time.

 FUNDAMENTAL CONCEPTS
Functions of Flywheel
✔ Momentum: The product of mass and velocity is called momentum.

Momentum = Mass × Velocity

✔ Particle: It can be defined as an object which has only mass and no size.
•Such a body cannot exist theoretically.
• When we deal with the problems involving distances considerably larger
compared to the size of the body, the body may be treated as particle.

✔ Force: Represents the action of one body to other. It is characterized by its magnitude,
direction of action and its point of application.
Force is a Vector Quantity.

✔ Newtonian Mechanics: Length, Time and Mass are absolute concepts independent of
each other.
Force is derived concept not independent of other fundamental concepts. Force
acting on a body is related to mass of the body and the variation of its velocity with time.

Force can also occur between bodies that are physically separated (Ex.
Gravitational, electrical and magnetic forces.)
REMEMBER
Mass is a property of matter that does not change
from one location to another.
Weight refers to the gravitational attraction of the
earth on a body or quantity of mass. Its magnitude
depends upon the elevation at which the mass is
located.
 MECHANICS IDEALIZATION
To simplify application of theory
➢ Particle- is a body with mass but with dimensions that can
be neglected
•Size is negligible compared to motion.
•All forces act through center of gravity.
•Neglect rotation about center of gravity
➢ Rigid Bodies
•Points of application, and line of action of forces are
important.
•Rotation and moments about center of gravity are
important
MECHANICS IDEALIZATION
➢ Concentrated Force-
-Effect of a loading is assumed to act at a point (CG)
on a body.
-Provided the area over which the load is applied is
very small compared to the overall size of the body.
MECHANICS : NEWTON’S THREE LAWS OF
MOTION
Basis of formulation of rigid body mechanics
▪ FIRST LAW: (Law of Inertia)

“A particle originally at rest, or moving in a straight line with constant

velocity, tends to remain in this state provided the particle is not
subjected to an unbalanced force. “
MECHANICS : NEWTON’S THREE LAWS OF
MOTION
Basis of formulation of rigid body mechanics

▪ SECOND LAW: (Law of Acceleration)

“A particle of mass m acted upon by an unbalanced force F experiences

an acceleration a that has the same direction as the force and a
magnitude that is directly proportional to the force. “
MECHANICS : NEWTON’S THREE LAWS OF
MOTION
Basis of formulation of rigid body mechanics

▪ THIRD LAW: (Law of Interaction)

“For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. The mutual
forces of action and reaction between two particles are equal, opposite
and collinear.“
MECHANICS : NEWTON’S LAW OF
GRAVITATIONAL ATTRACTION
Weight of a body (gravitational force acting on a body) is required to be computed in
Statics as well as Dynamics.

This law governs the gravitational attraction between any two particles.
GRAVITATIONAL ATTRACTION OF THE EARTH
Weight of a Body: If a particle is located at or near the surface of the earth, the only
significant gravitational force is that between the earth and the particle.
UNITS
Measurements are always made in comparison with certain standards.

For example, when we say that cloth piece is 2.5 metres long, the measurement of length
is with respect to a scale on which graduations are marked. In turn, the graduation of the
scale must have been made according to a national or an international standard.

The standard so chosen for the measurement of length is called the unit of length . In this
example, ‘ metre ’ is the unit of

Similarly, for the measurement of time, weight, current, speed etc , different units are
used.

Each physical quantity is measured for the purpose of analysis, study, comparison,
experimentation/results, design etc. with the help of measuring units by comparison.
UNITS
There are four systems of units used for the measurement of physical quantities.

➢ FPS (Foot Pound Second) system

➢ CGS ( Centimetre Gram Second) system

➢ MKS (Meter Kilogram Second) system

➢ SI (System international d ꞌ units the French name)

-The fundamental units of the system are metre (m) for length, kilogram (kg)
for mass and second (s) for time.

-The unit for force is newton (N). One newton is the amount of force required to
induce an acceleration of 1 m/sec 2 on one kg mass. Weight of a body (in N) =
Mass of the body (in kg ) × Acceleration due to gravity (in m/sec 2
UNITS
Four Fundamental Quantities:
UNITS PREFIXES
Some prefixes for multiples of SI Units:
 DIMENSION
The branch of mathematics dealing with dimensions of quantities is called dimensional
analysis. There are two systems of dimensional analysis:

➢ Absolute system (MLT system)

-A system of units defined on the basis of length, time and mass is referred to
as an absolute system.
-According to SI system of units, three basic units metre , second and kilogram
can be used. In MLT system, M refers to Mass, L refers to Length and T refers
to Time.

➢ Gravitational system (FLT system)

-A system of units defined on the basis of length, time and force is referred to
as a gravitational system.
-In this system, force is measured in a gravitational field. Thus, its magnitude
depends upon the location where the measurement is made. FLT system
refers to the Force Length Time system.
 SCALARS AND VECTORS
Various quantities used in engineering mechanics may be grouped into scalars and
vectors.

➢ Scalar Quantity: A quantity is said to be scalar if it is completely defined by its

magnitude alone.
Examples of scalar quantities are:
Area, length, Mass, Moment of inertia, Energy, Power,
Volume and Work etc.

➢ Vector Quantity: A quantity is said to be vector if it is completely defined only

when its magnitude as well as direction are specified.
Examples of vector quantities include:
Force, Moment, Momentum, Displacement, Velocity and
Acceleration.
SCALARS AND VECTORS
 VECTORS
➢ Free Vectors: whose action is not confined to or
associated with a unique line in space.
Example: Movement of a body without rotation.

➢ Sliding Vector: has a unique line of action in space but

not a unique point of application.
Example: External force on a rigid body
-Principle of Transmissibility
-Imp in Rigid Bodies

➢ Fixed Vector: for which a unique point of application

is specified.
Example: Action of a force on a deformable
bodies
 VECTORS
➢ Free Vectors: whose action is not confined to or
associated with a unique line in space.
Example: Movement of a body without rotation.

➢ Sliding Vector: has a unique line of action in space but

not a unique point of application.
Example: External force on a rigid body
-Principle of Transmissibility
-Imp in Rigid Bodies

➢ Fixed Vector: for which a unique point of application

is specified.
Example: Action of a force on a deformable
bodies
VECTOR REPRESENTATION
A
➢ Vector A in the plane (rectangular form)
A
A= Ax i + Ay j Ay
➢ Vector A in the plane (Polar form)
θ

A= |A| ∠ θ
Ax
➢ |A| is the magnitude of vector A

|A| = 𝑨𝒙 ² + (𝑨𝒙)²
➢ The direction is the angle (θ)

−1 𝐴𝑦
θ= tan
𝐴𝑥
Express the vector A = 3i +4j into its polar form.
Find the angle between 3x-y+z=0 and x+2y+2z=0