Chapter 14

Systems of Particles
 Contents
14.1 APPLYING NEWTON’S SECOND LAW AND MOMENTUM PRINCIPLES TO
SYSTEMS OF PARTICLES
14.1A Newton’s Second Law for a System of Particles
14.1B Linear and Angular Momentum of a System of Particles
14.1C Motion of the Mass Center of a System of Particles
14.1D Angular Momentum of a System of Particles About its Mass Center
14.1E Conservation of Momentum for a System of Particles
14.2 ENERGY AND MOMENTUM METHODS FOR A SYSTEM OF PARTICLES
14.2A Kinetic Energy of a System of Particles
14.2B Work-Energy Principle and Conservation of Energy for a System of Particles
14.2C Impulse-Momentum Principle and Conservation of Momentum for a System of
Particles
14.3 VARIABLE SYSTEMS OF PARTICLES
14.3A Steady Stream of Particles
14.3B Systems Gaining or Losing Mass
Contents 2

NASA, © Lena Kofoed

Contents 2

NASA, © Lena Kofoed

 Introduction
• In the current chapter, you will study the motion of systems of particles.

• The effective force of a particle is defined as the product of it mass and

acceleration. It will be shown that the system of external forces acting on a
system of particles is equipollent with the system of miai for the various
particles.

• The mass center of a system of particles will be defined and its motion
described.

• Application of the work-energy principle and the impulse-momentum

principle to a system of particles will be described. Result obtained are also
applicable to a system of rigidly connected particles, i.e., a rigid body.
 Objectives
• Apply Newton’s second law to a system of particles.
• Calculate the linear momentum and the angular momentum about a point of a system of
particles.
• Describe the motion of the center of mass of a system of particles.
• Determine the kinetic energy of a system of particles.
• Analyze the motion of a system of particles by using the principle of work and energy
and the principle of impulse and momentum.
Applying Newton’s Law and Momentum Principles 1

• Newton’s second law for each particle

Pi in a system of n particles,
n
Fi +  fij = mi ai
j =1

( )
n
ri  Fi +  ri  f ij = ri  mi ai
j =1

Fi = external force fij = internal forces

mi ai = effective force

• The system of external and internal

forces on a particle is equivalent to
the effective force of the particle.

• The system of external and internal

forces acting on the entire system of
particles is equivalent to the system
of effective forces.
Applying Newton’s Law and Momentum Principles 2

• Summing over all the elements,

n n n n

 F +  f =  m a
i =1
i
i =1 j =1
ij
i =1
i i

 ( r  F ) +  ( r  f ) =  ( r  m a )
n n n n

i i i ij i i i
i =1 i =1 j =1 i =1

• Since the internal forces occur

in equal and opposite collinear
pairs, the resultant force and
couple due to the internal
forces are zero,

F = m a i i i

(r  F ) = (r  m a )
i i i i i
 Linear & Angular Momentum
• Linear momentum of the system • Angular momentum about fixed
of particles, point O of system of particles,
n
L =  mi vi
n
H O =  ( ri  mi vi )
i =1 i =1

( ) ( )
n n n n

L =  mi vi =  mi ai H O =  ri  mi vi +  ri  mi vi
i =1 i =1
i =1 i =1
n
=  ( ri  mi ai )
• Resultant of the external forces i =1

is equal to rate of change of • Moment resultant about fixed

linear momentum of the system point O of the external forces is
of particles, equal to the rate of change of
angular momentum of the system
F = L of particles,

M O = HO
 Motion of the Mass Center of a System of Particles
• Mass center G of system of particles is defined by position vector r
which satisfies.
n
mr =  mi ri
i =1

• Differentiating twice,
n
mr =  mi ri
i =1
n
mv =  mi vi = L
i =1

ma = L =  F

• The mass center moves as if the entire mass and all of the external forces
were concentrated at that point.
Angular Momentum About the Mass Center 1

• The angular momentum of the system

of particles about the mass center,
n
H G =  ( ri mi vi )
i =1

(
H G =  ( ri mi ai ) =  ri mi ( ai − a ) )
n n

i =1 i =1
n
 n 
=  ( ri mi ai ) −   mi r    a
i =1  i =1 
• Consider the centroidal
( )
n n
frame of reference =  ( ri mi ai ) =  ri Fi
Gx’y’z’, which translates i =1 i =1

with respect to the =  MG

Newtonian frame Oxyz.
• The moment resultant about G of the
external forces is equal to the rate of
change of angular momentum about G of
the system of particles.
 Angular Momentum About the Mass Center 2

• Angular momentum about G of

particles in their absolute motion
relative to the Newtonian Oxyz
frame of reference.
n
H G =  ( ri mi vi )
i =1

(
=  ri mi ( v + vi ) )
n

i =1
vi = v + vi
 n  n
=   mi ri  v +  ( ri mi vi )
• Angular momentum about G of  i =1  i =1

H G = H G =  M G
the particles in their motion
relative to the centroidal Gx’y’z’
frame of reference,
• Angular momentum about G of the
n particle momenta can be calculated
H G =  ( ri mi vi ) with respect to either the Newtonian
i =1 or centroidal frames of reference.
 Conservation of Momentum
• If no external forces act on the • Concept of conservation of
particles of a system, then the linear momentum also applies to the
momentum and angular momentum analysis of the mass center motion,
about the fixed point O are
conserved.
L = F = 0 HG =  M G = 0
L =  F = 0 HO =  M O = 0 L = mv = constant
L = constant H O = constant v = constant H G = constant

• In some applications, such as

problems involving central forces,

L =  F  0 HO =  M O = 0
L  constant H O = constant
 Sample Problem 14.2 1

Strategy:
• Since there are no external forces, the
linear momentum of the system is
conserved.
• Write separate component equations
for the conservation of linear
momentum.

• Solve the equations simultaneously

A 10-kg projectile is moving with a
for the fragment velocities.
velocity of 30 m/s when it explodes into
2.5 and 7.5-kg fragments. Immediately
after the explosion, the fragments travel
in the directions qA = 45o and qB = 30o.
Determine the velocity of each fragment.
 Sample Problem 14.2 2

Modeling and Analysis:

• Since there are no external forces, the
linear momentum of the system is
conserved.

x
 Kinetic Energy
• Kinetic energy of a system of particles,
n n
T= 1
2  mi ( vi • vi ) =
i =1
1
2  ii
m v
i =1
2

• Expressing the velocity in terms of the

centroidal reference frame,
n    
T= 2 i G
1  (
m v + vi) (
• v G + v )
i
i =1

1  m v 2 + v •
n n  1 n
= 2  i  G G  m i v 
i + 2  mi v
i
2
 i =1  i =1 i =1
   1 mv 2 + 1
n
vi = vG + vi = 2 G 2  m v
i i 2
i =1

• Kinetic energy is equal to kinetic energy of

mass center plus kinetic energy relative to the
centroidal frame.
 Work-Energy Principle and
Conservation of Energy
• Principle of work and energy can be applied to each particle Pi ,
𝑇1 + 𝑈1→2 = 𝑇2
Where 𝑈1→2 represents the work done by the internal forces 𝑓Ԧ𝑖𝑗

and the resultant external force 𝐹Ԧ𝑖 acting on 𝑃𝑖.

• Principle of work and energy can be applied to the entire system by adding
the kinetic energies of all particles and considering the work done by all
external and internal forces.
• Although 𝑓Ԧ𝑖𝑗 and 𝑓Ԧ𝑗𝑖 are equal and opposite, the work of these forces will not,
in general, cancel out.
• If the forces acting on the particles are conservative, the work is equal to the
change in potential energy and
T1 + V1 = T2 + V2
which expresses the principle of conservation of energy for the system of
particles.
 Impulse-Momentum Principle

   
F = L  M O = HO
t2
   t2  
  Fdt = L2 − L1   M O dt = H 2 − H1
t1 t1
 t2    t2  
L1 +   Fdt = L2 H1 +   M O dt = H 2
t1 t1
•The momenta of the particles at time t1 and the impulse of the forces from
t1 to t2 form a system of vectors equipollent to the system of momenta of
the particles at time t2 .
 Sample Problem 14.5
Ball B, of mass mB, is suspended from
a cord, of length l, attached to cart A,
of mass mA, which can roll freely on a
frictionless horizontal tract. While the
cart is at rest, the ball is given an
initial velocity v0 = 2 gl .
Determine (a) the velocity of B as it
reaches it maximum elevation, and
(b) the maximum vertical distance h
through which B will rise.
1
Strategy:
• With no external horizontal forces,
it follows from the impulse-
momentum principle that the
horizontal component of momentum
is conserved. This relation can be
solved for the velocity of B at its
maximum elevation.
• The conservation of energy
principle can be applied to relate
the initial kinetic energy to the
maximum potential energy. The
maximum vertical distance is
determined from this relation.
Sample Problem 14.5 2

Modeling and Analysis:

• With no external horizontal forces, it follows from
the impulse-momentum principle that the horizontal
component of momentum is conserved. This relation
can be solved for the velocity of B at its maximum
elevation. 𝑡 2

Ԧ = 𝐿2
𝐿1 + ෍ න 𝐹𝑑𝑡
𝑡1

x component equation:
𝑚𝐴 𝑣𝐴,1 + 𝑚𝐵 𝑣𝐵,1 = 𝑚𝐴 𝑣𝐴,2 + 𝑚𝐵 𝑣𝐵,2

Velocities at positions 1 and 2 are

𝑣𝐴,1 = 0 𝑣𝐵,1 = 𝑣0
𝑣𝐵,2 = 𝑣𝐴,2 + 𝑣 𝐵 = 𝑣𝐴,2
(velocity of B relative
𝐴,2 to A is zero at
position 2)
𝑚𝐵 𝑣0 = 𝑚𝐴 + 𝑚𝐵 𝑣𝐴,2
mB
v A,2 = vB ,2 = v0
mA + mB
Sample Problem 14.5 3

• The conservation of energy principle can be applied

to relate the initial kinetic energy to the maximum
potential energy.
T1 + V1 = T2 + V2
Position 1 - Potential Energy: V1 = mA gl

Kinetic Energy: T1 = 12 mB v02

Position 2 - Potential Energy: V = m gl + m gh

2 A B

Kinetic Energy: T2 = 1
2 ( mA + mB ) vA2 ,2

1
2 mB v02 + mA gl = 1
2 ( mA + mB ) vA2 ,2 + mA gl + mB gh
2
v02 mA + mB v A,2 v02 mA + mB
2
 mB 
h= − = −  v0
2g mB 2g 2g 2 g mB  A
m + mB 
v02 mB v02
h= −
2 g mA + mB 2 g mA v02
h=
mA + mB 2 g
Review and Summary
Review and Summary
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Review and Summary
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