Learning topic
Dynamics of Mechanical Systems
Center of mass, momentum, angular momentum, kinetic energy, and general dynamics theorems for mechanical systems.
0 practice tasks · 6 subtopics
Dynamics of mechanical systems extends particle dynamics to systems of interacting particles and rigid bodies. Instead of analyzing every particle separately, integral characteristics of the entire system are often used.
Center of mass
The center of mass is determined by the mass distribution. Its motion is governed by the resultant external force; internal forces do not change the motion of the center of mass of the complete system.
Momentum and angular momentum
Total linear momentum characterizes the translational aspect of system motion, while angular momentum characterizes rotational motion about a point or axis. Their change theorems connect these quantities to external forces and moments.
Kinetic energy of a system
The kinetic energy of a mechanical system is the sum of the kinetic energies of its particles. The work-energy theorem relates its change to force work and is a powerful method for analyzing complex systems.